(Stillwater) - A change to the City of Stillwater Rural Fire ordinance now allows rural property owners to contract City of Stillwater Fire Department services. The change, made to the ordinance concerning Rural Fire Service now allows property owners and residents who live seven miles or more from a Stillwater Fire Department to apply for contract.

The annual fee on the contracts is $100 a year and the maximum fee you can be charges for an emergency incident is $2,000, otherwise there is not a maximum on the amount you can be charged if the City of Stillwater Fire Department responds to an emergency on your property.

Records indicate that even a small structure fire can exceed $2,000 very quickly. Tom Bradley, Assistant Chief of Administration said about the contracts, "We encourage those outside the Stillwater city limits to evaluate your current insurance coverage and consider participating in the Rural Fire Service Program to ensure you are adequately protected in the event of a fire.