By Miles Layton

WINDSOR — Monday night’s meeting of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners opened with an emotional tribute to three members of the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office whose actions during January’s winter storm left a lasting impression on one local family.

Sheriff Tyrone M. Ruffin, Deputy Jerod Benson and Deputy Danielle Melton were presented plaques by Tonya Davis of Colerain and her daughter, Kierra King, in recognition of what Davis described as extraordinary service during dangerous snow and ice conditions on Jan. 31.

“This is my daughter, Kierra King,” Davis began. “On January 31, the winter storm hit Bertie County, covering the area in several inches of snow and ice. My daughter is a detention officer at Bertie Martin Regional Jail. She was working her regular shift from six am to six pm.”

Although King was scheduled to leave at 6 p.m., worsening weather prevented the night shift from reporting.

“As a result, she had to remain on duty until relief could arrive,” Davis said. “Knowing that her little small car has low ground clearance, I knew that she was not going to be able to navigate home. So I contacted Sheriff Ruffin and I asked whether a deputy would be able to bring her home.”

“Sheriff Ruffin assured me that when she was ready to leave, to give him a call,” Davis said. “Hours passed slowly, me as a mother, just waiting for her to get home.”

Relief finally arrived at the jail around 11:15 p.m., allowing King to leave. Davis called the sheriff, who dispatched Deputy Benson.

“He did not just send a deputy,” Davis said. “He sent what we felt was an angel in armor.”

She described the treacherous drive from County Farm Road to White’s Cross — a route that normally takes 14 minutes.

“To put the conditions in perspective, it took him an hour and 30 minutes to drive from the jail on County Farm Road to White’s Cross,” Davis said.

When Benson arrived, he ensured King made it safely inside.

“When he finally arrived, Deputy Benson pulled as close as possible to my back door. He got out of his vehicle, went around, assisted my daughter out of the vehicle and walked her up the snow-covered steps to my back door.”

Davis said the deputy had no way of knowing that her daughter was five months pregnant.

“That night, Deputy Benson was not simply a Bertie County deputy that was performing his job,” she said. “To our family, he was an angel in armor, protecting a young woman trying to get home from work that he did not even know was five months pregnant.”

She also recognized Deputy Melton, who drove to Trapp to pick up another detention officer so King could be relieved from duty.

“I cannot adequately express my sincere gratitude and overwhelming appreciation to Deputy Benson and the entire sheriff’s office for their professionalism, compassion, and dedication,” Davis said.

She then read the inscriptions on the plaques presented to each officer.

“This plaque is for Deputy Sheriff Jerod Benson in recognition of your outstanding service, compassion, and dedication to go above and beyond call of duty during the winter storm of January 31, 2026, with sincere appreciation, Tonya Davis and Kierra King.”

 For Melton, she read: “Presented to Deputy Danielle Melton in recognition of your outstanding service, compassion, and dedication to go above and beyond the call of duty during the winter storm of January 31, 2026,  with sincere appreciation, Tonya Davis and Kierra King.”

The plaque for Ruffin stated: “Presented to Tyrone M. Ruffin, Sheriff of Bertie County. Your steadfast leadership, integrity, and unwavering dedication to the citizens of Bertie County exemplifies the true meaning of public service. With sincere appreciation, Tonya Davis and Kierra King.”

Commissioners and audience members responded with applause.

“We’re so thankful for those special recognitions, and we’re so thankful for our Sheriff’s Department doing what they do best, that’s serving the citizens here of Bertie County,” Chair Corey Balance, Sr. said.

New Forest Ranger

In other business, the board welcomed a new addition to the North Carolina Forest Service in Bertie County. District Forester Mike Petruncio introduced Lance Swindell as the county’s new ranger.

“It’s my pleasure this evening to introduce Lance Swindell as our new county ranger for Bertie County,” Petruncio said. “Lance has plenty of experience with us, with North Carolina Forest Service. He’s worked 16 years with our agency previously. For the past six years, he’s been working with emergency management in Washington County. And I’m glad to have him on board with us. Bertie, as you know, is a very busy county with the forestry industry and working cooperatively with our other agencies serving landowners.”

Swindell told commissioners he was glad to return to familiar territory.

“Good to be back talking to commissioners at the podium,” Swindell said. “Like I said, I did in Washington County as the emergency management director for six years, and of course, I was presenting budgets and giving updates ever since actually 2007 started in Washington County.”

Swindell said keeping officials and the public informed has always been part of his approach.

“I’d like to keep the people aware of what’s going on,” he said. “A lot of times, not just as far as the industry, but fire control and all the things that Forest Service does, in the office, out of the office, doesn’t always get seen or touted.”

Swindell warned that wildfire season is already active.

“Everyone knows who Smokey the Bear is, so we use Smokey the Bear to get information out to the schools, public events and stuff like that. I’ve always been big on that, making sure we have representation in as many events and out in the public as we can,” he said.

Commissioners welcomed him to the county.

“Right now look like you’re a great addition, so we’re grateful,” one commissioner said.

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Hazard mitigation plan update

The board also heard from Tracy White regarding the adoption of the updated Northeastern North Carolina Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.

“You have a resolution to adopt the update to the northeastern North Carolina regional hazard mitigation plan,” White said.

She explained that the plan is a five-county collaboration including Bertie, Martin, Washington, Tyrrell and Hyde counties.

“The state emergency assistance funds pay for this update,” White said. “It is a five-county regional update.”

White said the plan must be updated every five years to comply with state requirements.

“We’ve been under a plan. It has to be updated every five years. It’s a requirement by statute that it’s updated every five years and our five-year expiration date will be in April,” she said.

Consulting firm WSP facilitated meetings with each jurisdiction beginning last July, she added.

“I’m not going to go through the entire plan because it’s about 685 pages and I don’t think you really want me to go through that plan in detail,” White said.

Communities across the region are adopting the plan this month to maintain eligibility for certain state and federal assistance funds.

Medical Transport Franchise Request

Greg Joyner, co-owner of TransCare Medical Transport, addressed the board seeking approval of a medical transport franchise in Bertie County. Joyner said he and his brother bring decades of first responder experience.

Joyner said the company already operates basic and advanced life support units in neighboring Hertford County and regularly transports patients among ECU Health facilities, including Bertie Hospital.

“We’ve been called numerous times to transport patients here inside Bertie County from the hospital here in Bertie, but cannot do so, not being able to have a franchise,” he said.

He noted that the company’s base is just across the county line in the St. Johns community.“We’d be willing to provide emergency mutual aid assistance requested if we were granted the franchise,” Joyner said. “TransCare really wants to add a level of service to Bertie County like we have to Hertford County. The goal is to shorten the patient’s wait time, help medical providers move patients out of hospitals that really need to be coming out as quickly as possible.”

As the meeting concluded, commissioners had recognized acts of heroism, welcomed new leadership in forestry, considered expanded medical transport services and moved forward on regional disaster preparedness — a cross-section of public safety, infrastructure and community support that defined the evening’s agenda.