Be Prepared for Winter Driving

Driving in the winter can be nerve wracking whether you are driving in the coastal rains or in snow and icy conditions. Getting prepared before a trip, or even day-to-day driving, can make all the difference in winter driving. It’s a good idea to review these things periodically even if you made an initial pass at the beginning of the winter

Tips to Winterize Your Car:

• Install winter wipers.
• Flush the cooling system and replace the coolant.
• Check your battery.
• Mount winter tires.
• Keep (non-freezing) washer fluid full.
• Pack a winter safety kit.
• Service your vehicle regularly (including tune up, battery check, and cooling systems).
• Maintain proper tire pressure.
• Keep the gas tank as full as possible.
• Clean all debris from your vehicle.
• Keep your rear-window defroster in working order.

Being Prepared—Accidents, pass closures, and other winter events can mean unexpected time in your car.  One of the most important items from the above list is making sure you have a winter safety kit.

Items for this emergency winter weather kit should include:

• Flashlight with extra batteries,
• Blanket/sleeping bag and warm clothing including: gloves/mittens, socks & hats, and boots,
• Nonperishable, high-energy foods,
• Water,
• First Aid Kit,
• Cell phone charger/battery booster,
• Tire chains and tool kit,
• Ice scraper/snowbrush,
• Small shovel,
• Cat litter/sand/salt to help with traction,
• Jumper Cables,
• Flares/Warning Triangle, and
• Whistle to signal for help.

When planning your trip and before leaving, check the weather.  Watch weather reports prior to long-distance trips or before driving in isolated areas.  Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected.  If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and expected time of arrival.

A Few Winter Driving Tips:

• Avoid driving when you are tired. 
• Always keep at least ½ tank of fuel in the vehicle.
• If you start your vehicle to warm it up – do it outside – avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly – reduce your speed overall.
• Do not use cruise control in wintery conditions.
• Increase following distance to 8 to 10 seconds.
• Look and steer in the direction you want to go.
• Avoid using your parking brake to slow or stop.
• If possible, don’t stop when going uphill.
• Be extra careful at intersections – cars may have difficulty stopping and vision may be impaired.
• Be extra alert for pedestrians.
• Share the road with snow removal equipment/crews.

If you do get stranded in an unfamiliar area, do not leave your car. Light flares in front and behind the car and make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked by snow, mud or any object.

Be  Prepared and Be Safe This Winter.

Contributed by Tom Odegaard, President/Executive Director Evergreen Safety Council

February is American Heart Month

The first American Heart Month was declared by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. It was created to encourage Americans to join the battle against heart disease.  Since 2004, February also has been the month for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign to raise awareness of this number one killer of women.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

While the entire month is dedicated as American Heart Month, the day of February 5th is National Wear Red Day.  By wearing red on February 5th you are helping raise women’s awareness and support education on cardiovascular health.

Why should you Go Red? Heart disease is the number one killer of women, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined.  Every 80 seconds, one woman is killed by heart disease and stroke.  That’s 1 in 3 deaths among women each year.  80% of these deaths can be prevented with education and action.  These statistics can be shocking, but building awareness is one of the best ways to fight this horrible disease.

Cardiovascular disease is also the leading global cause of death, accounting for more than 17.3 million deaths per year, a number that is expected to grow to more than 23.6 million by 2030.

While heart disease kills around 630,000 Americans each year, about 750,000 people in the U.S. have heart attacks each year.  Of those, about 116,000 die.  About 550,000 people in the U.S. have a first-time heart attack each year, and about 200,000 have recurrent heart attacks.

The American Heart Association gauges the cardiovascular health of the nation by tracking seven key health factors and behaviors that increase risks for heart disease and stroke.  Called “Life’s Simple 7,” they are: not smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, body weight, and control of cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.  You don’t have to wait until February to get a jump on Life’s Simple 7:

• Get active
• Control cholesterol
• Eat better
• Manage blood pressure
• Lose weight
• Reduce blood sugar
• Stop smoking

Do a My Life Check® through the the American Heart Association website at http://bit.ly/2hkfLiW