Commissioner Causey to honor eight firefighters who rescued victims from mobile home fire, present grant checks on Wednesday State Fire Marshal will visit Wayne, Lenoir counties

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will honor eight Lenoir County firefighters who helped rescue victims from an April mobile home fire.

Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, will also deliver more than $335,000 in ceremonial grant checks to 19 volunteer fire departments during a trip to Wayne and Lenoir counties on Wednesday, July 14.

Sandy Bottom Fire Chief Daniel Chewning, Deputy Chief Scott Hardison, Assistant Chief Timothy Mooring Jr., Capt. Kyle Owens and firefighters Chris Locke and Landon Stroud will be awarded SAVE Awards, along with Southwood Capt. Tyler Foyles and Deep Run firefighter Blake Ellis. SAVE Awards go to first responders who go above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the public.

In the early morning hours of Friday, April 30, the Sandy Bottom, Southwood and Deep Run volunteer fire departments responded to a mobile home fire on Albritton’s Road in Kinston. Upon arrival, the firefighters learned that there were five occupants trapped in the mobile home.

Firefighters entered the mobile home through a window. Some of the firefighters worked to help the victims escape while others fought the blaze to keep the fire from spreading. Unfortunately, one of the victims succumbed to injuries from the fire.

During Wednesday’s visit, Commissioner Causey will also present ceremonial checks to 13 Wayne County volunteer fire departments: Grantham, Indian Springs, Jordans Chapel, Little River, Nahunta, Oakland, Patetown, Pikeville-Pleasant Grove, Price Town, Saulston, Seven Springs Community, Smith Chapel and Thoroughfare.

Commissioner Causey will present checks to six volunteer fire departments in Lenoir County: Deep Run, Hugo, Pink Hill, Sand Hill, Sandy Bottom and Southwood.

The matching grants are part of a statewide program that awards nearly $9.9 million to 554 volunteer fire departments.

Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for Wednesday: