State Fire Marshal Goodwin: Remember Fire Prevention Week

One of the hats worn by NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is that of State Fire Marshal.

As essentially the state's fire chief, he takes great pride and responsibility in working on projects with his 57,000 partners in the fire and rescue services in North Carolina.

This week is Fire Prevention Month, a regular project of all firefighters as they and Goodwin go about promoting fire and life safety measures.

The theme for this year is "Two Ways Out." It is important that homeowners and residents plan for two exits from every room, just in case one exit is blocked by fire or smoke. Also, Goodwin says, it is imperative that families create a home exit plan so family members know how to exit a house and where to meet up outside safe and away from a burning structure. And while on the subject of developing and practicing that emergency exit plan for your home, go ahead and get in the habit of testing your smoke alarms monthly and changing the batteries twice a year.

Commissioner Goodwin reminds folks that a great many fires begin in the kitchen, so be extra careful when cooking or preparing meals in or on your oven, or in your microwave.

WRAL-TV featured Insurance Commissioner Goodwin on its early morning show this week at this link.
And, countless newspapers and radio stations shared the state fire chief's message, doing their part to educate Tar Heel residents the importance of fire prevention.

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Insurance Commissioner Goodwin Leads in First Public Poll

Incumbent NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin leads habitual challenger Mike Causey in the first public poll for this statewide race in the 2012 Fall campaign.

What is most amazing about this poll is that Goodwin has his lead even though (a) Causey has already been on the ballot himself twice this one year alone,(b) Causey has been on the statewide ballot four times for the same office, and (c) Goodwin hasn't even begun his media messaging in earnest yet.

"I'm pleased with these results, and look forward to advocating for why my proven record of saving consumers more than $1.3 Billion, obtaining more than 600 arrests for insurance fraud, and being a strong advocate for our firefighters are key to my re-election campaign," said Goodwin.

Stay tuned as the public begins to pay more attention to this important office and Insurance Commissioner Goodwin gets his message out to North Carolina's voters.

Goodwin: A State Insurance Commissioner Always In Motion

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, by all accounts public and private, is constantly in motion.

Whether giving speeches all across the State, attending community and charitable and church events, supporting firefighter causes, meeting with local legislators and area leaders, or informing and inspiring thousands and thousands of licensees and business owners and families about his work for them, Goodwin has been described as being “everywhere.” (“Everywhere” is a lot easier to say than “ubiquitous!”)

“With 600,000 licensees and 9 million citizens of North Carolina – not to mention the broad impact and scope of this office -- it shouldn’t be surprising that my regular week is chockfull of public appearances and in-state travel,” said Goodwin. “In fact, I’m of the opinion that someone is not doing anything unless they are in motion.”

Individuals, families and businesses love it when they hear and see how he is fighting for them – especially after catastrophes like hurricanes and tornadoes or on the cost of insurance, namely car insurance. North Carolina has the lowest average car insurance rates in the South from Delaware to Texas, and is the eighth lowest in the country. Through rate cuts, rebates, refunds, and restitution, Goodwin and his team have saved consumers – including businesses – more than $1 Billion over the last 3-1/2 years. And in 2011 alone, Goodwin's Consumer Services Division recovered $42 million for consumers.

Agents love it when they are reminded about how he is fighting for fairness and their inclusion in his advisory committees, and supporting initiatives that help them keep their agencies open and so their communities continue having access to an insurance counselor on Main Street and avoid marketplace disruption. The insurance commissioner has been described by professionals in state and out of state as “one of the most accessible insurance regulators in the country.”

Firefighters and other first responders love it that Commissioner Goodwin – who is also the State Fire Marshal – champions their causes, and takes the time to join them in moments of triumph and in moments of tragedy.

Law enforcement officials, prosecutors, insurance companies and citizens love that Goodwin’s team has focused even more intently on ferreting out insurance fraud. Over the last 3-1/2 years, his investigators have recovered $47.9 million for victims of insurance fraud.

Homebuilders and local government building officials love it that just a few weeks ago Insurance Commissioner Goodwin’s personal intervention on a code book matter helped avert a crisis (using the words of the North Carolina Homebuilders Association), and prevented the unlawful stoppage of building permits all across North Carolina. Building permits translate to jobs and economic growth, and Goodwin knows it.

And, consumer advocates herald his service as chairman of the national consumers participation board and his focus on transparency in government. Many have highlighted Goodwin’s requirement for more public comment periods and opportunities for public hearings, etc.

In most months he’s been found in every corner of the state – not just Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Asheville, but also in Manteo, Murphy, Matthews, Morrisville, Mocksville, and Marston.

And if you haven’t seen North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin before or lately, then don’t worry: You will see him very soon.

After all, like Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law teaches us --- things in motion tend to stay in motion.

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To track his motion and his successes, go to www.waynegoodwin.org or follow him on Twitter (@WayneGoodwinNC) or on Facebook homepage here.

Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin Teaches Cleveland County Junior Firefighters

Knowing that it's never too early to reach out and recruit firefighters and to educate folks on the ingredients for home fire prevention, State Fire Marshal Wayne Goodwin is shown here extolling the virtues of his message to a gaggle of firehat-wearing 1st graders from Shelby, North Carolina. He met with students, educators, and local officials at the Cleveland County Agriculture Fair. Goodwin also serves as the statewide elected Commissioner of Insurance.

State Fire Marshal Wayne Goodwin Welcomes Johnny Gage of "Emergency!" to NC

Insurance Commissioner Goodwin welcomed to North Carolina the one and only Randolph Mantooth, star of the hit 70s show "Emergency!". Mantooth and Goodwin, who also serves as State Fire Marshal, attended last week's N.C. State Firemen's Association and NC Association of Fire Chiefs annual meeting. They also both delivered remarks at the opening ceremony.

State Fire Marshal Predicts (Sort of) Winner of Powerball Lottery

Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin - who also serves as State Fire Marshal - delivered morning remarks to an audience of fire safety educators and firefighters in Asheville, North Carolina on Monday morning. Little did he know that those remarks would prove quite prophetic.

Given how early the breakfast meeting had begun, Commissioner Goodwin reflected on the good-sized crowd that had still chosen to show up.

But he then added:

"And if you know of someone who's missing from here or from work today here in Asheville, then there's a good chance that he or she has won the lottery." (paraphrase)

Later that afternoon, members of the Association and Asheville firefighters were all abuzz when the news broke: a retired Asheville firefighter had, in fact, won more than $141 million in the Powerball lottery and he'd just appeared at a press briefing in Raleigh with state lottery officials.

When Goodwin learned the news while en route from a Monroe luncheon speech and recalled his comment earlier in the day, he wondered: "Maybe I should have predicted two other unlikely events ... world peace, or, that the Chicago Cubs would finally win a World Series after 102 years!"

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P.S. If there is anyone who is deserving of a lottery prize, it is a firefighter. After all, these hometown heroes protect our families, our homes, and our businesses, very often as volunteers for many years.

GOP Insurance Commissioner Candidate Upsets NC Firefighters

Eighth Congressional District Democrats and other readers of the Wayne's World blog should find the following post of interest because it impacts the 2008 elections in a major way.

9/1/08

REPUBLICAN INSURANCE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE ODOM OFFENDS NC FIREFIGHTERS: GOP Faux Pas Helps Democrat Wayne Goodwin

Last week in Winston-Salem the NC State Firemen’s Association held its 121st annual conference in tandem with the 76th annual meeting of the NC State Fire Chiefs Association.

As part of his actual job, Wayne Goodwin presented a Department of Insurance (Office of State Fire Marshal) update. Goodwin’s brief update was strictly to be about department legislation and official OSFM matters, and he was to be introduced only in his current role.

However, leaders of the NC State Firemen’s Association reported that immediately before the Winston-Salem program began they received an intense call from the campaign of John Odom, Republican candidate for Insurance Commissioner. Odom demanded “equal time” as Goodwin. When told that the conference was non-political and that Goodwin was only there as part of his State job (as he had for years), Odom’s campaign refused to back down. The Association granted him a few minutes to speak to the joint conference as a result.

According to firefighters and fire chiefs in attendance, the Odom campaign’s rudeness and unacceptable politicizing of the conference are considered major errors on Odom’s part. From many reports Odom actually cost himself significant votes by forcing himself into the non-political meeting.

Consequently, Odom gave his opponent, Wayne Goodwin, an even bigger boost from firefighters statewide.

“I believe Republican John Odom owes the firefighters and fire chiefs of North Carolina a huge apology,” said Wayne Goodwin. “Our hometown heroes deserve respect, and the Odom campaign’s actions during this conference are unacceptable,” said Goodwin. Goodwin is the Democratic candidate for Insurance Commissioner and currently the Assistant Commissioner of Insurance and Assistant State Fire Marshal.

Goodwin has been individually endorsed for Insurance Commissioner by Paul Miller, Executive Director of the NC State Firemen’s Association; and many firefighters and fire chiefs across North Carolina.

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As folks used to say in Latin, res ipsa loquitur, which means the above "speaks for itself." Eighth Congressional District and all NC voters are encouraged to visit www.WayneGoodwin.org for more information about the Goodwin campaign for Insurance Commissioner.