We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Customer Care Specialist, Amber Ferrell
Amber has been with us for almost 4 years now and is based in our Colorado office.
Let’s get to learn Amber!
What made you want to work in Customer Service at California Casualty?
I love helping people!
With California Casualty insuring those that make the biggest difference in our communities (teachers, first responders, and nurses), there is an immense amount of satisfaction you receive knowing that you have made a positive impact on one of those customers. 🙂
What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about working at California Casualty is that you are given the resources and support to accomplish your goals and to be successful in any role.
California Casualty is definitely a company that you want to work for until you retire. You have so many opportunities for internal growth, that anything is possible!
I love working here. Being a part of this organization makes me feel as though I am not only part of a team, but a family. Not just with my fellow colleagues, but with our customers as well.
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
Working in customer service I have discovered that every day is a learning experience, giving you the opportunity with each customer interaction to expand your knowledge and confidence.
I can honestly say, I learn something new every single day.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
I enjoy cooking and baking, gardening, DIY projects, camping and just getting away to the mountains whenever possible
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I was born and raised in Colorado. I lived in South Florida for 11 years before returning home to Colorado. While in Florida I worked at a florist for 10 years, which is where I developed my love for plants and flowers. I will always appreciate how much a bouquet of flowers can brighten someone’s day
My husband and I have a serious passionfor cooking. We enjoy taking cooking classes together and putting our skills to the test at home with our kiddos.
We also have a love for classic cars and we hope to one day buy a project car that we can restore.
If you want to learn more about Amber or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with her on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
Nurses, doctors, and health care professionals are our frontline heroes in the fight against coronavirus. With almost 4 times as many nurses as physicians in the U.S. (3.8 million vs 1.1 million, respectively), nurses are the largest segment of providers seeing, treating, comforting and providing ongoing care for the patients that are and will continue coming into hospitals and clinics.
Nurses know they will be hit hard, yet they are stepping up heroically in the face of incredibly long hours, heartbreaking care cases and increased personal risk. So, it’s time for the rest of us to step up and support them by doing our part to keep our healthcare workforce strong, healthy and resilient, we can help turn the tide on the crisis.
Here’s how you can help nurses in your community.
Stay Home
Across the country, various forms of shelter-in-place and social distancing orders have gone into effect. The basic idea is that by limiting exposure to others, we can significantly limit the spread of coronavirus infections. That will help us “flatten the curve” and prevent our hospitals from getting swamped beyond capacity. What you do matters. Stay updated on your city’s instructions by visiting its website, TV channel or social media channels.
Donate Supplies
Many facilities are in need of gloves, goggles, N95 masks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, gowns, and other PPE. Look through your closets and garage and see if you’ve got extras (new and unused) you can donate. Check your local news pages, public health agencies or health care provider’s social media pages for specific needs and drop off instructions. Some are even asking crafters to sew masks!
Follow the Care Protocol
If you feel you might be sick, contact your doctor or advice nurse about your symptoms, then follow their instructions. Given the pressure on the health system, they are working hard to provide high-quality, personalized care to their insureds via telehealth, while also ensuring that high-risk and vulnerable patients have access to emergency and hospital services. And if you haven’t done so already, cancel or postpone any elective or routine care appointments.
Be a Good Neighbor
Many of us know nurses and health care workers personally. Whether they’re in your family, friend circle or neighborhood, make a point to reach out (virtually) and check-in. See if there’s anything you can do for them or their families. This could be something like picking up groceries, walking their dog or picking up their takeout. They are and will continue to be overwhelmed—physically, mentally and emotionally. Let them know you’re there for them.
As nurses and other healthcare professionals treat more and more patients, their risk of infection increases. That’s a real danger—both to their own personal health and to the number of providers that will be available to take care of patients in the months ahead.
Never in our modern lives have our personal choices made such an impact on the health of our greater community, that is why it is so important that you help do what you can today.
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
As much of the U.S. adjusts to social distancing and shelter in place guidelines, our first responders and healthcare workers continue to fight on the frontlines of COVID-19. Every day these heroes are showing up to serve their communities- while knowingly putting themselves at risk of exposure.
Extraordinary Times
Our frontline heroes are used to risk—it comes with the job—but these are extraordinary times. In many areas, their facilities are short on personal protective equipment (PPE); and a number of them have made the choice to self-isolate while working in order to protect their families.
And yet, every day they continue to help those in need, no matter how many people arrive to the ER, dial the advice line or call in distress. In hard-hit cities like New York and Detroit, police officers are working double shifts in their communities to cover colleagues who’ve gotten sick or have had to self-quarantine. First responders and volunteer departments are working hard to improve systems and protocols to stay ahead of the anticipated increase in calls. Nurses and other healthcare workers are coming out of retirement to help meet the increasing patient needs in hospitals.
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty
On top of it all, some are even finding ways to connect with their community, bringing comfort, joy, and positivity to an anxious public:
Firefighters in Massachusetts, Missouri, Indiana and elsewhere are recording themselves reading stories and posting them online for parents to share with their kids.
Alabama firefighters are making sure kids’ birthdays aren’t forgotten. They’re driving their firetruck to lucky children’s homes and turning on the sirens and lights to celebrate.
As a way to spread positivity, an ICU nurse started a Facebook group dedicated to sharing found or handmade rainbows.
Police officers across the country are reaching out to their youngest community members online by hosting art projects, reading them stories and even giving singing lessons.
We rely on our frontline heroes every day—to keep us safe, to protect us, to care for us when we’re sick. There’s no better way to thank them for their service and sacrifice than to do our part in helping keep them safe and healthy.
By following local guidelines around social distancing (or shelter in place, depending on your location) you can help “flatten the curve”—which means reducing the spread of infections and, by extension, the pressure on healthcare workers and first responders.
Take time to send a (socially distant) thank you to the nurses, peace officers, firefighters, and other emergency personnel.
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.
You may not be able to get out and visit a regular zoo, but with Google’s 3D animal feature you can bring the zoo to you!
How To Use the Feature
It’s super simple! All you have to do is Google the name of the animal you would like to see in 3D. Google put’s it’s AR right at the top of the search, so when you scroll down you should see your animal with the button “View in 3D”.
You even get some facts about each animal that you are viewing, so you can make a whole lesson plan out of it!
After you click the “View in 3D” button, you will be directed to a screen that has a 360-degree view of your animal that you are able to zoom in and out on. From here you can make the animal appear against a white background OR in the center of your room, but sliding the between “AR” and “Object”.
The best part about this feature is the animal is actually moving the whole time as if it’s real. You can see it blink, twist it’s head, open it’s mouth, roar, swim, etc.
What Animals Can I View in Google 3D?
You can view any of these animals using Google’s 3D feature:
Alligator
Angler Fish
Ball Python
Brown Bear
Cat
Cheetah
Deer
Dog
Bulldog
Pomeranian
Lab
Pug
Rottweiler
Duck
Eagle
Emperor Penguin
Giant Panda
Goat
Hedgehog
Horse
Leopard
Lion
Macaw
Octopus
Racoon
Shark
Shetland Pony
Snake
Tiger
Turtle
Wolf
There is no official list from Google; however this list has grown since first launching the program, and 9 to 5 Google predicts more will be added over time.
The animal kingdom is just a click away, so what are you waiting for?
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.
We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Customer Service Assistant, Crystal Mabra
Crystal has been with us for 16 years now and is based in our Colorado office.
Let’s get to learn Crystal!
What made you want to work in Customer Service at California Casualty?
I started off as a Customer Care Specialist, because I love working with and helping our customers. The part-time position I am in now was created for me after my son was born.
I did not want to quit working at California Casualty, because it’s such an amazing career, but I also wanted to spend more time with my son. So, I communicated my needs to the company and my part-time position as a Customer Service Assistant was happily created.
What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part of my job is the diversity of tasks a day brings and gaining knowledge in different areas of the company.
I also enjoy helping people and working closely with the managers in each department.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
My favorite activities are hiking, fishing, traveling, and spending time with my husband and children.
We love to travel to Estes Park, CO for weekend getaways and we take annual trips to Alaska to go salmon fishing.
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I am a native of the beautiful state of Colorado and I absolutely love it here.
I have two wonderful children, with my husband of almost 15 years, Alex- 10 and Alayna- 7.
I enjoy being creative outside of work which includes making jewelry and graphic design.
If you want to learn more about Crystal or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with her on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
