The contest was created to thank nurses for the long hours they put in offering comfort and healing to patients and families. Winners can use the $1,000 prize any way they wish: hitting the town in a rented limousine, hosting a party, or taking a relaxing day at the spa. They are only limited by their imagination. Kendra, who is dedicated to making life better for others, is taking time to rejuvenate and visit family in Colorado.
Kendra is the assistant director of Health at Evergreen Community of Johnson County, Kansas nursing home, where she has worked the past eight years. She has a passion for assisting individuals that have Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. “I really want to make a difference for people; just making them happy and increasing their quality of life,” said Kendra. “I love my job and can’t picture myself anywhere else.”
“California Casualty protects American heroes, and we want to show our appreciation to the men and women who take care of America,’” said California Casualty Sr. Vice President, Mike McCormick.
“I don’t do this job for appreciation or recognition,” Kendra said. “However, appreciation and recognition is nice.”
The winning has just begun; there will be three more $1,000 Nurses Night Out awards given this year by California Casualty. The entry deadline for the next drawing is June 17, 2016, with a winner announced in July. Complete rules, information and the entry form can be found at www.nursesnight.com.
Other important deadlines are:
September 16, with the third quarter winner announced in October
December 9, with the fourth quarter winner announced before the end of the year
Entrants must be 18 years old. Residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, New York and Wisconsin are not eligible, and winners must be currently employed as or retired as a nurse (RN or LPN) or be a member of the Ohio Nurses Association or the Oregon Nurses Association.
The job of a first responder is very challenging. In an earlier article I stressed the importance of mental health. I am now turning my focus to the physical aspects we face at work. It is imperative that we stay in the best shape possible. We owe it to the community we serve and our fellow brothers and sisters.
It’s not as easy as one would think. Many firefighters have turned to CrossFit, which is good for some but not for everyone. One of the best things your department can do is provide time and equipment to stay in top physical shape. We need to be cardiovascular fit, strong, flexible and keep our minds in shape. Shift work can make it difficult to train so we must train at work.
I have never been one who loves the gym or working-out inside. With our jobs we need to find balance and learn to cross train. With this said, most of us need to hit the gym at work. Some of us work 24s and others work 48s; my dept is on a 48 hour shift. Working shifts means you have to utilize whatever workout your dept. offers. We have a gym we can go to and exercise equipment in our station. I choose to utilize our station equipment.
We have stationary bikes, elliptical machines, free weights and a nautilus weight machine. Personally I like to spin. Cardiovascular training is just as important as weight training. Some departments use cross fit, which is good but be careful jumping into this if you are out of shape. Cross Fit is something you should and can work up to. Some departments are using firefighter specific workouts. Whatever you do it should include cardio.
Cardiovascular training, in my opinion, is necessary. When you are working a structure fire you are only as strong as the weakest link on your team. We go in as a team and come out as a team. If one of the members of your team is not up to par with the others, you can only stay interior as long as the weakest link. It is detrimental to the unit if one of your members burns through a bottle of air at twice the rate of the others. You may be doing an interior attack or a search. If one member is low on air we all must exit the building. This is non-productive. It is one of the reasons cardiovascular training is so important. Of course the main reason is our heart is a muscle. If we don’t exercise it we will be at risk of a cardiac event. This could lead to what is called an incident within an incident. This incident can cause your brothers and sisters a great amount of stress, PTSD, and may even lead to a suicide in your dept.
While I push the importance of cardio, weight training is also essential. You don’t have to lift heavy weights, in fact it’s better to lift light with high reps. Going with light weights will increase your strength while elongating your muscles, which reduces the chance of injury on the job.
Core body strength and strengthening your back is imperative. With this said, you need to work your stomach and back. Next to heart attacks, back injuries are probably the number one reason firefighters and EMS personnel miss work. Cardiovascular training, weight training and core body strength can be achieved by making sure you train while on shift. If you don’t have equipment, find a workout program specific to the job. I encourage all chief officers to allow at least 1 hour of part of a day; 2 hours is optimal. You should always start and end your workout with stretching or yoga. On your days off, make your workouts fun.
You can run, bike, ski, hike, swim, paddle, climb, row or find something else to do outside. Personally I like to cross train with climbing, biking, skiing, stand up paddling and swimming. Find something that is fun in your area. It can be something different; in fact a great option is organized sports. At the very least, walk swiftly for 3 miles.
Personally, climbing is my favorite past time. I find climbing is the one sport that lets my mind rest. When I climb I can only think about the climb. This frees your mind by allowing it to focus only on the task of making it to the top. Climbing also increases strength and flexibility. I am fortunate to have the mountains and dessert as my playground. The last thing I would like to discuss is TRE therapy or meditation.
I find it difficult to meditate as my mind wanders. TRE therapy is taught in 35 countries. It stands for tension and trauma release therapy. I recently learned this and it is very easy and can be done at work or home. TRE includes a series of 7 steps. These steps end with the TRE tremor position. TRE uses the body’s innate process of controlled shaking to reduce stress and trauma, including PTSD. This revolutionary approach is doing wonders for me.
In conclusion, we are public servants. With this comes a responsibility to keep in shape. As we get older the stress of the job and life’s stressors can lead us to cope in unhealthy ways. I encourage you all to make a commitment to your community and fellow brothers and sisters. Of course we can’t control our genetic makeup, but we can make a commitment to physical and mental health. Let’s turn the tide towards less injury, death, PTSD and suicide of first responders. With a commitment we can turn the tide.
Jeff lost his right leg below the knee at the age of 50 as the result of a skiing injury. Instead of wallowing in pity, Jeff rebounded physically and mentally through physical therapy and exercise. He returned to work as firefighter/EMT a year later and is now back on the job fulltime. He strives to be the best firefighter/EMT he can be, and also to be an inspiration to others. Jeff welcomes your thoughts and comments at jeffbryan50@yahoo.com.
You have probably seen them; people around you who are super confident, loved by all and ready to rescue others when they need help with a task. They don’t wear a cape or mask, but they are revered by others.
How can you be like them?
It doesn’t take super powers like the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound or shoot laser beams from your hands or eyes to be a hero. Often times, all you need to do is conquer self-doubt and limitations; vanquishing the inner-villain thwarting the hero trapped inside of you.
Here are some easy steps to block self-doubt and other self-limiting obstacles:
Be Brave – identify your fears and shine a light on them. We all have inner villains within us, but as superhero you can overcome the fears, and see the powers you have always had.
Have Integrity – Stand up for what is right when no else does. The reward will be worth it.
Save a Life – Reach out to others in need and serve, teach and guide them. Don’t forget to also rescue yourself. Defeating anxiety and stress can allow us to fly to happiness.
Defeat Archrivals – Procrastination, laziness, self-defeat, and ignorance can all be villains to us. But we can to rise to the occasion and destroy them.
Offer Hope – Be the person who is strong enough to offer hope in the face of overwhelming doubt or defeat. Let your optimism and decency brighten the path for others.
Simply employing your strengths and intuition can free up your mind, allowing you to become a superhero.
Remember, most superheroes have questioned themselves and their mission. By overcoming their doubts they were able to rise up and be a beacon to others while rescuing themselves in the process. They become everyday heroes to those around them.
At California Casualty, we recognize those who make a difference for their communities. That’s why we created the Nominate a Hero program, www.nominatemyhero.com. We want to honor educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and health professionals who have gone above and beyond for others with a monthly $250 prize and the chance to be enshrined on the Hall of Heroes. Nominate your hero today!
While they can be lovable, cuddly and loyal, if you have a dog, be careful; dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2015, costing more than $530 million according to the Insurance Information Institute (III).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year with 885,000 of those requiring medical attention – about half of those were children.
The III reported that while the number of dog bite claims nationwide fell seven percent in 2015, the average cost per claim jumped 16 percent to over $37,000. California led the nation with 1,684 dog bites reported to insurance companies. .
“The average cost per claim nationally has risen more than 94 percent in the last decade (2003-2015), due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs, which are still on the upswing,” said Loretta Worters, vice president with the III.
May 15-22 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, providing information and tips to help pet owners and the public avoid the serious health issue associated with dog bites.
Experts say that even normally docile dogs may bite when they are frightened or when defending their puppies, owners or food. The most dangerous dogs are those that suffer from poor training, irresponsible owners and breeding practices that foster viciousness. The CDC finds that over half of the dog-bite injuries occur at home and people who have two or more dogs in the household are five times more likely to be bitten than those living without canines.
The Humane Society of the United States and the American Veterinary Medical Association offer these bite prevention tips:
Be a responsible dog owner – license it and provide regular veterinary care including vaccinations
Neuter your pet
Spend time with your dog and socialize it around people and other pets
Keep your dog away from stressful situations like crowds
Don’t let children approach an unfamiliar dog
Discourage children
Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog
Refrain from approaching a dog at eye level or too quickly
Don’t interact with an unfamiliar dog and remain motionless if approached by one
Immediately seek professional advice from veterinarians or animal behaviorists if your dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors
Homeowners and renters need to know the liabilities that come with dogs.
If you have a dog, you are liable if it bites and injures someone. The Insurance Information Institute recommends pet owners have at least $100,000 to $300,000 liability coverage with their homeowners or renters policy. High income earners or those with expensive homes and assets might consider an umbrella policy.
In some states, statutes make the owners liable whether or not they knew the dog had a tendency to bite; in others, owners can be held responsible only if they knew or should have known their dogs had a propensity to bite. Some states and municipalities have “breed specific” statutes that identify breeds such as pit bulls as dangerous; in others individual dogs can be designated as vicious.
In Ohio, for example, owners of dogs that have been classified as vicious are required to purchase at least $100,000 of liability insurance. Once a dog has bitten someone, it poses an increased risk. In that instance, the insurance company may charge a higher premium, non-renew the homeowner’s insurance policy or exclude the dog from coverage.
High school prom and graduation season is a time for joy and preparing for the future. They are both important rites of passage for our children, but they can also be a dangerous time with many temptations.
While teens are worrying about getting the perfect dress or tux, flowers and hair style, parents are worrying about the safety of their children. These can remain joyous events if parents and children discuss responsible behavior and the repercussions of bad choices.
Communication is the key. Talk with your student about what it was like when you attended prom and graduation, and express your desire for them to have a fun and memorable time too. During your discussion lay out some ground rules about what you expect from your child including:
That they stay in contact with you and provide updates
They let you know who is driving
They inform you where they are going after the event
The agreed time they will be home
And most importantly, talk about the dangers of:
Distractions and distracted behavior (texting, eating or taking eyes off the road while driving to interact with passengers)
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Not observing speed limits and other road rules
Getting into a vehicle with an impaired or aggressive driver
Not wearing seatbelts
Don’t be afraid to offer your child the option of calling you, with no repercussions, for help or advice if they feel unsafe. Letting your child know they can get a safe ride home, no matter what the circumstances, can save their life.
Safe driving isn’t an accident; it’s the result of strong parental involvement and setting expectations. That’s why California Casualty is a founding member and continued supporter of Impact Teen Drivers, a nonprofit that educates parents and teens about the dangers of distracted and reckless driving. Their presentations and peer-to-peer messaging saves lives.
Personally, climbing is my favorite past time. I find climbing is the one sport that lets my mind rest. When I climb I can only think about the climb. This frees your mind by allowing it to focus only on the task of making it to the top. Climbing also increases strength and flexibility. I am fortunate to have the mountains and dessert as my playground. The last thing I would like to discuss is TRE therapy or meditation.
Jeff lost his right leg below the knee at the age of 50 as the result of a skiing injury. Instead of wallowing in pity, Jeff rebounded physically and mentally through physical therapy and exercise. He returned to work as firefighter/EMT a year later and is now back on the job fulltime. He strives to be the best firefighter/EMT he can be, and also to be an inspiration to others. Jeff welcomes your thoughts and comments at