With winter winding down (finally!) – our thoughts are turning to spring and summer, and some of the damaging rain and storms that come with the changing seasons. Certain areas of the US are already seeing flooding from some of these storms, so we wanted to share some tips from the FEMA website for staying safe during a flood.
How to react if a flood is occurring near your home:
Listen to the radio or TV for information
Be aware of flash flooding, if there is a possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground
Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas prone to flash flooding.
If you must evacuate, attempt the following:
Secure your home as much as possible. Bring outdoor items indoors, and move essential items to a higher floor
Turn off utilities and the main shutoff points. Disconnect as many electrical appliances as possible. Do NOT touch electrical equipment if you’re in standing water.
Do not walk through moving water. It only takes 6 inches of moving water to make you fall.
Use a stick or cane to check ground firmness where you are walking
Do not drive in flooded areas. Flood waters can sweep you and your vehicle away quickly
Driving in Flooded Areas
If you find yourself driving in flood conditions, be aware that only 6 inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars and can cause stalling
A foot of water will float many vehicles
Two feet of rushing water is enough to float away even heavy SUV’s and Trucks
We hope you never need to use these tips, but it pays to be aware of the dangers of flooding before they happen!
If you happen to have your own website or blog, you can add some cool widgets provided by FEMA by going to their site here and downloading them.
Here at CalCas, we’re not just concerned with your auto insurance or home policy, we’re also concerned with your overall financial health and safety! That’s why we partner with great companies like Identity Theft 911 to provide you with tools and information to protect your identity.
Tax time is a high time for scammers and scoundrels to strike. We have a great guide that covers 14 things you should do to protect your identity during tax season. If you want to download it – simply head over to our Facebook Page, make sure you’re a Fan, and download the full report. This is information we’re offering to Facebook fans only, as a way of saying thanks for connecting with us!
We’ve had a few posts concerning Impact Teen Drivers and our joint mission to educate teens on the dangers of distracted driving. To go along with that, we wanted to share this PSA from NASCAR Champion Eric Holmes discussing the dangers of distracted driving more in depth.
In many areas, a major safety concern is the ongoing threat of earthquakes. While they can’t be avoided, it is possible to take steps to mitigate the damage from these occurrences.
As part of our commitment to educators, I want to share an interesting webinar offered by the Applied Technology Council. This webinar will provide more information on steps that can be taken to improve the earthquake safety of schools. It may be a little too scientific for some, but I thought it would be of interest to some folks out there!
Here’s more info:
Numerous school buildings located in multiple States and U.S. territories are vulnerable to earthquake losses and damage. This includes potential:
• Death and injury of students, teachers, and staff
• Damage to or collapse of buildings
• Damage and loss of furnishings, equipment, and building contents
• Disruption of educational programs and school operations
• Inability of the community to use schools as temporary shelters
At this webinar, you will learn the following:
• How to assess and analyze your earthquake risks
• How to develop an actionable plan to reduce and manage earthquake risks
• How to initiate an earthquake risk reduction plan for existing school buildings that were not designed and constructed to meet modern building codes
• How to secure “non-structural” elements of the school facility
• How to apply “incremental seismic rehabilitation” to protect buildings and ensure occupant safety
• Why “incremental seismic rehabilitation” is an affordable alternative for school safety
We’ve talked before about the dangers of distracted driving, which is something that is becoming an increasingly important issue amongst teenagers. Reckless and distracted driving is the number one killer of teens in America! At CalCas, we’re committed to making the roads safer for our nation’s teenagers, which is why we’re so proud to be involved with events like this.
California Casualty, founding sponsor of Impact Teen Drivers, the Arizona Highway Patrol Association and members of local public safety organizations came together to support a teen/parent driving safety fair held recently in Avondale, AZ. The safety fair was organized and coordinated by Impact Teen Drivers Executive Director, Dr. Kelly Browning with sponsors Bill McAnally Racing and Get Real Behind the Wheel. An interactive presentation to the class was followed by hands-on driving instruction on a course designed for teens and parents to maneuver and heighten the awareness of distractions that occur while driving. Eric Holmes, three-time champion of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and an active supporter of Impact Teen Driver program, and program sponsor Bill McAnally, of Bill McAnally Racing were on hand to talk to the teens and their parents. Teens were also able to see what it’s like to sit behind the wheel of Eric Holmes’ show car.
Here at CalCas – we care about our customers. Even if you’re not a customer, we care about you too! That’s why we wanted to share some tips from the NHSTA for caring for your car in the winter.
The first thing you should do is get your car serviced and inspected well before the really cold temps arrive. You want to make sure all routine maintenance has been handled – and any repairs that may be needed are made.
A very common problem in cold temperatures is the painful discovery of a dead battery. In frigid temperatures, batteries lose power. It also takes more power to start your car in colder weather, so this is doubly important. Most auto parts shops will check your battery for free these days, so there’s no reason not to know you have a good battery going in to the winter months.
You should also fill your windshield wiper reservoir before bad weather hits. I’d recommend filling it regularly, because few things can make driving more difficult than a dirty windshield. If you buy the kind with anti-freeze in it, it can double as a defroster for those days you’re forced to park out in the snow or ice!
With winter winding down (finally!) – our thoughts are turning to spring and summer, and some of the damaging rain and storms that come with the changing seasons. Certain areas of the US are already seeing flooding from some of these storms, so we wanted to share some tips from the FEMA website for staying safe during a flood.
