We’ve often wondered how they do it. We are talking about cooking for the crew at a fire station. Think about it; it’s hard enough preparing food for a family, but it’s even harder for a couple dozen men and women who might have to bolt at a moment’s notice. Any firehouse cook knows preparation and cooking time has to be easy, the meal nutritious, and it must be as good later that day or night as it was fresh out of the oven. We are not talking about the typical “5 Alarm Chili,” but quick, healthy meals that will nourish men and women in a physically and mentally demanding job.
While there are myriad recipe sites, we culled (we wish we could have tasted) through a half dozen to come up with these top 10 Firehouse Recipes:
Fettuccine with Ham and Chicken (submitted to thefirestations.com recipe page by Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire Department Chief Eileen Williams), https://thefirestations.com/recipe.htm
Chief 53 Salad, also submitted to thefirestations.com recipe page by Snohomish County Fire Dist. #26’s Linda Larson, https://thefirestations.com/recipe.htm
California Casualty understands that fire personnel work hard to protect their communities. That’s why we created the Work Hard/Play Hard contest, where one lucky first responder will win a custom Harley-Davidson FLHP Road King or $25,000. Don’t miss your chance; the entry deadline is October 7, 2015 with a winner announced later that month. The complete rules and entry form can be found at www.gocalcas.com/harley.
Auto and home insurance isn’t something that should wreck your appetite – contact a California Casualty advisor today to learn about quality insurance designed for firefighters with exclusive benefits not available to the general public. Call today for a policy review or comparison at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com/FireFighters.
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to work at Calcas? Have you ever thought of applying to work here? Below are some of the things we think set California Casualty apart from other companies.
Celebrations
Our employee celebrations have delicious food and occur almost every month! Recently, we’ve had phenomenal barbecue lunches as well as tacos and other fantastic food.
Holidays
If a holiday occurs on a weekend, you still get your extra day off the Friday before! Enjoy more time with your family or just relax and have some time to yourself.
Cheerful Atmosphere
Work will always be difficult and at times a little dull, but at Calcas we are always cracking jokes, laughing and having a good time.
Locations
We have offices in California, Colorado, Arizona and Kansas. Whether you’re a fan of the mountains or the desert, chances are you will like where you work.
Support
The people here are very supportive and encouraging. We are always collaborating on projects and giving constructive feedback on each other’s work.
Comfort
We have a very casual and comfortable work environment, allowing for a relaxing, calmer workplace. Spacious desks, comfortable office chairs and a double-screen computer help make work as easy and efficient as possible.
Interesting Work
Insurance is more exciting than you may think. Whether it is coming up with a clever marketing idea or trying to close an important sale, there is always something interesting going on.
Gratification
We specialize in giving quality insurance to educators, law enforcement, firefighters, and nurses. By working with us you will get the opportunity to offer the highest quality product to those that serve our country.
History and Experience
We recently celebrated California Casualty’s 100th anniversary, meaning that we have been around longer than nearly all of our competitors. In those 100 years, we have learned what works and what doesn’t and how we can become the best company for our customers and our employees.
Choices
One common misconception is that the only jobs at an insurance company involve selling insurance. In reality, there are many different jobs for you to apply for, including sales, claims, customer service and marketing.
It’s been a bruising year for police officers in the United States. Imagine their gratitude if someone were to walk up, smile, and say “thank you officer for what you do.” Or, how about buying a cup of coffee or hot chocolate for one of the men and women in blue. These simple acts of kindness not only make the recipients feel good, but numerous studies have found that unselfish acts are good for the givers too. As we celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week (February 9-15), we thought we’d offer some easy ways to show gratitude to others; making the world just a little better!
Rake a neighbor’s leaves or shovel snow from their sidewalks
Donate blood or become an organ donor
Smile at five new people each day
Let another vehicle into your lane of traffic
Give directions to someone who is lost or confused
Let someone in line go ahead of you at the store
Return a shopping cart
Be a designated driver
Thank a soldier, nurse or first responder for all they do
Let a teacher know how much you appreciate him or her
Of course, this is just a small sample of hundreds acts of kindness anyone can do. You can find plenty more at randomactofkindness.org.
Let us know the random acts you have done, or if have you been the recipient of one. Maybe we can share and make this year better for everyone.
And, here’s another act of kindness you can do – tell an educator, law enforcement officer, firefighter or nurse about California Casualty. They could qualify for special benefits and competitive auto and home insurance rates not available to the general public. It’s a wonderful time of year to save money and it’s worth a call today at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
So I went out to start the car this morning and the ice was so thick I couldn’t scrape it off the windshield. When I tried opening the door to start the car and get the heater and defroster working, the lock was frozen. Has this happened to you? I thought I’d look up some essential tips for anyone who lives where ice and snow are common so you won’t be late for work or school. And for those of you living in more temperate climates, keep these handy if Mother Nature throws one of her occasional frozen curve balls and you’re stuck in a personal scene from the movie Frozen.
Coat snow shovels with non-stick cooking sprays – the snow will slide off easier (this also worked on the plastic sleds my daughter and I used for sliding down hills faster)
Riding your bicycle? Use thick plastic zip-ties around tires for more traction (it can also work on the bottom of shoes and boots)
Eliminate wet socks; slip sandwich bags over them before putting on shoes
Use closet shoe organizers for gloves and scarves
Battle dry skin by taking shorter, lukewarm showers
Place tin foil on walls behind radiators and space heaters to reflect more of the heat back into the room
Leave the oven door open after cooking – the residual heat will add warmth to the house
Run ceiling fans clockwise to push warm air down to living areas
Open curtains and blinds on sunny days to let the sun warm your home
Park your vehicle with the windshield facing east to help defrost it when the sun rises
Use kitty litter or car mats to provide traction if you get stuck
Thaw frozen car door locks and handles with hand sanitizer
Spray WD 40 in frozen key holes
Put hot water bottles or warm pans on cold sheets to warm them before you hop in bed
Place a tray with pebbles inside the doorway to drain icy, wet shoes and boots to keep floors cleaner and drier
What winter weather hacks do you use? Share them with us so we can pass them along too.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
If you are doing a last minute scramble for the perfect holiday gift, maybe you should pay attention to social media. After analyzing data from millions of online conversations from Twitter, Facebook and other platforms about holiday presents, Prime Visibility deduced the top gifts people wanted this year:
Cash
Gift Cards
iPhone
Drone
Shoes
Here’s how 2014 desires compared to those of 2013:
Here are some other top gift requests from the report:
Guardians of the Galaxy was tops for movies
Xbox 360 the most sought after game console
Nike was the most requested apparel
Visa led the list for gift cards
No matter what gift you give or get, here’s a holiday wish for all the best for you and your family from California Casualty. If you should need us, we are ready to help with claims support, customer service or a policy review at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
