Four homeless after Raleigh fire

Four people were left homeless after a house fire in Raleigh on Tuesday night. The fire happened on Julian Road, between Brentwood Road and Atlantic Avenue. Officials said it took more than three dozen firefighters to get the fire under control. Seventy-five percent of the home was damaged in the fire. No injuries were reported in the incident.
WRAL-TV NBC 5 Raleigh

Possible outbreak of COVID-19 among firefighters forces changes in Onslow County

An outbreak of COVID-19 among some firefighters in Jacksonville is part of the reason government officials in Onslow County are making changes to help prevent the spread. In an effort to limit person-to-person contact and to protect its employees and citizens from COVID-19 exposure, many Onslow local governments will be restricting access to buildings and personnel. Officials with the City of Jacksonville said Tuesday it will be placing phones outside its facilities. The virus and restrictions have affected several of the local government workforces. That includes the city’s fire department. Currently, almost an entire shift of firefighters, 12 overall, are in quarantine after possible exposure. “We recognize that firemen, police officers, sanitation workers, all of these people are going to be out in the public, every day,” Jacksonville City Manager Richard Woodruff said.
WNCT-TV CBS 9 Greenville

Winston-Salem amends State of Emergency declaration backing up governor’s orders, fines and possible jail time for offenders

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines signed an amended declaration of a State of Emergency order. The order reinforces North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s mask mandate requirements. The order also gives the Winston-Salem Fire Department, Fire Marshal and inspectors the authority to enforce capacity and emergency maximum occupancy requirements in businesses. Winston-Salem police are also allowed to issue citations to businesses, organizations, and offices found in violation of the order. According to the order, repeat offenders could face a Class 2 misdemeanor, 60 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. The city will also consider additional enforcement measures and will prepare an ordinance amendment for the Winston-Salem City Council to approve in January. The order goes into effect at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
WFMY-TV CBS 2 Greensboro

Wilmington Police and Fire departments bring free Thanksgiving meals to 100 families

Members of the Wilmington Police and Fire departments handed out free Thanksgiving meals to 100 families Tuesday. Among those receiving a free meal was a couple who recently lost their home in fire. “We know it cannot replace their (home), but we hope it can be a small blessing in the midst of this hard time,” the WFD stated in a tweet. The couple’s home on 10th Street was destroyed in a fire Nov. 4.
WECT-TV NBC 6 Wilmington

Multiple fire districts receive improved insurance rating in Pitt County

Pitt County Emergency Management (PCEM), along with Ayden Fire Department Chief, Sam Jones, and Winterville Community Fire Department Chief, Jonathan Heltzel, were both notified by the North Carolina Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM), that a completed evaluation of the fire insurance classification for both the Ayden Fire District and Winterville Community Fire District had resulted in a new Protection Class Ratings of 4/9E and 5/9E respectively. The new rates will take effect on Monday, March 1, 2021, and is a significant advancement from the former Class 6/9E rating for Winterville Community and former class 5/9E for Ayden; which will result in advisement from OSFM to change rates on dwellings (including those insured under Homeowners Policies) within the district, which are established by the North Carolina Rate Bureau.
WNCT-TV CBS 9 Greenville

Indian Beach police, fire departments may need new radios

Local emergency responders may need new radios in order to keep in touch with Carteret County emergency dispatch. The Indian Beach Board of Commissioners met for its regular meeting Tuesday at the town hall boardroom on Salter Path Road, with Commissioner Elizabeth “Dale” Williford absent. During the meeting, Police Chief William Pollock and Fire Chief Joshua Haraway informed the board their emergency radios have been having difficulty receiving transmissions from the county’s emergency dispatch service. “The issue is the distance we’re having to go to get a signal,” Chief Haraway said. The chief said the closest transmission antennae to Indian Beach is in Newport, which is on the mainland to the northeast of the Bogue Banks community. Chief Pollock said his department is looking into changing their radios to a different model. “It’s getting to where we thing we’re going to need to go to the county to get something done (about the transmission problem),” he said.
Carteret County News-Times

Fire breaks out at Burlington home, no injuries

A fire broke out at a home on Maple Avenue in Burlington Monday afternoon. According to the Burlington Fire Department, once firefighters arrived on the scene they found the occupant safely outside the home. Once firefighters confirmed the home was evacuated, they began to put the fire out which they said only took a matter of minutes. No one was injured during the fire and the cause of the fire is still under investigation according to the fire department.
WFMY-TV CBS 2 Greensboro

Apex Fire Department helps demonstrate how not to fry a turkey

VIDEO: The Apex Fire Department teamed up with the state fire marshal on Monday to demonstrate the dangers of improperly frying a turkey. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, who also serves as state fire marshal, said attempting to fry a turkey that isn’t properly thawed can put your family at risk. “Oil-frying fires can happen quickly, and they are hard to extinguish,” Causey said. According to the insurance commissioner, unattended cooking is the No. 1 cause of home fires and injuries in the United States. On average, five people are killed and 60 injured while improperly frying turkeys each year, Causey said.
WNCN-TV CBS 17 Goldsboro