North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will honor a Durham County coalition dedicated to preventing childhood injuries during a visit to the Triangle county on Monday, July 27.
During the morning, Commissioner Causey will visit area insurance agencies. During the afternoon, Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, will visit fire stations, where he will witness some specialized programs in the Durham fire service. He will also listen to agents’ and firefighters’ concerns and discuss his initiatives.
Commissioner Causey will recognize Safe Kids Durham County with the Safe Kids North Carolina Outreach Initiative of the Year Award. The county organization, along with the Durham Fire Department, Durham Police Department Housing and Community Engagement Unit and the Durham Bike Co-Op, worked together to make the Fit It-Fix It program successful in protecting children from head injuries while providing needed repairs to bicycles.
The Fit It-Fix It initiative began in the spring of 2019 when Safe Kids Durham County was assisting the Durham Fire Department at a Durham Housing Authority event, providing fitted bicycle helmets for children in the neighborhood. A little girl who had just received a pretty purple helmet told Durham Fire Capt. Carol Reardon that she liked her helmet, but it wouldn’t do any good because her bicycle was broken.
The coalition then formed to, not only fix the little girl’s bike, but also help others. The Durham Bike Co-Op brought tires, tubes, brakes, pedals and the tools needed to fix the bikes. Volunteers worked on bikes as the kids watched and helped by holding tools. During 10 events sponsored by the coalition, 236 children received fitted helmets and 182 bikes were repaired. Ninety-seven bicycles were provided for children who had unrepairable bikes or otherwise needed them. Also,during a holiday bicycle recycle event, 290 used bikes were donated for children living in a Durham Housing Authority community.
On Monday, Commissioner Causey will thank Safe Kids Durham County, the Durham Fire Department, the Durham Police Department Housing and Community Engagement Unit and the Durham Bike Co-Op for working together to improve the safety and the lives of these children.
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for the day:
10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
McClintock Independent Insurance Agency
5850 Fayetteville Road, Durham, N.C.
10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Mike Embree Independent Insurance Agency
3813 University Drive, Durham, N.C.
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Safe Kids NC Awards Presentation/Durham Fire Administration Building
2008 E. Club Blvd., Durham, N.C.
2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Durham City Fire Station No. 9
2012 E. Club Blvd., Durham, N.C.
3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Durham City Fire Station No. 13
2901 S. Miami Blvd., Durham, N.C.
4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department
7900 Russell Road, Durham, N.C.