Forty rural North Carolina fire departments received grants to help support operations during COVID-19. | Stock Photo
Forty rural North Carolina fire departments received grants to help support operations during COVID-19. | Stock Photo
Rural volunteer fire departments in Edgecombe, Pitt and Greene counties that have been hit hard financially as a result of COVID-19's economic impact were awarded $5,000 grants on June 11 by North Carolina's Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal Mike Causey.
The funds were part of a half a million-dollar grant by Blue Cross Blue Shield and designed to help approximately 40 rural fire departments throughout North Carolina, WNCT 9 reported on June 11.
The fire marshal told WNCT 9 that he is concerned about the "financial well-being" of the state's rural fire departments as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.
“The volunteer fire departments are the center of every community wherever you live in North Carolina or the nation,” Causey told WNCT. “Because of the coronavirus pandemic, most of our fire departments are not able to have their annual fundraisers, which is a big loss to their revenue," he said.
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