Josh

Residents across California have suffered as a result of a huge number of wildfires over the past couple of years. In 2017, close to 9,000 wildfires were reported throughout the state — burning 1.2 million acres of land, which is an area the same size as the state of Delaware, and causing the deaths of at least 46 individuals as well as destroying over 10,800 properties. This year, there have already been over 6,000 more wildfires reported in California. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the National Interagency Fire Center, these wildfires have burned more than 1.4 million acres of land and resulted in damages worth in excess of $2.56 billion.

Throughout all of the devastation, California’s wildfires have seen quite a few people carrying out good deeds to help those in need and show appreciation for those risking their lives to fight the fires. Here, stair lift manufacturer, Acorn Stairlifts, reflects on some of the most heartwarming moments witnessed during the state’s wildfires in 2017 and 2018…

Support for a couple who accidently started a Northern California fire

The Carr Fire close to the Northern California city of Redding earlier this summer was among the most destructive fires to have hit the state — not to mention the most destructive encountered by residents of Shasta County.

News emerged that the Carr Fire had reportedly begun on July 23^rd as a result of a blown tire causing a rim-riding trailer to scrape the road and making sparks which ignited nearby brush. After, Redding resident, Rachel Pilli, stepped up to offer support to the unnamed couple who were in the car at the time.

She wrote a sympathetic message in a card and met a firefighter when visiting The Gathering Church in the city who agreed to post the well-wishes to the couple due to them being neighbors of his mother. From this, Ms Pilli went about attempting to collect more sympathetic messages from those she had on Facebook, with dozens of positive responses recorded in less than a day.

Ms Pilli pointed out to the Record Searchlight in Redding that it was “an ocean of compassion, of love and grace”, and also stated: “I couldn’t imagine the grief. If I were the one responsible for the accident, I couldn’t imagine the shame and the torture I’d feel.”

Historic gathering for American Samoa and Hawaii firefighters

Keeping the focus on the Carr Fire, 17 firefighters from American Samoa and four firefighters from Hawaii were shown just how much their efforts meant to Redding residents.

This is because the 21 firefighters joined close to 170 North State residents at Redding Rancheria’s cultural arbor during their time in the city, where they were made welcome with prayer, food, drumming, dancing and singing.

Redding Rancheria’s tribal chairman, Jack Potter Jr., explained to the Record Searchlight that “it’s traditional protocol when you have guests in your land”. The occasion was also an historic one though, as Mr Potter Jr. went on to note: “It’s the first time the Winnemem dancers came out of Winnemem territory.

“The Pit River Feather Dancers did a dance for the animals, and prayer dances for the water. Then the Winnemem dancers did a fire and water dance; they did the war dance to give strength to the firefighters for this war — the war against fire.”

Heroic man helps disabled roommate

Going back to the wildfires that California suffered in 2017, one man showcased a remarkable feat of heroism when he saved his disabled roommate after a firestorm engulfed the state’s North Bay around Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park where they were both based.

Ed Corn is a full-time caregiver for Heidi Kulick, a paraplegic, with both caught up in a firestorm which devastated their Santa Rosa neighborhood. Explaining the initial moments of the situation to KTVU, Mr Corn said: “Everything burst into flames; all the bushes, all the trees…just went cobalt white and 12-foot balls of fire!”

As the firestorm gathered momentum, Mr Corn took action by wrapping Ms Kulick in wet blankets and towels before wheeling her and her cat across the street and towards the nearby park. Mr Corn then explained that they spent the next three and a half hours moving numerous times, taking care to dodge burning shingles, flying embers and even a moment when a car was hurled through the air by a fire tornado that had engulfed the park.

While the fire surrounded them entirely at one point, Mr Corn took the initiative that they would be safe in the park as he was aware that the grass there was well-watered. When they were rescued, Mr Corn had suffered first- and second-degree burns to both his face and one of his arms. Fortunately, Ms Kulick escaped the firestorm unscathed.

Mr Corn does not see himself as a hero though, telling KTVU: “I can’t go there because we all go on automatic. We kinda know what to do. Our instincts pop in.”

Courageous efforts of the Safari West wildlife park’s owner

A few miles north of Santa Rosa, a wildlife park owner at Safari West took his role and responsibilities to another level when his site was hit by a California wildfire during 2017.

Peter Lang, the son of Hollywood film director, Oscar Lang, showcased quick-thinking attributes from the moment advancing flames that had been whipped by 50mph El Diablo winds began to threaten his 400-acre estate, which contained a collection of over a thousand animals.

First, Mr Lang steered his wife, his employees and 30 overnight guests at the wildlife park away from danger. Once they were safe, the wildlife park owner grabbed a garden hose he owned and started to battle the advancing flames to prevent them from reaching the site — snuffing out falling embers and coaxing animals, including giraffes, hyenas, cheetahs and rhinos, from one enclosure to the next to keep them away from harm.

Mr Lang’s efforts wasn’t without some personal sacrifice, as his home less than half a mile away from the park was destroyed by the fire. However, he told local media that he “did not lose a single animal”, before also stating: “I have a thousand souls I’m responsible for. It wasn’t even a decision. This is what I had to do.”

We’ve covered just a few heartwarming stories to have occurred when California was hit by wildfires over the past couple of years. They showcase how people across the state go above and beyond to provide appreciated help to those who need it when weather conditions deteriorate.

Attracting attention to your online store is a challenging task. Brick-and-mortar retail outlets can put up banners around host events in their spaces, but the internet is saturated with entrepreneurs clamoring for attention from shared audiences. As a dropshipper, your business is particularly dependent on marketing, which means that you need to be strategic and proactive about connecting with customers.

Is there a formula that you can follow to drive traffic to your website effectively and efficiently? Not exactly—people are people, and you cannot force them to do anything. There are, however, some best practices that you can use to make consumers notice you and build trust.

Work within a niche

Every ecommerce store needs a niche. The internet is full of people with different preferences, interests, economic backgrounds, purchasing behaviors, and needs, which means you’ll stretch yourself far too thin if you try to appeal to them all. Look at it from a consumer’s point of view: if you are trying to buy furniture online, would you rather purchase from a store that specializes in dining tables and luxury chairs, or a business that sells furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, and other things? Probably the latter, because they will offer a broader range of products within their niche and possess valuable expertise.

Distinguish your brand

You already know how imperative it is to set your brand apart from other online stores. Shopify Kit Team member Joshua Shessel says:

“If you find yourself offering the same products as many others, you may need to reconsider the ways you can distinguish yourself from them. To stand out, try and highlight your service. Offer different bundles, or even offer an extra personal level of support. If the market is too saturated, you’ll need to find a different, or very specific market to reach or you’ll find yourself with a  high bounce rate and low sales.”

There are abundant online retailers out there, so what makes you different than the rest? You are already purchasing products from your suppliers and re-selling them for a higher cost—as are other dropshippers, who may even offer the same products from the same manufacturers—so why should people buy from you, and not them?

Add some value

One thing you can do to convince people why they should purchase products from you instead of your competitors is adding value to the buying experience itself. Shopify’s Ultimate Guide to Dropshipping notes that when it comes to dropshipping, it’s tempting to think that you are only selling a product. Successful merchants, however, understand that they offer more than said products—they provide solutions to problems, insights, and information. Though you are an ecommerce retailer, you are also participating in the information business. Adding value through other services is part of how you define corporate entrepreneurship.

Be on the right platforms

Social media is integral to marketing in the digital age. There are so many scams online that people are becoming extremely proactive about double checking for legitimacy. Even if your website is user-friendly and beautiful to look at, people are unlikely to transact with you if you are not on channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

Social media is a convenient opportunity to prove to people that you are, indeed, an honest person running a business, not a faceless corporation or a scammer. Interact with your social media followers—comment and like their posts, respond to their comments on your own material, re-share user-generated content, and more. When you acknowledge people and make them feel taken care of, they feel more comfortable doing business with you. Consumers seek validation, so potential followers will notice how you recognize the followers you already have.

Tap into other audiences

While there are available tools that can help you get followers on Instagram fast, along with automating other aspects of your social media strategy, it’s wise to consider partnering with influencers. Internet personalities already have established fan bases who trust them, so asking such individuals or brands to say something good about your store is an efficient way to tap into a pre-existing audience. There is still a place for building your online audience the long way; organic growth is not limited to reaching out to specific users and hoping that they follow you. Social media is a vast space, so there is an audience out there for you somewhere—but you can find them much more quickly through automation and influencer marketing than you can manually.

Dropshipping allows entrepreneurs a unique amount of flexibility, but its marketing-intensive nature means that you and other retailers need to direct your energy towards distinguishing your brands. How will you attract attention to your online store?

 

We’re inclined to trust doctors and medical professionals. Their entire job is to treat us for things that ail us, and protect us from further harm. But even under the best conditions, with the most experienced medical professionals, it’s possible for you to be harmed, or for your condition to be worsened because of a person’s advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you find yourself in this position, it’s important that you know what to do next—so you can maximize your chances of getting compensated for the additional injuries or conditions.

What You Should Know About Medical Negligence

First, it’s important to understand the basics of medical negligence. Medical negligence occurs when a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, or other medical professional fails to provide reasonable care to a patient. In some cases, this means committing an error during treatment, such as making a surgical mistake. In other cases, it means giving a wrongful diagnosis, or bad medical advice.

In any case, if the medical professional’s decisions or actions directly cause some further harm to you, or prevent you from getting better, it means they’ve committed medical negligence (in many developed countries). And even if you only suspect that medical negligence has occurred, it’s worth taking action.

What You Should Do If You Believe You’ve Been Injured

If you think you’ve been harmed by a medical professional, there are a few steps you should take as soon as possible:

• Contact a lawyer. Your first step should be to contact a lawyer who specializes in medical negligence. It’s hard to give general advice that applies to all cases, because every case is different. On top of that, your actions immediately following the incident of negligence may have a massive impact on whether or not you can win the legal case. Only a lawyer with experience in medical negligence will be able to give you adequate advice to move forward. In many cases, you can get a free (or inexpensive) consultation to learn more about your case and your odds of success, so there’s no reason not to reach out.
• Request your medical records. In many cases, you’re legally allowed to request your medical records at any time. If you feel you’ve been injured, it’s usually a good idea to request those records so you can have a hard copy of them for your future case. While talking over the phone or coordinating with the practice via email, avoid disclosing that you suspect medical negligence. Instead, simply request your records for your own review.
• Document whatever you can. While you’re at it, try to document whatever you can regarding your case. If you have any physical injuries, take high-resolution images of them, with timestamps so you can prove when they were taken. Write down whatever you remember happening with your previous appointments, and keep a journal so you can keep track of all your symptoms. The more physical evidence you have, and the more details are at your disposal, the better.
• Talk to another doctor. Your lawyer may have a different recommendation depending on the nature of your case, but if you’re not sure medical negligence has occurred, it’s often a good idea to seek a second opinion from another medical professional. Another professional should be able to confirm whether the initial doctor acted in accordance with best practices, and what the nature of their mistakes may have been (if any). This can be valuable evidence in your case.
• Avoid confronting the offending doctor (or practice). Finally, avoid discussing the open case, or that you suspect medical negligence has occurred with your primary practice, or the offending doctor. This can weaken your case, or allow the practice to take countermeasures to ensure they’re well-protected. It’s much better to withhold your intentions to pursue legal action until absolutely necessary to reveal them. Your lawyer can provide more specific instruction.

Like most people, you’re probably hoping that you’ll never be the victim of medical negligence. And in all likelihood, you won’t be. But just as it’s a good idea to have basic first aid knowledge in case you experience an injury, it’s a good idea to know what to do if you become the victim of medical negligence. The moment you suspect something has gone wrong in your diagnosis or treatment, start documenting everything you can and contact a lawyer for further advice.

For more Lifestyle advice from the 60 Degree blog, click here.

Driving on an open road is easy. When there are no other drivers around, you don’t have to worry about blind spots, lane changes, the proper use of signals, and other potentially distracted drivers on the road. You’re free to focus on the road in front of you.

Unfortunately, the majority of all driving time doesn’t take place on empty, wide-open roads. Instead, you have to deal with traffic and other vehicles. And it’s for this purpose that you need to acquire certain defensive driving skills.

5 Reasons to Learn Defensive Driving

Defensive driving is a style of driving that people use to increase their safety – as well as that of others – by being aware of their surroundings on the road. According to the DMV, driving defensively includes:

• Looking ahead and scanning the road for the unexpected
• Controlling speed at all times
• Maintaining a safe following distance
• Being constantly prepared for the reactions of other drivers
• Driving safely for both the weather and road conditions
• Being alert and distraction free
• Watching and respecting other drivers on the road

While some defensive driving skills come naturally, it’s helpful to take an accredited defensive driving course in your state. Here’s why:

1. Avoid Costly Accidents

Research shows that one in seven drivers are uninsured. This means that, should you be involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, there will be no insurance coverage on their side. You’ll have to hope that you have adequate Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist coverage.

It’s impossible to avoid all car accidents, but there are plenty of ways to lower your risk of being involved in costly and dangerous accidents. By taking a defensive driving course, you can equip yourself with the skills necessary to stay safe.

2. Lower Insurance Premiums

Car insurance is expensive. It’s even more expensive if you have a poor driving record or happen to fall into a category that’s considered “high-risk.” Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to lower insurance premiums with various credits and discounts.

One of the more generous discounts comes in the form of a certificate from a defensive driving course. Some insurance providers may offer as much as a 10 percent discount on your monthly premium – which could account for $200 or more per year.

Before taking a course, you should check with your insurance provider to (a) make sure they provide a discount, and (b) check to see which types of courses they give you credit for.

3. Helps Driving Record

Any time you get a ticket for a traffic violation, you get points added to your license. Once you receive a certain number of points, you’ll begin to experience consequences (such as a suspended license). Defensive driving can help mitigate some of the damage.

“In some municipalities, completing a defensive driver course is one of the consequences of being booked for a traffic violation,” auto industry blogger Jean Littman writes. “Completion of the defensive driver course, and presentation of the appropriate documentation can sometimes entitle you to a dismissal of the ticket.”

4. Keeps Your Family Safer

When you’re a single person with no obligations or responsibility for anyone, you can take on a bit more risk. But when you get married and start a family, you have other people to look out for. Taking a defensive driving course is a great way to improve your driving skills and keep that precious cargo just a little bit safer.

5. Greater Peace of Mind

At the end of the day, having defensive driving training under your belt will give you greater peace of mind. You’ll be able to relax knowing that you’ve done everything to prepare yourself for the risks and dangers of the road. As a result, you’re free to focus on driving.

Find a Course Near You

There are defensive driving schools all over the country – and a few can even be found online. To benefit from the advantages outlined in this article, make it a priority to take one of these courses. They’re quick, easy, and extremely educational. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

To read more on topics like this, check out the lifestyle category.