The AJC reports this morning that Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commish – and gubanitorial candidate – John Oxendine announced Monday that the city of Atlanta’s fire safety rating had fallen from a “2” to a “4” in a recent insurance services report.  As a result the city has nine months to improve services or the city’s rating will drop to a “3”.

Aside from suffering from poorer service, city residents would also see insurance premiums rise.

Aside from just imparting the news, Oxendine took the opportunity to slam the city for recent cuts in service and asked them to consider making “life safety a priority.”  The Atlanta City Council returned the complement by pointing out the fact that the Fire Safety rating in Oxendine’s own county of Gwinnett was currently a “4.”

Happily, as Steve pointed out in an email this morning, Decatur’s fire safety rating remains a solid “2.”  According to Steve, Alpharetta is the only other entity in the metro area with such a high rating.