Just in Time for Our First Winter Storm, This Week is Winter Awareness Week
Monday, November 10th, 2014 -- 8:18 AM
-Governor Scott Walker has declared this week, November 10th-14th, as Winter Awareness Week in Wisconsin.The annual campaign, sponsored by Wisconsin Emergency Management, its ReadyWisconsin preparedness program and NOAA's National Weather Service, is to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety.
Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. For example, in the last five years Wisconsin has averaged 18,000 motor vehicle crashes during winter months. On average, 45 people are killed each year and more than 4,700 injured on icy or snow-covered roads. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a danger. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States, with more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room and nearly 500 killed each year from overexposure to the gas.
Now is the time to winterize your car and home, gather items for an emergency kit in your car, and make sure you have a NOAA Weather Radio with fresh batteries.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.