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All-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, are off-road vehicles used for things like farm work and riding on trails. In most states, it’s legal for teens to ride them, even without a driver’s license.

But with the thrills come big risks like rollovers and collisions. Here’s how to stay safe on an ATV:

• Be at least 16 years old. Health and safety experts strongly discourage ATV use by anyone younger than 16. Operating an ATV demands that drivers be skilled at making quick adjustments, such as speeding up, slowing down, and shifting their weight to help turn the ATV. People under 16 are less likely to have the physical strength and decision-making experience necessary to drive an ATV safely.
• Get safety certified. Before you ride an ATV on a trail, learn how to do it safely in a controlled setting. Some states require teens to be 16 and have a safety certificate before they can ride an ATV without adult supervision.
• Ride an ATV that’s right for your size and age. Full-size ATVs can weigh more than 600 pounds and be very difficult to handle. Select an ATV designed for your age group, as shown on the manufacturer’s warning label on the vehicle.
• Always wear an approved helmet and eye protection. In many states, helmets and eye protection are required by law, particularly for teens. The best helmets for ATV use have a full-face shield and meet Department of Transportation safety standards. Many helmets have flip-down visors for eye protection. If yours doesn’t, be sure to wear shatterproof goggles and not just sunglasses.
• Wear long pants, long sleeves, gloves, and over-the-ankle boots. ATVs have a high center of gravity and no safety cages, roll bars, or seatbelts. If they tip, you can fall off. Protective clothing will help prevent scrapes and cuts if you get thrown from an ATV.
• Always ride at a safe speed on a trail meant for ATV use. When ATVs get going fast, they become less stable and more likely to tip. ATV tires are not meant for pavement or high speeds. Both of these factors can make turning an ATV difficult and dangerous.
• Know basic first aid to treat minor injuries and be able to get help in an emergency. Be prepared in the event of an accident. Know how to get help if you or a friend are hurt.
• Know and follow the ATV rules of your state. Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) online for this information. This applies even if you’re not the one steering the ATV. Many states don’t allow passengers to ride unless the ATV is designed to carry two people.

Finally, here are some absolute ATV “no’s”:

• Never ride on a 3-wheel ATV.
• Never ride an ATV at night.
• Never ride while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads (except to cross them).
• Never exceed the number of passengers recommended by the manufacturer.
• Teens should never give a passenger a ride even if they have a two-person ATV.

Nothing can prevent every accident. The truth is that lots of people get hurt riding ATVs, and some are killed. If you’re going to ride an ATV, knowing how to use one safely and following every safety tip can make an accident less likely and help prevent serious injuries if an accident does happen.

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Tornado Safety Before the Storm

Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and outdoors. Know the safest shelter areas in multiple locations.

• Have frequent drills.
• Keep a disaster supply kit in your home including water, food that won’t spoil and needs no heat to serve, first-aid kit, NOAA Weather Radio (also known as an emergency weather radio), a flashlight and special items for children, pets and elderly family members. 
• Be sure your weather radio is working properly. Spring is a great time to install fresh batteries.

Tornado Safety During the Storm

Whether at home, work, or school, it’s important to have a plan in place for what to when severe weather is approaching.

• In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement, and get under a sturdy table or the stairs. A specially-constructed “safe room” within a building offers the best protection.
• If a basement is not available, move to a small interior room on the lowest floor and cover yourself with anything close at hand: towels, blankets, pillows. If possible, get under a sturdy table, desk or counter. Put as many walls as possible between you and the storm. Stay away from windows.
• If caught outdoors, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to shelter, get into a vehicle, buckle your seatbelt and drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have two options as a last resort:
  • Stay in the vehicle with the seatbelt on and place your head below the windows.
  • If you can safely get noticeably lower than the roadway, exit the vehicle and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Do not seek shelter under an overpass.
• Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. You should leave a mobile home and go to the designated storm shelter or the lowest floor of a sturdy nearby building.
• Make sure you have multiple ways to receive weather information. A NOAA Weather Radio, access to local TV, and smart phone apps can keep you informed when severe weather threatens.

Lightning Safety Tips

Lightning can be a major safety concern during storms. Know the risks and how to protect yourself from lightning strikes.

• All thunderstorms produce lightning and are dangerous. In an average year, lightning kills nearly 50 people in the U.S. Since 2005, lightning has killed nine people and injured at least 41 in Wisconsin.
• Lightning often strikes outside the area of heavy rain and may strike as far as 10 miles from any rainfall.
• If you hear thunder, you are in danger! Anytime thunder is heard, the storm is close enough to pose an immediate threat to your location.
• Have a lightning safety plan. Designate a safe location before the event
• starts. Have specific guidelines for suspending the activity so that everyone has time to reach safety.
• Prior to a practice or outdoor event, check the latest forecast. If thunderstorms are expected, consider postponing activities early to avoid being caught in a dangerous situation.
• If you hear thunder, suspend your activity immediately and instruct everyone to get to a safe place. Substantial buildings provide the best protection. Avoid sheds, open shelters, dugouts, bleachers, and grandstands. If a sturdy building is not nearby, a hard-topped metal vehicle with windows closed will offer good protection. Do not crouch or lie down—continue moving to a place of shelter.
• If boating or swimming, get to land and find shelter.
• Do not resume activities until 30 minutes have passed since the last thunder was heard.

Stay informed with an All Hazards NOAA Weather Radio

Many people believe outdoor sirens will notify them when a tornado is approaching, however those devices are only designed to be heard by people who are outside. Make sure you have a way to receive notifications inside your home, school or office by getting a NOAA Weather Radio. These devices act like a “smoke alarm” for severe weather!

• NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is a public warning system that broadcasts forecasts, warnings, and emergency information 24 hours a day.
• Radio receivers can quietly monitor these broadcasts and will alert when important and life-threatening messages are issued for your area.
• “All Hazards” messages include:
  • Natural disasters (e.g., tornado, floods, blizzards)
  • Accidents, such as chemical release, train derailments, nuclear power emergencies)
  • Terrorist Attacks
• During an emergency, seconds count! These radios are a valuable alerting device, easy to use, and can also be used to check on every-day weather, including wind chill information during the winter. If your school doesn’t have a weather radio, make sure to purchase one before the severe weather season starts.
• Place your radio in areas that are constantly monitored (e.g., school office, principal’s office). Remember those occasions when the school is used for activities outside normal hours and make sure the radio can be monitored during those times.
• The radios are tested weekly. Make sure yours works!
• If you have any questions about weather radios, contact your local National Weather Service office. Many Wisconsin offices may have radios available for schools.

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What will NOT happen…

• Test Tornado Watch/Warning from NWS
• Alert via NOAA Weather Radio
• EAS alerts through TV/Radio
• Cell Phone Alerts (WEA)

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Spring forward this Sunday, March 14th, as clocks will be turned forward at 2 in the morning. As you’re doing this, FCP Emergency Management also encourages you to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors around your home.

Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors provide a crucial early warning to danger in your home. The time change this weekend provides an excellent opportunity to check those devices while you are resetting your clocks.

Smoke detectors should be tested once a month and the device as a whole should be replaced every 10 years. The National Fire Protection Association warned, three out of every five home fire deaths result when detectors were not present, or were not working properly.

As record breaking cold temperatures have fallen over Wisconsin this winter, furnaces have been working overtime. This can potentially lead to increased risks of carbon monoxide leaks in the home. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says approximately 500 people are treated at every hospital emergency room across the state annually for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Symptoms seen with carbon monoxide poisoning are headaches, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and confusion. At high enough levels, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause death within minutes. If you believe you or someone you know has carbon monoxide poisoning, go outside immediately and call 911.

To protect yourself and anyone you know from carbon monoxide poisoning, remember these key safety tips:

• All homes and duplexes in Wisconsin are required to have detectors on every level, including the basement, but not the attic or storage areas. Replace your detector every five years.
• Have your furnace or wood-burning stove inspected annually by a professional. This insures it’s functionally sound and vents properly inside the home.
• Never run a gasoline or propane heater or grill (gas or charcoal) inside your home or in an unventilated garage as these produce carbon monoxide.
• Generators should be run at a safe distance (at least 20 feet) from the home. Never run a generator in the home or garage, or right next to windows or doors.

Never run a car in an enclosed space. If a vehicle is running, you must have the garage door open.

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Traditional Thanksgiving gatherings with family and friends are fun but can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu. Follow these tips to make your Thanksgiving holiday safer.

The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with people in your household. If you do plan to spend Thanksgiving with people outside your household, take steps to make your celebration safer.

Everyone Can Make Thanksgiving Safer

Wear a mask

• Wear a mask with two or more layers to stop the spread of COVID-19.
• Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
• Make sure the mask fits snugly against the sides of your face.

Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you

• Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread COVID-19 or flu.
• Keeping 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Wash your hands

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it when you are unable to wash your hands.
• Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Attending a Gathering

Make your celebration safer. In addition to following the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer, take these additional steps while attending a Thanksgiving gathering.

• Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils.
• Wear a mask, and safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
• Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen.
• Use single-use options, like salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items like food containers, plates, and utensils.

Hosting a Thanksgiving Gathering

If having guests to your home, be sure that people follow the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer. Other steps you can take include:

• Have a small outdoor meal with family and friends who live in your community.
• Limit the number of guests.
• Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use.
• If celebrating indoors, make sure to open windows.
• Limit the number of people in food preparation areas.
• Have guests bring their own food and drink.

If sharing food, have one person serve food and use single-use options, like plastic utensils.

Thanksgiving Travel

Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.

If you do travel

• Check travel restrictions before you go.
• Get your flu shot before you travel.
• Always wear a mask in public settings and on public transportation.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart from anyone who is not in your household.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your mask, eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Bring extra supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer.

Consider Other Thanksgiving Activities

Host a virtual Thanksgiving meal with friends and family who don’t live with you

• Schedule a time to share a meal together virtually.
• Have people share recipes and show their turkey, dressing, or other dishes they prepared.

Watch television and play games with people in your household

• Watch Thanksgiving Day parades, sports, and movies at home.
• Find a fun game to play.

Shopping

• Shop online sales the day after Thanksgiving and days leading up to the winter holidays.
• Use contactless services for purchased items, like curbside pick-up.
• Shop in open air markets staying 6 feet away from others.

Other Activities

• Safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to family and neighbors in a way that does not involve contact with others (for example, leave them on the porch).
• Participate in a gratitude activity, like writing down things you are grateful for and sharing with your friends and family.

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Remember to fall back this weekend for the end of Daylight Saving Time.

When setting your clocks back one hour on Halloween night, Saturday, October 31st, test your smoke alarms, review your family’s emergency escape plans, and replace any emergency supplies that may expire soon.

A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all. Take care of your smoke alarms according to the manufacturer instructions, and follow these tips from the U.S. Fire Administration:

• Smoke alarm powered by a nine-volt battery – Test the alarm monthly. Replace the batteries at least once every year. Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.
• Smoke alarm powered by a 10-year lithium (or “long-life”) battery- Test the alarm monthly. Since you cannot (and should not) replace the lithium battery, replace the entire smoke alarm according to the manufacturer’s instructions and dispose of it properly at a household hazardous waste site or by sending it back to the manufacturer.
• Smoke alarms hardwired into your home’s electrical system – Test the alarm monthly. Replace the backup battery at least once every year. Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.

Review your family emergency escape plans to ensure they are up to date. Replace any emergency supplies that will expire within the next six months and use the old supplies before they expire. Some examples of items that can expire are:

• Water;
• Food;
• Prescription medications;
• First-aid supplies; and
• Batteries.

For more information on emergency plans or supplies, contact FCPC Emergency Management Department at 715-478-4428. 

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With a winter storm expected to affect the busy Thanksgiving Travel week, FCPC Emergency Management is encouraging anyone traveling this holiday season to make sure they are watching the weather and accounting for it in their planning.

The National Weather Service is forecasting most of northern and northwestern Wisconsin could see 8-12 inches of snow between Tuesday evening and Wednesday, while southern portions of the state are expected to see rain or light snow. If you are traveling, watch the forecast and check with 511 Wisconsin for the latest traffic and road conditions. This information, along with live traffic cameras and traffic alerts, can be accessed through a free mobile app or the mobile-friendly site http://www.511wi.gov.

For anyone traveling this holiday season, whether it be to a holiday party or for the ongoing deer hunting season, pack an emergency kit in your vehicle to help you stay safe in the event of a vehicle breakdown or if you get stuck in bad weather. Kits should include non-perishable foods, flashlight, extra hats, gloves and blankets. Make sure to also travel with fresh water.

When preparing your holiday dinner, keep anything that can catch on fire – such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels and food packages – away from your stove. Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove to help prevent bumping. Keep children and pets away from the stove. Stay in your kitchen if you are frying, boiling or broiling food.

Frying poses the greatest risk of fire. If you are using a turkey fryer, make sure to follow the manufacturer guidelines on appropriate use of the appliance. In addition, have a fire extinguisher that has an “A,” “B” and “C” rating and test your smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly.

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