Early November Full of Opportunities to Prepare for Emergencies

Hello from ReadyWisconsin!  With daylight saving time, the first nationwide emergency alert system (EAS) test and Wisconsin’s Winter Awareness Week all around the corner, the time is right to make a quick post about all that we have going on.

Daylight Saving Time ends November 6th:

As you set your clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 6, we encourage everyone to use the opportunity to do three things for your family:

• Test your smoke detectors and change the batteries if they are more than one year old.  Nearly 2,700 people die and more than 15,000 are injured each year from fires in their homes.  An estimated 16 million American homes have smoke detectors that don’t work…don’t let yours be one!
• Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors in your home.  Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States, with nearly 500 people killed and more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room each year from overexposure to the gas.  You should have a carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home, including the basement.
• Build an emergency supply kit for your family with enough food, water and supplies to last you and your family for at least three days.  For a list of kit ideas, visit the ReadyWisconsin website.  

Nationwide EAS test: 

The first ever nationwide EAS test will take place on Wednesday, November 9 at 1:00 p.m. Central Time.  This event will mark the first time all broadcasters nationwide (including satellite and cable television providers) will send out a message at the same time.  The alert on your TV screen or over your radio will look and sound much like the emergency tests that we are all familiar with. 

Winter Awareness Week – November 7-11, 2011: 

ReadyWisconsin will kick off its winter safety campaign on Monday.  Wisconsin’s Winter Awareness Week is to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety.

The annual campaign is sponsored by ReadyWisconsin and the National Weather Service (NWS).  Throughout the month of November, we will be promoting winter weather safety.  ReadyWisconsin’s Tod Pritchard will be on TV and radio stations throughout Wisconsin providing tips on how to prepare for freezing temperatures and snow.

Be on the lookout for our statewide TV and radio public service announcement featuring NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth.  Once again, Matt is helping us spread the word about the importance of having a winter survival kit in your vehicles.  Also, head to the ReadyWisconsin website for cold weather tips and to sign up for a chance to win a winter survival kit in our trivia contest.  Go to readywisconsin.wi.gov for further details.

To stay in touch with all of our activities and preparedness campaigns during this busy time, keep an eye on ReadyWisconsin on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin).