North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey plans to distribute children’s fire prevention coloring books to fire departments during a trip to Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties on Thursday, Sept. 24.
Commissioner Causey, who is the State Fire Marshal, will also present ceremonial matching grant checks during stops at the fire stations and meet with local officials and agents during the day.
The coloring books were donated by the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina as a part of the organization’s Operation EDITH fire safety program. “EDITH” is an acronym for Exit Drill In The Home. Normally, the coloring books are given to children in school. However, since the coronavirus pandemic has curtailed school attendance, the agents are providing fire departments with coloring books to hand out to children.
The grant checks are part of a statewide program that provides more than $8.5 million in matching funds to help volunteer fire departments purchase needed equipment. Burke County fire departments’ share of the statewide grant is $126,168.89. Caldwell County’s share is $37,351.80. Alexander County’s share is $84,722.15
During lunch in Lenoir, Commissioner Causey plans to meet with area insurance agents and local officials.
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for the day:
9:00 a.m. – Brendletown Fire Department 5157 U.S. Highway 64, Morganton, N.C. 28655 10:00 a.m. – Enola Fire Department 2559 Enola Road, Morganton, N.C. 28655 11:00 a.m. – Rhodhiss Fire Department 200 Burke St., Rhodhiss, N.C. 28667 Noon – Dos Amigos (Lunch) 528 Blowing Rock Blvd., Lenoir, N.C. 28645 2:30 p.m. – Hiddenite Fire Department 4975 E. N.C. 90, Hiddenite, N.C. 28636