A moment of silence filled the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on Sept. 11, 2022. Despite the thousands in attendance, you could hear a pin drop. Firefighters clad in full gear—helmets, packs, boots—stood at attention, some holding high the name tags of fallen frontline heroes, those who gave their lives on that fateful day, so that others may live.
This was the Red Rocks 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb held on the 21st anniversary of our national tragedy. At precisely 9:02 am, the time that the first plane hit the Towers, bootsteps began to echo in the Amphitheatre. Bagpipes played as men, women, and children began the trek that is the equivalent of 110 stories in the World Trade Center, symbolizing the heroic journey made by their fallen peers. Not even the span of two decades could dampen the emotion felt by those in attendance ready to make the climb, including California Casualty employees and their families.
When the 9-11 attacks happened in 2001, fearful New Yorkers fled the World Trade Center. Firefighters and first responders headed in the opposite direction—into the danger. Of those heroes who answered the call, 343 did not make it out alive. This day was to remember them and to help the families of other frontline heroes who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) holds these memorial stair climbs nationwide. Proceeds support the families of local fallen firefighters and the FDNY Counseling Service Unit.
As an organization committed to protecting first responders, California Casualty is a proud sponsor of these events. We supported 12 NFFF Stair Climbs this year in Indianapolis, IN; Chicago, IL, Morrison, CO; Dayton, OH; Springfield, MO; Columbus, OH; Imperial, CA; Bishop, CA; Oxon Hill, MD; Scottsdale, AZ; Salina, KS; Tollhouse, CA. Our employees and their families have attended many of these events.
“I wanted to reach out and thank you again for California Casualty’s support of our event,” said Colin Altman at the Gem City, Ohio Stair Climb. “We’ve been working with California Casualty since our first year (2014), and we’re so excited to continue the partnership!”
“Thank you all again for your sponsorship this year,” said Julie Mercer, Marketing Coordinator, Springfield, Missouri Memorial Climb. “It was great seeing you Saturday; thank you for joining us! Thank you also for the wonderful snacks for the climbers, I know they really enjoyed having them. Hope you made it home safe. We hope to see you again next year.”
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Partner Award
California Casualty works hand-in-hand with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and their families. Aside from the annual stair climb events, our sponsorship supports training and education, such as NFFF’s Every Firefighter Goes Home and the Taking Care of Our Own program which help prevent in-the-line-of-duty deaths. And some of our funds contribute to financial assistance for families of fallen firefighters and the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Scholarship Fund. These scholarships are awarded to spouses, children, and step-children of fallen firefighters.
Because of our continued support of the initiatives of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation we were awarded this plaque for our longtime partnership.
Roxanne Dean, Vice President of Partner Relations at California Casualty, accepted the plaque on behalf of the company from NFFF Consultant, Bill Hinton. This award is given to longtime corporate sponsors of the NFFF to show gratitude for their partnership and support of the Foundation and the families of the fallen heroes.
Join California Casualty in supporting the efforts of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation by visiting their webpage at www.firehero.org and by making a donation to help the families who have lost a loved one at www.firehero.org/donate.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Creating a spooky Halloween mood often relies on great lighting effects in your home and yard. Glowing jack-o-lanterns, flickering luminaries, and strategically placed uplighting are all classic fare.
But they can also pose a fire threat. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that Halloween decorations cause approximately 800 house fires per year, totaling $11 million in property damage. And that’s not counting the injuries sustained when flammable costumes meet heat sources or open flames.
Here are some do’s and don’ts to make your Halloween safer — without giving up on the spookiness!
Decorations
Many decorations are flammable due to materials or the use of candles and other heat elements. In fact, . Make sure yours pass the safety check:
Jack-o-Lanterns – These are the ubiquitous, favorite Halloween decoration of most households.
DON’T use a candle as your lighting feature. The pumpkin can easily be tipped over and catch its surroundings on fire, whether that’s dry brush or a porch outside, or upholstery or carpeting inside.
DO use an LED light, glow stick, or electric candle instead.
Flammable decorations – These can light up in an instant, igniting from live flames as well as heat sources like heaters and light bulbs.
DON’T use cornstalks, hay bales, dried flowers, or crepe paper. And don’t put flammable decorations in the path of exits, which creates a serious obstruction risk in case your family needs to exit quickly.
DO use flame-resistant or non-flammable materials wherever possible. Avoid having a wood-burning fire inside if it may become unattended due to holiday commotion or trick or treaters. Outside, have a hose and buckets of water ready for any outdoor emergencies.
Paper bag luminaries – Another holiday mainstay, these decorations give a warm, welcoming lighted pathway up to a house.
DON’T use live candles. Paper bags are extremely flammable and are prone to tip over with just a slight breeze.
DO use an electric candle instead which, even if tipped over, won’t cause any damage.
Candles – More than a third of Halloween home fires each year are started by a candle. A live flame is never safe – inside, outside or anywhere.
DON’T use candles for any holiday decorations.
DO use electric candles or LED lights instead. Just doing a Google search on “LED lights Halloween” will bring up a range of options for creative, fun ways to give a spooky lighting effect.
Costumes
Unfortunately, a lot of Halloween costumes pose a fire hazard. Follow these tips to keep you and your family safe.
Only choose flame retardant materials.
Avoid costumes that are bulky or billowy or have long trailing fabric.
Teach kids to stay away from open flames, including jack-o-lanterns and luminaries, while they’re trick-or-treating.
Give them glow sticks or flashlights to light their way on the big night.
If your child’s costume has a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so she/he can easily see out of it.
Review “Stop! Drop! And Roll!” with your kids, making sure everyone understands and passes a practice round.
Final Reminders
Make sure well ahead of time that all your fire and smoke alarms are working and ready. Also, remember that even if you take fire-safety steps, your neighbors might not – and if their home catches fire, yours could be imperiled. Review these fire safety tips from firefighters, and update your family’s evacuation plan, just to be on the safe side.
By following Halloween fire safety precautions, you can make this scariest night of the year all about the fun kind of scary instead of the bad kind of scary.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
“Clean the gutters:” It’s one of those perennial to-do list items that never seem to get crossed off. One season runs into the next, and before you know it, winter has arrived and your gutters are still full of debris.
Unfortunately, that can wreak a lot of havoc on your house, from water and structural damage to pest problems and more. And those problems will bring repair and replacement costs that can easily be avoided.
Check out the 6 ways below that clogged gutters can imperil your home, and 6 tips at the bottom to get ahead of the problem.
Structural Damage
Clogged gutters cause water run-off and overflow, which can collect around your home’s foundation. Over time, that water can cause cracks in your foundation, which leads to huge repair costs. When ice dams form, excess water can also seep through your roof.
Damage to Gutter Components
When fascia boards – the long, straight boards running along the lower edge of your roof – are exposed to excess water, they can crack, warp and start shedding paint. If your gutters are weighted down with debris and/or frozen water, they can begin sagging. This can result in tearing and pulling away from the exterior walls, or even coming loose completely.
Interior Damage
Whether from ice dams or a clogged gutter that sends water running in all directions, your home interior is also at risk of damage. This can happen from water leaking underneath shingles and through the roof, affecting electrical systems, appliances, and furniture. Oftentimes, interior walls will show mold, leaks, and water stains, and cracks will appear on ceilings. Window and door frames can also warp and rot.
Ice Dams
These are a main culprit behind all the issues above because they force excess water away from the proper exit route (down the downspout), leaving it up to chance and gravity for water finding its way downhill. In addition, they also cause icicles, which – although picturesque – can injure people and pets, as well as damage your deck and roof.
Pests
A gutter full of leaves can harbor infestations of all kinds. Rodents love just about any dark, cozy place and can quickly start nesting and breeding. Before long, they may try to enter your home through the walls, under the roof, etc. Besides rodents, insects will quickly make a home in the decaying matter stuck in your gutters. This means mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, and termites, all of which can also make inroads into your home. Finally, mold, parasites, mildew, and spores flourish in a damp gutter, posing a health risk to you and your family.
Avoidable Injuries
If you decide to tackle the gutters after winter has already arrived, you may be putting yourself at risk in trying to clean them. Icy and cold conditions make for poor ladder safety and the chances of injury increase. If you spot any structural damage or hard-to-remove ice dams, you may be tempted to fix it yourself, but at that point hiring a professional is much safer.
Gutter Cleaning Quick Tips:
The best time to clean is during autumn, after most of the season’s leaves have fallen (many of which will find a home in your gutters!). Here are 6 tips to get you started.
Use a safe and secure ladder, and practice ladder safety.
Rake debris and leaves off the roof before attacking gutters (be sure to wear rubber-soled shoes).
Wear safety eyewear and gloves.
Use a plastic gutter scooping tool.
Clear the downspouts.
Watch out for power lines.
Once fall gives way to winter, your window of opportunity for safely cleaning gutters closes until spring. Best to start early, before damage – and related repair costs – happen.
This article is furnished by California Casualty. We specialize in providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Mark D. Pitchford has been elected Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of California Casualty Management Company (“CCMC”) effective July 25, 2022. In this role, Pitchford will lead the marketing and sales efforts of the company.
Pitchford has more than 30 years of wide-ranging experience, including in marketing, service, and sales, as a senior executive in the insurance industry. He holds an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Harvey Mudd College.
Pitchford was most recently head of the insurance practice for Afiniti, applied artificial intelligence provider. Prior to Afiniti, Pitchford was the Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Esurance. In this role, he was responsible for Esurance’s advertising, sales and customer service operations, customer experience, and digital transformation. His other previous experience includes leading Allstate’s direct business and time in various senior-level marketing, sales/service, and product management positions at Lumen/Qwest and AT&T/Pacific Bell.
“I am excited about this opportunity,” Pitchford said. “The mission of California Casualty to serve those who are heroes in our communities is inspiring.”
Jonathan D. Adkisson, CCMC’s President & CEO, stated, “Mark brings incredible experience and capabilities which will strengthen our executive management team. I am looking forward to working with him again as we move forward.”
California Casualty is an affinity-based auto and home insurance provider with group partnerships across the nation, offering the highest level of care, service, compassion, and understanding, to people who make a difference for our communities – educators, education support professionals, peace officers, firefighters, and nurses.
Carl B. “Beau” Brown, CCMC’s Chair, commented: “Adding Mark to our team will help ensure that California Casualty can keep delivering on our promise to our members who serve our communities.”
About California Casualty: Founded in 1914 and headquartered in San Mateo, CA, California Casualty has service centers in Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas. The company provides auto and home insurance with special rates, generous discounts, and unique benefits not available to the general public to educators, education support professionals, peace officers, firefighters, and nurses across the country. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit www.calcas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.
Written by Casey Jeffers, Owner of Fair Winds Teaching & MSEA Second Grade Teacher
Check out how I morph my classroom into an engaging learning lab for any subject! Anytime you can change up your student’s routine to engage them in a new learning experience is well WORTH IT! A classroom transformation creates an immersive experience for our students without having to leave the classroom.
I know that pulling off a classroom transformation can be stressful and overwhelming, however, if you follow these guiding points, you will be able to better understand what your day or week will look like beforehand.
First things first… ALWAYS START with the instructional goal/problem when planning a classroom transformation. You must have a standard or group of standards in mind to successfully complete a transformation. This is NOT about a theme or turning your classroom into an underwater shark tank, just because. You need to have a purpose…
My suggestion is to start by laying out the content you have been teaching and figure out what you are assessing your students on. This process will start about 2 weeks beforehand. Most subjects and content have the potential to lead to a classroom transformation idea. You just need to create those creative juices flowing!
For example, my class and I spent weeks learning how to measure distances and comparing lengths. We asked a lot of questions about diving into the water and compared two divers. This helped with the idea of having a Shark Diving day to help measure and compare sharks and divers. I started with the content and let the idea come to me. I would not suggest scrolling through Pinterest and just selecting a circus theme because you think the kids will like the circus.
Next up, here are 5 questions you should ask yourself when planning your own classroom transformation or buying someone else online.
5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Planning a Classroom Transformation
What time frame will you have available to complete your classroom transformation? Is it a one-day or a week-long unit? Plan so you know how many centers, activities, or lessons you will need.
What decoration resources/materials do you already have available to you that connect with your standards? Selecting the theme is the fun part! Think about – (kids’ birthday parties you have leftover decorations from, companies that can partner with to provide materials (Crumbl Cookie, Starbucks), or what is currently available at the dollar store) If you don’t have anything to start with, ask yourself… What are your students interested in? Poll them and see what is fresh and new! This might help spark an idea that connects with your standards.
Can this theme/topic be connected over multiple content areas? Math, reading, and writing? Can you extend a restaurant theme over the science content you are currently working on? Can you add a STEAM or physical education component to your day?
What expectations do I have for my students on an “out of the box” day like this? Make this clear to them beforehand. This will help plan your centers/activities accordingly.
How many center/rotations or groups can they handle? Do you run a teacher-led group? Do you have other adults to help you on that day? Is a worksheet their best use of time or does every station need a recording sheet?
If you ask yourself these questions while designing or buying a classroom transformation, you have already set your students up for success. The day will go amazing and the kids are sure to remember the experience and content learned for years to come.
Let’s dive into some of the classroom transformations I have created for my 2nd and 3rd graders. We have transformed our room into a backyard BBQ and restaurant to have a book tasting or barbeque.
We have dressed up for the 101st day of school and transformed into the 101 Dalmation movie for the entire day!
We’ve taken on the world of road construction to assess area and perimeter for our all-week classroom transformation. Hard hats included!
My favorite of all time was our sweet-smelling bakery for our Crumbl Cookie day to learn about shapes and fractions! They had a blast and it also tasted amazing!
Whether you are ready to start designing your own classroom transformations or using someone else’s idea, here are some tips and tricks I have learned along the way!
10 Tips and Tricks for a GREAT Classroom Transformation:
Showing your work is a must
Label all of their supplies and papers BEFORE you start (things will get left around the room)
Have a visual timer to show rotations
Have a checking-in process (team leaders or individual students)
Review expectations before the day starts
Set up the room beforehand (but not too far in advance (they will move and ruin your stuff) – Here is a FREEBIE to show you are working on the process
Fun background music is a must! It is fun and keeps everyone quiet (Spotify – Follow me here)
Decide what you are keeping (to use again) and what the students are able to keep (let them know ahead of time)
Have a clean-up crew ready at hand
HAVE FUN – take a step back and spend some time listening to them work in groups, you will be amazed at how engaged they are! (take lots of pictures to remember it by)
Casey Jeffers is a second-grade teacher at Butterfly Ridge Elementary in Frederick County, Maryland. She was recently recognized as the national winner of the NEA Foundation’s 2021 Teaching in Excellence Award. Casey is the proud owner of the Education Resource Blog, Fair Winds Teaching, and loves to connect with her education community through her TeacherPayTeacher’s business.
