Winter Hazard Awareness

Get Ready for Winter

Awareness of Winter Hazards Saves Lives. Know How to Prepare and Respond to Minnesota Winters. Little Things Do Matter!

Winter in Minnesota is beautiful, but... Winter in Minnesota can be described in many ways, but unpredictable isn’t one of them.At some point, it will snow and temperatures will drop below zero. There will be ice on the roads. High winds will raise the risk of being outdoors from hazardous to life-threatening.

Minnesota winter is just around the corner and the question is - are you ready for it?

Getting ready for winter doesn’t always take a lot of work. Most Minnesotans, through years of practice and experience, are knowledgeable about winter weather conditions. We know how to dress, drive, be active outdoors and generally get through the winter with our lives, homes and property intact. Nonetheless, deaths and injuries occur every winter because people fail to take precautions. Carelessness, overconfidence, ignorance and innocence can lead to damage, injury or death from winter weather conditions.

The best way to avoid the hazards is to stay warm and cozy indoors, but it’s tough to stay cooped up for months— and even staying indoors for long periods carries risks. Problems can arise with indoor air, and fire risks increase dramatically in the winter.
 
Well, fear not.  Surviving, even enjoying, the winter season is not as hard as it may seem.  Getting ready for winter doesn’t always take a lot of work. Awareness of winter hazards saves lives. Know how to prepare and respond to Minnesota winters.

Little things do matter

Sometimes it’s just a few little things that can make the difference between safety and suffering: having a survival kit in your car, changing the batteries in your carbon monoxide detector, staying well-hydrated during outdoor fun.

To help Rice County and other Minnesota residents minimize risks and mitigate the hazards of winter, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, in collaboration with the National Weather Service and other county, state, federal and non-profit agencies sponsor “Winter Hazard Awareness Week” each fall to educate, inform, remind and reinforce the behaviors that lead to a warm, safe and enjoyable winter season.

The event includes a media campaign, literature, website, and other informational materials with target specific information each day.  The information continues throughout the season on the websites with updates, timely facts and tips which can be used in conjunction with school, church, or civic programs.