by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
The flash of light and the crack of thunder can be scary and impressive, but it can also be deadly. Do you know what to do if a storm approaches?
Many of us still don’t know the danger posed by thunderstorms. The National Weather Service reports an average of 49 lightning fatalities per year, with 27 in 2015. Florida leads the nation in lightning deaths, followed by Texas. Many hundreds of others survive a strike, suffering varying debilitating injuries, some for the rest of their lives.
Lightning strikes the United States more than 25 million times a year. It is one of the most erratic and unpredictable elements of thunderstorms. Most victims aren’t struck during the most intense part of a storm; they are usually injured right before or after the main part of the storm passes. This is because a bolt can strike as far as 10 to 25 miles away from the parent thunderstorm and most people don’t seek shelter until the storm’s full fury. That’s why the lighting safety slogan goes, “When thunder roars, go indoors.” It’s recommended that you stay indoors until 30 minutes after the last thunderclap is heard.
Oh, and the myth that lightning never strikes the same place twice is false. Any tall tree, structure or tower that is isolated can be struck over and over. The Empire State Building is reportedly hit nearly 100 times a year.
It’s imperative that you and your family know what to do when a storm approaches. The National Weather Service has these important safety tips:
- No place outside is safe
- Seek immediate shelter inside a building or a vehicle (open-sided stands or vehicles like golf carts don’t offer any safety, neither do convertibles, even with the top up)
- Don’t seek shelter under trees
- Get out of and away from bodies of water immediately
- Stay away from objects that conduct electricity like metal towers, barb wire fences, power lines or windmills (these cows were killed when an electrical discharge traveled through the fence where they were lined up)
Even in your home, lightning can still be a danger. Here are safety tips for when you are indoors during a storm:
- Stay away from windows and off porches
- Don’t touch or stand near metal pipes and plumbing, don’t wash your hands, take a shower, do dishes or laundry
- Avoid using corded phones (most home lightning injuries come through charged phone lines)
- Stay away from electrical devices like TVs, washer/dryers
Lightning damage to property and homes can be costly. Make sure you are covered.
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.
by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info |
There are a lot of decisions that come into play when deciding which vehicle best suits you. Some say that your car reflects your personality, especially the color. Car color expresses to the world what we want others to think of us. Gender and age can influence this choice as well.
Nancy Lockhart, a color marketing manager, says “color preferences change throughout time and may differ by region or vehicle type.” She that a luxury sedan is more attractive in black and white colors, and sporty versions are more likely red and colorful shades.
Here is what your car color says about you:
-White looks fresh, young, modern look to the world.
-Black declares itself as important, sophisticated, and classic.
-Silver is the color of security and style.
-Red projects action, power, and masculinity.
-Blue is practical and happy.
-Beige exudes quiet and peace.
-Yellow is positive attitude and joy.
-Green is a tie with an interest in nature.
-Orange says that you are comfortable with value and saving money.
Trends can rapidly change across the U.S. and regionally. The latest research predicts that brighter and bolder colors are becoming more and more popular with consumers. What does your car color say about you? Share with us in the comments.
by California Casualty | Educators |
Free, Quality Educational Websites
Looking for quality, free, educational websites? Here are several FREE websites some educators enjoy using. Get your browser’s bookmarking tool ready!
Brain Breaks
GoNoOdle
www.gonoodle.com
A variety of short, no-prep, desk-side physical activities.
HOPSports – Brain Breaks
https://brain-breaks.com/
Brain Breaks® are web-based 2-5 minute activity breaks designed for the individual classroom setting.
Spelling
SpellingCity
www.spellingcity.com
An award-winning, game-based learning program for vocabulary, spelling, phonics, writing, and language arts.
AAASpell
www.aaaspell.com
AAASpell features a comprehensive set of interactive spelling lessons, games, and exercises.
Reading
ReadWorks
https://www.readworks.org/
ReadWorks provides research-based units, lessons, and authentic, leveled non-fiction and literary passages directly to educators online, for free, to be shared broadly.
The ReadWorks curriculum is aligned to the Common Core State Standards and the standards of all 50 states. Most importantly, ReadWorks is faithful to the most effective research-proven instructional practices in reading comprehension.
Science/Health
KidsHealth
www.kidshealth.org
If you’re looking for information you can trust about kids and teens that’s free of “doctor speak,” you’ve come to the right place. KidsHealth is the most-visited site on the Web for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years.
On a typical weekday, KidsHealth gets as many as a million visits. One of the things that make KidsHealth special is that it’s really four sites in one: with sections for parents, for kids, for teens, and for educators.
Scholastic Science World
https://scienceworld.scholastic.com/
Science World connects current science news with essential biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics concepts. With dynamic digital learning features like videos, lesson plans, and games, Science World is your complete print & online science nonfiction program.
Current Events
CNN Student News
https://www.cnn.com/studentnews
CNN Student News is a ten-minute, commercial-free, daily news program designed for middle and high school classes. It is produced by the journalists at CNN. This award-winning show and its companion website are available free of charge throughout the school year.
Teacher Websites/Social Media
WIX
www.wix.com
Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix’ free website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today!
Weebly
https://education.weebly.com/
Weebly is a San Francisco, California based company that was founded in 2006 with the mission to help people put their information online quickly and easily. We now enable 3 million people to easily create personal sites and blogs or establish web presences for businesses, weddings, classrooms, churches, artistic portfolios, and more.
Edmodo
www.edmodo.com
Edmodo is an easy way to get your students connected so they can safely collaborate, get and stay organized, and access assignments, grades, and school information.
ClassJump
www.classjump.com
ClassJump.com provides teachers web sites free of charge, where multiple classes can be managed and updated using an easy to understand interface.
All Subjects
ABCya!
www.abcya.com
Online games for kids in K-5 sorted by grade level. Games incorporate areas such as math and language arts while introducing basic computer skills.
FunBrain
www.funbrain.com
FunBrain is the #1 site for online educational games for kids of all ages. (math, grammar, science, spelling, history)
Sheppard Software Online Games
https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/
Educational shareware, choose from our Prediction, subject learning, or math software.
KidsKnowIt
www.kidsknowit.com
Making education fun and free. Free educational Websites For the young, and the young at heart.
Khan Academy
www.khanacademy.org
Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. Subjects include math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more.
LearnZillion
www.learnzillion.com
See visual, conceptual explanations of the Common Core State Standards. 4000+ videos tailored for grades 2-12.
BrainPop!
www.brainpop.com
BrainPopJr!
https://jr.brainpop.com/
In classrooms, on mobile devices, and at home, BrainPOP engages students through animated movies, learning games, interactive quizzes, primary source activities, concept mapping, and more. Our award-winning resources include BrainPOP Jr. (K-3), BrainPOP,BrainPOP Español, and, for English language learners, BrainPOP ESL. They cover topics within Science, Math, Social Studies, English Language Arts, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Music, Health, Reading, and Writing. Content is carefully mapped to the Common Core, aligned to academic standards, and searchable with our online Standards Tool.
And, for educators looking for personal learning networks that offer great resources at NO Cost, check out these four recommendations from Graphite:
- The Teaching Channel, teachingchannel.org – Chock full of video resources on classroom practices as well as ways to provide feedback
- Digital Is, digitalis.nwp.org – Created by the National Writing Project to provide grassroots professional development for teachers
- KQED Education, https://blogs.kqed.org/education/ – full of resources to help teachers share best practices for teaching and learning with public media resources and New Media Storytelling on line courses
- Twitter, https://twitter.com/education_com or https://twitter.com/education – which teachers can use to tap into personal learning networks and participate in education-focused chats and find resources to further their classroom practices
California Casualty has been standing with teachers and educators for over 60 years. We understand the hard work you do and we want to be a resource you can count on. That’s why we created the $2,500 Academic Award, to help you pay for the classroom supplies and materials you need. Give your wallet a break and apply today at www.calcasacademicaward.com.
While you are at it, don’t miss the chance to have your school lounge turned into a soothing, desirable area with California Casualty’s $7,500 School Lounge Makeover® contest at www.schoolloungemakeover.com.
by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info |
Summer is here and the adventure of the road is calling. If you are thinking of a road trip, Wallet Hub has their annual recommendations for the best states to visit. After factoring in the cost of fuel, lodging and tolls, road conditions and the number of fun and scenic attractions you can see, Oregon was determined to be the best summer destination in the U.S. The rest of the top ten were:
- Nevada
- Utah
- North Carolina
- Minnesota
- Washington
- Idaho
- Colorado
- Louisiana
- Vermont
Before you load the car and head out, make sure your vehicle is ready for the rigors of the road. The dog days of summer can take a toll on your vehicle so here are some summer car care preparations to help you avoid a breakdown on a sweltering day:
- Periodically check and test batteries for proper charging (summer heat drains batteries faster than the cold of winter)
- Be sure your cooling system has the proper anti-freeze/coolant and all belts, hoses and the water pump are properly working (never open a hot radiator cap; the liquid inside is a scalding 200 degrees or hotter)
- Check the air conditioning system for leaks and proper coolant
- Verify the viscosity of your motor oil will stand up to hot weather days (10W-30 or 10W-40)
- Check the tires for tread and proper inflation
- Make sure the spare tire is inflated and there is a jack and tire changing tools
- Test your windshield wipers and change them if they are streaking
Consumer Reports advises that you should also have a basic safety kit that consists of:
- Cell phone and spare battery
- First aid kit
- Fire extinguisher
- Warning light or reflective triangles
- Tire gauge
- Jumper cables
- Foam sealant for flat tires
Things you should know how to do in case you have a roadside emergency:
Some repairs may be more complicated. That’s why it’s important to have a reliable backup. Whether the battery let you down, your spare tire went flat or you locked the keys in the car, for as little as $1 a month California Casualty’s towing and roadside assistance pays for:
- Lockouts
- Flat tire repair
- Fuel
- Oil
- Dead battery start
