North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will present checks to assist rural volunteer fire departments in Warren and Gates counties on Monday, Aug. 31. He will also meet with insurance agents during lunch in Halifax County.
Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, is concerned about the financial well-being of the state’s volunteer fire departments. He has partnered with the state’s largest health insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, to obtain grants to help ensure the departments can respond to their jurisdiction’s needs.
The money given to the fire departments comes from a $500,000 BCBSNC grant to assist rural fire departments in North Carolina. The grants are going to volunteer fire departments that receive the least amount of funding from their local governments.
Most rural volunteer fire departments depend on fundraising events to supplement their government funding. The restrictions on public gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic have limited their ability to raise these funds.
While meeting with insurance agents, Commissioner Causey will discuss his efforts to make the Department of Insurance more customer friendly and listen to agents’ concerns.
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for the day:
10:00 a.m. – Arcola Rural Volunteer Fire Department
2169 N.C. Highway 43, Warrenton, N.C. 27589
11:30 a.m. – Logan’s Roadhouse (Lunch with insurance agents)
200 Premier Blvd., Roanoke Rapids, N.C. 27870
2 p.m. – Gates Volunteer Fire Department
459 Gates School Road, Gates, N.C. 27937