by California Casualty | Nominate a Hero |
Voting is now closed! You may still share the heroes’ pages, but votes will not count. We will be announcing the winner soon! Keep an eye out for our July Finalists later this week!
How to vote for Officer Johnny: Simply “share” this page on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin. You can share once per social network. We’ll keep track, and the finalist with the most shares will win! Use the “Sharing is Caring” buttons at the bottom of this post to make sure they count!
Officer Johnny served bravely as a veteran motorcycle officer with a Texas police department before a shooting in the line of duty took him off the job earlier this year. During a search for narcotics, he opened a car door to find the narcotics suspect hiding in the car’s floor bed. The suspect fired 4 times before Johnny was able to return fire (his gun was holstered when he opened the car door). He was hit in the eye and hand before returning fire and then hit again in the groin. Officer Johnny returned fire, shooting 7 times, and the suspect died on the scene. Following the shooting, he underwent a week of hospitalization, including extensive surgeries on his eye, hand and hip eye surgeries. He lost a middle finger and might suffer from permanent vision loss. Officer Johnny is an Army Special Forces Vietnam Veteran and 31-year law enforcement veteran.
More info on his story:
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Fort-Worth-Officer-Shot-by-Drug-Suspect-Released-From-Hospital-190283411.html
https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/01/30/fort-worth-officer-in-serious-condition-after-being-shot/
https://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/haltom-shooting-188923991.html
by California Casualty | Firefighters, Nominate a Hero |
Voting is now closed! You may still share the heroes’ pages, but votes will not count. We will be announcing the winner soon! Keep an eye out for our July Finalists later this week!
How to vote for Captain Don: Simply “share” this page on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin. You can share once per social network. We’ll keep track, and the finalist with the most shares will win! Use the “Sharing is Caring” buttons at the bottom of this post to make sure they count!
Captain Don is a 20-year fire veteran and currently serves as a Fire Captain and Paramedic. During a service trip abroad in 2004, Captain Don was frustrated by the lack of equipment & training available to firefighters abroad. So he started working on a new calling: Global Mission Readiness. Using their own time off, money, and equipment, Don and his team of 60 volunteers has traveled to 12 countries to complete 21 missions. Each year, this team of firefighters, EMS personnel, Nurses and … teach tens of thousands of people the art of being a firefighter. The nonprofit operates solely on donations and also teaches first aid, specialty rescue and preparedness- with a strong emphasis on self-reliance.
by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
The Black Forest Fire was the most destructive fire in Colorado history.
500 homes, 2 lives, and countless possessions were lost in the blaze. A lot of those possessions can be replaced, but some have value that goes much deeper.
In 2006, Officer Jared Jensen with the Colorado Springs Police Department was killed in the line of duty. After his murder, Officer Jensen’s brother and nephew attended the Law Enforcement Memorial in DC where they met officers from across the country. At the event, Officer Jensen’s nephew received patches from the officers he met and decided to start collecting as many patches as he could. His collection was burned in the Black Forest Fire last week.
Let’s replace the collection with an even bigger one.
You can help by sending department patches to:
Adam Romine
Colorado Springs Police Dept.
415 E. Pikes Peak Ave, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
More information can be found here and here!
by California Casualty | Educators |
Remembering those who have given their all for their profession is the tribute that lasts forever.
Last Friday, I had the honor of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the National Teachers Hall of Fame’s Memorial to Fallen Educators.
As I walked amongst the crowd at the groundbreaking, I kept hearing the word ‘bittersweet.’ And that’s exactly what it was. Bitter that such an occasion, that such a memorial, is even necessary. Bitter that teachers who dedicated their lives to improving the lives of their students died doing what they love- a job they probably never guessed would put their lives on the line. But there was sweetness there, too. Sweetness that they weren’t forgotten. Sweetness that all these people, people who had never met any of the victims, came out to pay their respects- some of them driving hours to see the symbolic groundbreaking.
Tragedies like Sandy Hook and Columbine bring worthy attention to the brave sacrifices of teachers on behalf of their students, but those teachers are not alone. American educators have been losing their lives in school tragedies since 1853. Every single one deserves to be remembered, to be honored, and to be recognized for their dedication and their bravery.
The actions of the six educators at Sandy Hook show us something about teachers as people. Talk to any educator and they will tell you that they too would do whatever it took-make any sacrifice- to shield their students from harm. For educators, their students aren’t just ‘students’ and teaching isn’t just a job. It’s bigger than that. For every educator I know, their students are their family and their job is a calling.
The Memorial to Fallen Educators is a way for all of us to honor every single teacher who lost their life at work. It also serves as a reminder of what every single teacher is willing to do for their students. It was truly an honor to stand amongst the crowd and witness this bittersweet moment in history.
by California Casualty | Safety |
Brush off your barbecue grills, stock up on popsicles, and get yourself a new swimsuit because…
Summer has officially arrived!
After a winter with too many snows and a Spring with too much rain, I am ready for summer. If your neighborhood is anything like mine, then the arrival of summer means:
Pool Season!
In the excitement of summer, it’s tempting to throw on a suit and jump on in…
but wait!
For most of us, it’s been about a year since we dipped our toes in the water. Before you and your family cannonball in, make sure you review these Pool Safety Tips to be sure you enjoy your summer safely!
Did you know: A child can drown in the time it takes to answer a telephone. More than 200 young children drown in backyard swimming pools each year.
Swim Safety Basics:
- Swim only in designated areas
- Make sure a lifeguard or responsible adult trained in CPR and first aid is present and attentive at all times
- A child who is drowning may not look like the ‘drowning’ we see in TV and movies. Before you swim with a child, please read this article about what drowning looks like and how to spot it. Read it by clicking here.
- Maintain constant eye-to-eye supervision with children in and around the swimming pool
- Stay in arm’s reach of young kids
- Establish and enforce clear pool safety rules (ex: No diving, Stay away from drains, no running, etc.) Post these rules where everyone using the pool can read them
- Never leave a young child unattended in or near water
- Do not trust a child’s life to another child
- Teach children to ask permission before going near water
- Issue the adult supervisor an item such as a whistle, bracelet, etc. to reinforce which adult is in charge of the safety of the children
- Make sure young or inexperienced swimmers are wearing US Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Floaties or other inflatable flotation devices are not life jackets and should never be substituted for adult supervision.
- Avoid distractions when supervising children around water. Remove children from the swimming pool for any distraction such as a telephone call, use of restroom, etc.
- Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments. Here are some tips to review in case someone becomes entrapped.
- If a child is missing, check the water first– every second counts!
- Never permit any person to swim alone
- Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit, within a reachable distance- not inside!
- Know how and when to call 9-1-1
- Keep your pool clean and clear by maintaining proper chemical levels, circulation and filtration. This way, you can clearly see what is happening in the pool and minimize risks of earaches, rashes or diseases
- Make sure everyone in the home knows how to respond to water emergencies by having an emergency plan in place with your children
- Protect your skin! Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine
- If it’s your pool:
- Have a fence enclosure that isolates your pool from the home, play areas, front and side yards and the neighbor’s yard
- Make sure all gates in the isolation fence are self-closing and self-latching
- All chairs, tables, large toys or other objects that would allow a child to climb up to reach the gate latch or enable the child to climb over the isolation fence should be removed or kept inside the fenced area
- Keep the following items away from the water:
- Tricycles or riding toys
- Electronic devices
- Any and all pool toys when the pool is not in use
Resources:
