North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will honor firefighters for their service and heroism during a trip to Johnston, Wayne, and Lenoir counties on Thursday.
Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, will also present ceremonial grant checks to four fire departments and help deliver smoke alarms to a station participating in this year’s Smoke Alarm Saturday.
During a stop at the Princeton Volunteer Fire Department, Commissioner Causey will present the Order of the Guardian Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Commissioner, to Kenneth Starling and his son Ken Starling.
The elder Starling will receive his award posthumously. The elder Starling served the fire department for 62 years.
His son served 40 years, giving the father-son duo 102 years of combined service protecting the residents of Princeton.