North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey and Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes will hold an Operation Medicine Drop drug take-back event Tuesday, March 30, at the Township 7 Fire Department in New Bern.
Operation Medicine Drop events are held throughout the state in an effort to curb the state’s opioid crisis and save lives. The Craven County Sheriff’s Office (OMD) drug take-back event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Commissioner Causey and Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes will address the media at 11 a.m.
OMD is a program within the Department of Insurance designed to ensure unused or expired medication is properly disposed of and kept out of the wrong hands. Since the first North Carolina take-back event in 2010, the program has collected more than 232 million pills, supported more than 3,893 events and assisted in the placement of more than 452 drop box locations.
Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, will also present a SAVE Award to the New Bern Fire Department, distribute a ceremonial grant check to a rescue squad and thank child passenger safety technicians for their work while receiving required training.
SAVE Awards are presented to individuals or groups that go beyond the call of duty. As a result of the New Bern Fire Department’s annual fire inspection program, four residents in a boarding home escaped an early morning fire because the firefighters ensured their smoke alarm was properly working.
Commissioner Causey will start the day by distributing a $24,900 ceremonial grant check to the Township 9 Fire & Rescue Squad. The grant is part of a $1.6 million statewide program to help 120 local rescue squads purchase needed equipment.
During the visit, Commissioner Causey will also meet with building inspectors to discuss his initiatives and provide an opportunity for inspectors to ask questions.
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for Tuesday:
9:30 a.m. -- No. 9 Township Fire & Rescue (Rescue grant) 3783 N.C. 55 West, New Bern, N.C. 28562 10:15 a.m. -- Craven County Building Inspectors office (Conference Room) 2828 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, N.C. 28562 11 a.m. -- No. 7 Township Fire Department (Operation Medicine Drop) 1705 Old Cherry Point Road, New Bern, N.C. 28564 1:15 p.m. -- New Bern Fire Department (Child Passenger Safety Class) 1401 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, N.C. 28563 1:30 p.m. -- New Bern Fire and Rescue (SAVE Award) 1401 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, N.C. 28563