North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey on Thursday, Jan. 6, will honor a 9-year-old girl whose quick actions in late November 2021 saved both her sister’s life and her own life.
In addition, Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, will be distributing grant checks to some of the state’s neediest fire departments in Robeson, Bladen and Columbus counties.
Heroism award
State Fire Marshal Causey will present the Commissioner’s Award for Heroism to Isabella Boyd, who in the early morning hours of Nov. 29, 2021, was awakened by heat coming from an electric heater fire beside her bed in her Tabor City home.
Isabella then woke up her 5-year-old sister, Ava, so they could escape the fire. Both girls suffered burns as they had to travel past the burning heater and wall to escape. Isabella then quickly went room to room to make sure everyone was able to escape the fire safely.
Commissioner Causey will present the award at 1 p.m. Thursday at Tabor City Middle School.
Grant Checks
Earlier in the day, Commissioner Causey will distribute grant checks totaling $15,000 to three volunteer fire departments – Pine Terrace Volunteer Fire Department in Robeson County, Carvers Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Bladen County and St. James Volunteer Fire Department in Columbus County.
The grants are the result of a $500,000 contribution made by Blue Cross Blue Shield NC to help firefighters in North Carolina. Half of the contribution will be distributed in $5,000 grants to the 50 North Carolina volunteer fire departments that received the least amount of funding from local governments. The remaining $250,000 will go toward mental health education and treatment programs for North Carolina firefighters.
“It is an honor for me to personally be able to present these $5,000 grant checks, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield NC,” Commissioner Causey said. “This money will help these needy fire departments to better protect their community. The coronavirus pandemic has presented an added challenge to their fundraising efforts.”
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for Thursday, Jan. 6:
8:30 a.m. – Robeson County Emergency Management Center 38 Legend Drive, Lumberton, N.C. 28358 9:45 a.m. – Carvers Creek Volunteer Fire Department 2095 Elwell Ferry Road, Council, N.C. 28434 10:25 a.m. – St. James Volunteer Fire Department 3203 Old Northeast Road, Lake Waccamaw, N.C. 28450 1 p.m. – Tabor City Middle School (Heroism Award) 701 W. Sixth St., Tabor City, N.C. 28463