MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Horry county officials say insurance rates are expected to go down for people who live in the Carolina Lakes Development.
Back in August, Horry County approved selling its Station 23 property on the Horry Georgetown Technical College campus to the school.
Now the county looks to build a new station which means a lot of people along Highway 544 will see their insurance rates go down.
“Insurance went from approximately $1,500 to $6,400,” said Bob Elwood.
Elwood lives in Carolina Lakes.
His fire insurance rates quadrupled five years ago, he says it’s because he’s more than five miles away from a fire station. The nearest station to Elwood is Station 23 at Horry Georgetown Technical College.
Elwood says he’s willing to try anything to get his rates down.
“I’ll volunteer my backyard to put a rig back there. I have a big back yard, as you saw, you can put a firetruck back there until you get the building built,” said Elwood.
Luckily for Elwood and the rest of his neighbors it does not seem it will come to that.
“From moving the fire station to the end of Singleton Ridge Road we bring all those people back into the low risk area and we’ll be able to bring their insurance rates down,” said Horry County Council member Johnny Vaught.
Horry County Council member Johnny Vaught says the county plans to purchase a plot of land from Burroughs and Chapin near 544 and Singleton Ridge road.
“Hopefully, within the next month or so we’ll be able to announce that acquisition,” said Vaught.
Vaught says the price Horry Georgetown Tech paid for the land sold by the county should cover the cost of the new site.
Vaught says the new station will not only bring insurance rates down, but response times as well.
“It’s a win-win all around,” said Vaught.
According to Horry County records the Station 23 property was sold to Horry Georgetown Technical College for $350,000