North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will be in Cumberland County on Thursday, July 9, to visit fire departments, an insurance agency and present the Safe Kids NC Coalition of the Year award to Safe Kids Cumberland County.
“The dedication and service that our Cumberland County Safe Kids Coalition provide to local families and children is remarkable,” said Commissioner Causey, who also serves as chair of Safe Kids NC. “It is my honor to congratulate these deserving award winners for their dedication to the Safe Kids North Carolina program and their hard work to keep families and children safe in their community.”
Safe Kids Cumberland County serves and informs a large population of residents that includes many military members and visitors. Cumberland County is the fifth most populous county in North Carolina.
The Cumberland County Safe Kids coalition started small in 2018 but grew into a large group of invested members wanting to help with risk affecting children in their community. The coalition nearly doubled its membership over the past year, hosting and supporting more than 12 events in 2019. These events include child passenger check station events, Operation Medicine Drop events, outdoor movie nights focusing on gun safety and other safety aspects for children.
In 2019, there were 19 child passenger safety permanent check stations operated by more than 90 technicians. These check stations, staffed by Fort Bragg Fire and Emergency Services, Spring Lake Fire and Rescue and the Fayetteville Fire Department, collectively educated and assisted with more than 800 safety seat installations. Child passenger safety remains a top priority of this coalition throughout the year and new technicians are trained and certified continuously.
Safe Kids Cumberland County also impacted the community in 2019 by creating a series of outdoor movie nights. Families enjoyed a free meal and outdoor movie while they visited several vendor tables for free safety resources.
One large focus of these events was gun safety. Partners from the Fayetteville Police Department, Operation Ceasefire and other coalition members joined together to inform more than 600 families in preventable injuries and safe gun practices for all ages.
Operation Medicine Drop is also a large component of Safe Kids Cumberland County's initiatives. The coalition collected more than 600 pounds of medicine from Fayetteville-area drop boxes in 2019.
Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, plans to stop by fire stations and an insurance agency during the trip to Cumberland County.
During stops, Commissioner Causey will listen to firefighters’ and other emergency workers’ ideas and concerns and will also discuss the efforts of the Office of State Fire Marshal to support firefighters and help improve the fire service across the state.
While meeting with insurance agents, Commissioner Causey will listen to agents’ concerns and brief the agents on his efforts to modernize the insurance industry, as well as his efforts to develop private flood insurance in North Carolina.
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for Thursday:
| 10:00 a.m. | Cumberland County – Safe Kids N.C. Coalition of the Year Award Spring Lake Fire Department, 300 Ruth St., Spring Lake, N.C. |
| 10:45 a.m. | Callahan and Rice Insurance Group 129 Franklin St., Fayetteville, N.C. |
| 1:15 p.m. | Cotton Volunteer Fire Department 4618 Calico St., Hope Mills, N.C. |
| 2:15 p.m. | Stedman Volunteer Fire Department 5318 Front St., Stedman, N.C. |
| 3:15 p.m. | Wade Volunteer Fire Department 7130 Powell St., Wade, N.C |