Tornado Awareness Week April 11-15, 2011

Wisconsin Tornado & Severe Weather Awareness Week

April 11-15, 2011

 (MADISON)  Are you and your family ready for storms? Tornadoes and Severe Weather are guaranteed in every Wisconsin spring and summer. Preparing now could save your life and the lives of loved ones.

April 11-15, 2011 is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.  The campaign is to remind people of the dangers associated with tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding and hail and to encourage citizens to take protective safety measures. A statewide drill is planned for Thursday, April 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The drill will be an ideal opportunity for schools, businesses and individuals to practice safe procedures for severe weather and to learn more about severe weather including:

-Wisconsin averages 21 tornadoes annually.

-In 2010, 46 tornadoes in Wisconsin were confirmed by the National Weather Services, the second greatest yearly number on record. Fortunately, no one was killed but 22 were injured and the tornadoes caused nearly $30 million in property damage.

-The peak tornado season in Wisconsin is April to August, but tornadoes can occur any time of year, like the January 7, 2008 storms near Kenosha.

-Tornadoes can occur anytime, day or night, but are most frequent between 4pm and 9pm.

Wisconsin Emergency Management, ReadyWisconsin and the National Weather Service have planned a series of special efforts to promote storm safety including:

-PSA Campaign: A TV public service campaign with tornado survivors urging everyone to have an emergency weather radio.

-Survival Stories: Other real Wisconsin survivors share their tornado stories on the ReadyWisconsin website.

-Ready Radio Days. ReadyWisconsin teams up with the National Weather Service and TV stations across the state to promote the use of emergency weather radios.

-ReadyWisconsin Trivia Challenge: Answer a question for a chance to win an Emergency Weather  Radio. Go to http://readywisconsin.wi.gov to enter.

Watches & Warnings:

TORNADO WATCH: Conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes

in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms.

TORNADO WARNING: A tornado is imminent (based on weather radar

information) or has been sighted by spotters. If a tornado warning is issued for

your area - move to your pre-designated place of safety. SEEK SHELTER

IMMEDIATELY!

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH: Conditions are favorable for the

development of severe thunderstorms with damaging straight-line (downburst)

winds and/or large hail.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING: Severe thunderstorms with damaging

straight-line winds and/or large hail are imminent or are occurring.

Where to Go In Severe Weather:

• In a house with a basement: Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under

some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table, work bench or stairs), or cover

yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag.

• In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stair well or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against flying or falling debris.

• In an office building: Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter. Stay off elevators- you could become trapped in them if the power is lost.

• In a mobile home: Get out! Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile

homes. If your community has a tornado shelter, go there fast. If there is a

sturdy permanent building within close distance, seek shelter there. Otherwise,

lie flat on low ground away from your home, protecting your head. If possible, use

open ground away from trees and cars, which can be blown onto you.

• At school: Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or room in an orderly way as

you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your

arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.

• In a car or truck: Get out of the vehicle immediately and seek shelter in a

permanent building. Do not try to out run a tornado. If there is no shelter, lie flat

and face down, protecting the back of your head with your arms.

Emergency Weather Radios Save Lives:

Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and the National Weather Service (NWS) encourage families, schools and businesses to have an Emergency Weather Radio. These radios are like “smoke alarms” for danger. The radio picks up emergency information 24-hours a day with critical information directly from the National Weather Service and other agencies and can be programmed to monitor specific counties in your area. You can purchase Emergency Weather Radios at most electronic retailers.  For more information on Emergency Weather Radios go to http://readywisconsin.wi.gov

Also Before the Storm:

• Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and outdoors.

• Have frequent drills.

• Know the county/township in which you live, and keep a highway map nearby

to follow storm movement from weather bulletins.

• Listen to local radio and television stations for further information.

A Disaster Supplies Kit Should Include:

• A 3-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't

spoil.

• One change of clothing and footwear per person.

• Blanket or sleeping bag per person.

• A first-aid kit, including prescription medicines.

• Emergency tools, including a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and a

portable radio, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries.

• An extra set of car keys and a credit card or cash.

• Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.

Other Resources for Tornado and Severe Weather:

ReadyWisconsin

http://readywisconsin.wi.gov

National Weather Service — Links to local NWS offices

http://www.weather.gov

For more information, please contact your County Emergency Management

Director or your local National Weather Service Office.

New Car Seat Recommendations

As of April 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing seat, until the age of two years old or until they reach the maximum height and weight for the seat they are in.   A rear-facing seat supports the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body. The recommended age of two is not a law but rather a new guideline to help parents keep their child as safe as possible in a vehicle.  Smaller children benefit from riding rear-facing longer, other children may reach the maximum height and weight earlier than two years old. For more information, contact Pam Nelson, R.N., IP Coordinator at Environmental Services.  (715) 799-4938.

Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time!

Think Safety, Every Trip, Every Time, Buckle Up!

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American Indians ages 1 to 44 years.  On the average, two Native Americans are killed every day in crashes in the United States.    Seatbelt use does save lives.  The Menominee Tribe has a primary seat belt ordinance that requires all persons in the vehicle to be buckled up at all times.  The first time you are stopped for not wearing a seat belt on the Menominee Indian Reservation you will be fined $50.00.  The second time $100.00.  That is for you and each passenger in your vehicle who is not in a seat belt. The driver will also be fined $100.00 for failing to fasten the seat belt of a minor for the first offense and $200.00 for the second offense.

Parents or Grandparents can receive a car seat or booster seat at the Menominee Tribal Clinic or at the Injury Prevention office.    You are expected to review a short video and are provided hands on training to properly install your car seat in your vehicle.  The cost is $10.00 for a convertible car seat and $5.00 for a booster seat.  It is recommended that your child also be present so be properly sized for the car seat or booster.  Contact Tribal Clinic at 799-5438 or Injury Prevention at 799-4938 for an appointment.

It is important that you choose the right car seat for your child.  Follow the current guidelines below.

Birth to 1 year
Up to 20 pounds and 26 inches long

Recommendation:

• Use a rear-facing infant seat or a convertible seat in the rear-facing position.
• Set the shoulder straps below the child’s shoulder level.
• Thoroughly review manufacturer’s instructions.

1 to 4 years
20 to 40 pounds, 26 to 40 inches tall

Recommendation:

• Use a forward-facing seat or a convertible seat in the forward-facing position.
• Position the straps at or above shoulder level.
• Thoroughly review manufacturer’s instructions.

4 to 8 years
40 to 80 pounds, 40 to 57 inches tall

Recommendation:

• Use a belt-positioning booster seat or a high-back, belt-positioning booster seat that uses the vehicle’s lap-shoulder belt.
• Don’t use a shield-type booster seat.
• Thoroughly review manufacturer’s instructions.

Did You Know?

Did you know?  In addition to getting car seats at the clinic, they are also available here at Environmental Services?   Call Pam at 799-4938 for more information.

Better Fire, Better Air

Watch the video for some tips on getting the most out of your wood stove.

Silent But Deadly

Carbon Monoxide Can Be Deadly

You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result. Hundreds of people die accidentally every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars. Fetuses, infants, elderly people, and people with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible. Be safe. Practice the Do’s and Don’ts of carbon monoxide.

CO Poisoning Symptoms

Know the symptoms of CO poisoning. At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause.

Play it Safe

If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning:

Get fresh air immediately open doors and windows turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.

Contact the fire department who has an instrument that will tell if the carbon monoxide levels in your house are elevated. 

If symptoms are severe you may want to contact your physician or emergency services

PREVENTION IS THE KEY TO AVOIDING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Have your fuel-burning appliances -- including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves -- inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season. Make certain that the flues and chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.

Choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers’ instructions.

Read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning device. If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas or kerosene space heater, carefully follow the cautions that come with the device. Use the proper fuel and keep doors to the rest of the house open. Crack a window to ensure enough air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.

Don’t idle the car in a garage -- even if the garage door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of your home.

Don’t use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

Don’t use a charcoal grill indoors -- even in a fireplace

Don’t sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.

Don’t use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in enclosed spaces.

Don’t ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.

Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.  These units are designed to alarm before potentially life-threatening levels of CO are reached. The safety standards for CO alarms have been continually improved and currently marketed CO alarms are not as susceptible to nuisance alarms as earlier models.

Install your CO alarm according to the manufacturer's instructions. One CO alarm should be installed in the hallway outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area of the home. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Hard wired or plug-in CO alarms should have battery backup. Avoid locations that are near heating vents or that can be covered by furniture or draperies. Do not install CO alarms in kitchens or above fuel-burning appliances.

IF YOUR CO ALARM SOUNDS:

Immediately move outside to fresh air.

Call your emergency services, fire department, or 911.

After calling 911, do a head count to check that all persons are accounted for. DO NOT reenter the premises until the emergency services responders have given you permission. You could lose consciousness and die if you go in the home.

If the source of the CO is determined to be a malfunctioning appliance, DO NOT operate that appliance until it has been properly serviced by trained personnel.

If you have any additional questions regarding carbon monoxide contact Environmental Services at 715-799-6152.