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Be Prepared Part 4 – Tornado Safety

On average, Canada gets 62 verified tornadoes per year, however the actual number is closer to 230.   Of the verified tornadoes, Saskatchewan has the highest per province with about 18 tornadoes.

Quick facts you should know about tornadoes:

  • They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
  • They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
  • The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
  • The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph.
  • Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
  • Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.
  • Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
  • Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer.
  • Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.

Taking Shelter

Your family could be anywhere when a tornado strikes–at home, at work, at school, or in the car. Discuss with your family where the best tornado shelters are and how family members can protect themselves from flying and falling debris.

The key to surviving a tornado and reducing the risk of injury lies in planning, preparing, and practicing what you and your family will do if a tornado strikes. Flying debris causes most deaths and injuries during a tornado. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others.

At Home

Pick a place in the home where family members can gather if a tornado is headed your way. One basic rule is AVOID WINDOWS. An exploding window can injure or kill.

The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet.

For added protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If possible, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress, and protect your head with anything available–even your hands. Avoid taking shelter where there are heavy objects, such as pianos or refrigerators, on the area of floor that is directly above you. They could fall though the floor if the tornado strikes your house.

In a Mobile Home

DO NOT STAY IN A MOBILE HOME DURING A TORNADO. Mobile homes can turn over during strong winds. Even mobile homes with a tie-down system cannot withstand the force of tornado winds.

Plan ahead. If you live in a mobile home, go to a nearby building, preferably one with a basement. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert and shield your head with your hands.

If you live in a tornado-prone area, encourage your mobile home community to build a tornado shelter.

On the Road

The least desirable place to be during a tornado is in a motor vehicle. Cars, buses, and trucks are easily tossed by tornado winds.

DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR. If you see a tornado, stop your vehicle. Do not get under your vehicle.

Outdoors

Do the following if you are caught outside during a tornado and there is no adequate shelter immediately available:

  • Avoid areas with many trees.
  • Protect your head with an object or with your arms.

Long-Span Buildings

A long-span building, such as a shopping mall, theater, or gymnasium, is especially dangerous because the roof structure is usually supported solely by the outside walls. Most such buildings hit by tornados cannot withstand the enormous pressure. They simply collapse.

If you are in a long-span building during a tornado, stay away from windows. Get to the lowest level of the building–the basement if possible–and away from the windows.

If there is no time to get to a tornado shelter or to a lower level, try to get under a door frame or get up against something that will support or deflect falling debris. For instance, in a department store, get up against heavy shelving or counters. In a theater, get under the seats. Remember to protect your head.

Office Buildings, Schools, Hospitals, Churches, and Other Public Buildings

Extra care is required in offices, schools, hospitals, or any building where a large group of people is concentrated in a small area. The exterior walls of such buildings often have large windows.

Do the following if you are in any of these buildings:

  • Move away from windows and glass doorways.
  • Go to the innermost part of the building on the lowest possible floor.
  • Do not use elevators because the power may fail, leaving you trapped.
  • Protect your head and make yourself as small a target as possible by crouching down.

Forever in Motion

FOREVER IN MOTION CLASSES STARTING OCTOBER 5TH!
Classes will be held at the Town Hall on the following days:
Monday and Friday mornings 9:00 – 10:00 am
…
Wednesday evenings 7:00 – 8:00 pm (for the ‘younger’ ones who are still working!!)
The classes are FREE so come and try them out! Also bring your friends who are not on Facebook and won’t have seen this posting!

Forever in Motion is physical activity for older adults which can improve endurance, strength, balance and flexibility as well as encourage a healthy lifestyle.
If you have any questions you may comment to this post or call Ann Ermel at 306-723-4650

Crop Report Sept 15-21

For the Period September 15 to 21, 2015
One year ago
Warm and dry weather allowed producers to return to the field. Forty-three per cent of the 2014 crop had been combined with an additional 37 per cent swathed or ready to straight cut.
Follow the 2015 Crop Report on Twitter @SKAgriculture

Saskatchewan Harvest
September 21, 2015
%  combined

Winter wheat

99

Fall rye*

99

Spring wheat

55

Durum

70

Oats*

36

Barley**

61

Canaryseed

19

Flax

21

Canola

48

Mustard

72

Soybeans

25

Lentils

95

Peas

97

Chickpeas

35

*includes  three per cent ‘other’
**includes one per cent ‘other’
Harvest Progress in SK
Per cent Combined
All Crops
Sept 21/15
60
5 year avg.
(2010-2014)
56
Sept 22/14
43
Sept 23/13
71
Sept 17/12
74
Sept 19/11
76
Sept 20/10
18
10 year avg.
(2005-2014)
60

Cool and wet weather during the week slowed down harvest operations. Sixty per cent of the 2015 crop is now combined and 28 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2010-2014) average for this time of year is 56 per cent combined and 27 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Regionally, producers in the southwest are furthest advanced, having 81 per cent of the crop combined. Producers in the southeast have 79 per cent combined. Fifty-two per cent of the crop is combined in the west-central region; 47 per cent in the east-central region; 32 per cent in the northwest and 34 per cent in the northeast.

Rainfall this past week ranged from trace amounts to nearly two inches in northern regions. Provincially, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 11 per cent surplus, 81 per cent adequate, seven per cent short and one per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as three per cent surplus, 82 per cent adequate, 13 per cent short and two per cent very short.

Some areas experienced frost, although damage is minimal in most cases as crops were mature. However, weather-related quality issues such as bleaching and sprouting continue to cause concern in some areas. While overall yields are reported to be about average, they vary from region to region.

Provincially, seven per cent of the pasture is reported to be in excellent condition while 52 per cent is in good condition, 34 per cent fair, six per cent poor and one per cent in very poor condition.  Crop damage this past week was mainly attributed to rain, wind and flooding.

The Ministry of Agriculture has a Forage, Feed and Custom Service listing for producers to advertise and source feed products. It is available at: www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/FeedForageListing

Farmers are busy with harvest operations, fall spraying, machinery repairs, and hauling grain

East-Central Saskatchewan (Crop District 5 – Melville, Yorkton, Cupar, Kamsack, Foam Lake, Preeceville and Kelvington areas; Crop District 6A – Lumsden, Craik, Watrous and Clavet areas)

Cool, wet weather slowed down harvest progress in the region this past week. Forty-seven per cent of the crop is now combined, up from 37 per cent last week. The five-year (2010-2014) average for this time of year is 50 per cent combined.

Rainfall ranged from trace amounts to 35 mm in the Watrous area. At 414 mm, the Quill Lake area holds the regional record for the greatest amount of rainfall since April 1. Cropland topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 17 per cent surplus, 79 per cent adequate, two per cent short and two per cent very short, while hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as six per cent surplus, 89 per cent adequate, three per cent short and two per cent very short.

Crop yields are average overall, but quality is a great concern for many producers as bleaching and sprouting is common in some areas due to the continued wet and cool conditions. Seven per cent of the pasture is reported to be in excellent condition, while 70 per cent is in good condition, 21 per cent fair and two per cent in poor condition.  Crop damage this past week was mainly attributed to rain, wind and flooding.

Farmers are busy with harvest operations, bale hauling and post-harvest weed control.

and bales.

 

 

Be Prepared (Part 3a) – Fire Escape Plan

Basic fire escape planning – Create a home escape plan

Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

  • Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.  Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. For easy planning, download NFPA’s escape planning grid (PDF, 1.1 MB). This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.
  • Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
  • Everyone in the household must understand the escape plan. When you walk through your plan, check to make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily.
  • Choose an outside meeting place (i.e. neighbor’s house, a light post, mailbox, or stop sign) a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet after they’ve escaped. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan.
  • Have everyone memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department. That way any member of the household can call from a neighbor’s home or a cellular phone once safely outside.
  • If there are infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in the event of an emergency. Assign a backup person too, in case the designee is not home during the emergency.
  • Tell guests or visitors to your home about your family’s fire escape plan. When staying overnight at other people’s homes, ask about their escape plan. If they don’t have a plan in place, offer to help them make one. This is especially important when children are permitted to attend “sleepovers” at friends’ homes. See NFPA’s “Sleepover fire safety for kids” fact sheet.
  • Be fully prepared for a real fire: when a smoke alarm sounds, get out immediately.
  • Once you’re out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

Putting your plan to the test

  • Practice your home fire escape plan twice a year, making the drill as realistic as possible.
  • Smoke alarms: Some studies have shown that children may not awaken to the sound of the smoke alarm.  (Mine won’t)
  • Make arrangements in your plan for anyone in your home who has a disability.
  • Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.
  • It’s important to determine during the drill whether children and others can readily waken to the sound of the smoke alarm. If they fail to awaken, make sure that someone is assigned to wake them up as part of the drill and in a real emergency situation.
  • If your home has two floors, every family member (including children) must be able to escape from the second floor rooms. Escape ladders can be placed in or near windows to provide an additional escape route. Review the manufacturer’s instructions carefully so you’ll be able to use a safety ladder in an emergency. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly. Children should only practice with a grown-up, and only from a first-story window. Store the ladder near the window, in an easily accessible location. You don’t want to have to search for it during a fire.
  • Always choose the escape route that is safest – the one with the least amount of smoke and heat – but be prepared to escape under toxic smoke if necessary. When you do your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to your exit.
  • Closing doors on your way out slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape.
  • In some cases, smoke or fire may prevent you from exiting your home or apartment building. To prepare for an emergency like this, practice “sealing yourself in for safety” as part of your home fire escape plan. Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to seal the door cracks and cover air vents to keep smoke from coming in. If possible, open your windows at the top and bottom so fresh air can get in. Call the fire department to report your exact location. Wave a flashlight or light-colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

Clean Farms Pesticide and Livestock Medication Clean Up

Just a reminder that CleanFARMS will be running a free obsolete pesticide and livestock/equine medication collection program at 20 ag-retail location throughout the northern half of the province from October 5-9, 2015.  The location nearest the RM of Cupar is Richardson Pioneer in Strasbourg on October 8, 2015. 
 
Background:
The obsolete pesticide and livestock/equine medication collection and disposal program is free to participate in. Farmers and other end users of the target products are encouraged to bring in any agricultural pesticide and/or livestock/equine medications into one of the designated ag-retail collection locations during the October 5-9, 2015 collection period where a licensed hazardous waste hauler will safely manage the products and send them for environmentally responsible disposal via high temperature incineration. The program is funded by the plant science industry and members of the Canadian Animal Health Institute (www.cahi-icsa.ca). The obsolete collection program is typically delivered in each region of the country every three years. In the fall of 2014 the southern half of Saskatchewan had a collection at 20 ag-retail sites from October 27-31, 2014 where 93,935 kgs of obsolete pesticide and 540 kgs of livestock/equine medication were collected. To date, CropLife Canada/CleanFARMS have collected over 400,000 kgs of obsolete pesticide since the first collection program was delivered in Saskatchewan in 1999. 2014 was the first time that the livestock/equine medications were collected as part of the CleanFARMS program in Saskatchewan.
 
Specific program information is also available on the CleanFARMS website (www.cleanfarms.ca)
 
If there are any questions – please don’t hesitate to contact Russel Hurst at your convenience.
 
Russel Hurst
Executive Director, Sustainability & Stewardship
CropLife Canada
400-10 Four Seasons Place
Etobicoke, ON
M9B 6H7
416-622-9771 x2223
[email protected]
 
www.croplife.ca
www.cleanfarms.ca
www.awsa.ca
 

Crop Report Sept 8-14

For the Period September 8 to 14, 2015

One year ago
Harvest was progressing slowly due to cool and wet weather. Twenty-three per cent of the 2014 crop had been combined with an additional 43 per cent swathed or ready to straight cut. Frost damaged many crops across the province.
Follow the 2015 Crop Report on Twitter @SKAgriculture
Harvest Progress in SK
Per cent Combined
All Crops
Sept 14/15 52
5 year avg.
(2010-2014)		 42
Sept 15/14 23
Sept 16/13 55
Sept 10/12 56
Sept 12/11 60
Sept 13/10 14
10 year avg.
(2005-2014)		 46
Saskatchewan Harvest
September 14, 2015
% combined
Winter wheat 99
Fall rye* 98
Spring wheat 46
Durum 64
Oats* 28
Barley** 52
Canaryseed 19
Flax 15
Canola 38
Mustard 60
Soybeans 22
Lentils 93
Peas 97
Chickpeas 14
*includes  three per cent ‘other’
**includes one per cent ‘other’

Harvest is advancing despite delays due to wet field conditions. Warm and dry weather is needed before many producers can return to the field. Fifty-two per cent of the 2015 crop is combined and 30 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2010-2014) average for this time of year is 42 per cent combined and 33 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Regionally, producers in the southwest are furthest advanced, having 75 per cent of the crop combined. Producers in the southeast have 73 per cent combined. Forty per cent of the crop is combined in the west-central region; 37 per cent in the east-central region; 30 per cent in the northwest and 29 per cent in the northeast.

Rainfall this past week ranged from trace amounts to more than an inch in some southwestern and northeastern areas. Provincially, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 11 per cent surplus, 82 per cent adequate, six per cent short and one per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as five per cent surplus, 81 per cent adequate, 12 per cent short and two per cent very short.

Strong winds have blown swaths around and lodged and shelled out some standing crops. Some parts of the province received frost, but damage is minimal in most cases as crops were mature. Of the crops that have been harvested so far, 86 per cent of the field peas, 76 per cent of the lentils and 70 per cent of the durum are estimated to fall within the top two quality grades. However, weather-related quality issues such as bleaching and sprouting remain a concern in many areas. While overall yields are reported to be about average, they vary from region to region.

The Ministry of Agriculture has a Forage, Feed and Custom Service listing for producers to advertise and source feed products. It is available at: www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/FeedForageListing

Farmers are busy with harvest operations and hauling bales.

East-Central Saskatchewan (Crop District 5 – Melville, Yorkton, Cupar, Kamsack, Foam Lake, Preeceville and Kelvington areas; Crop District 6A – Lumsden, Craik, Watrous and Clavet areas)

Relatively dry field conditions allowed many producers to re-start harvest . Thirty-seven per cent of the crop is now combined, up from 22 per cent last week. The five-year (2010-2014) average for this time of year is 34 per cent combined.

Rainfall ranged from trace amounts to 10 mm in the Stalwart area. At 401 mm, the Meacham area holds the regional record for the greatest amount of rainfall since April 1. Cropland topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 15 per cent surplus, 82 per cent adequate, two per cent short and one per cent very short, while hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 10 per cent surplus, 85 per cent adequate, four per cent short and one per cent very short.

Crop yields are average overall, and there are reports of crops yielding much higher than first expected. Quality is an issue for many producers as bleaching and sprouting is common in some areas. Twenty-four per cent of the field peas are expected to fall into the 1CAN grade, 60 percent in 2CAN, 14 per cent in 3CAN and two per cent as sample. Eleven per cent of the lentils are expected to grade 1CAN, 65 per cent 2CAN and 24 per cent 3CAN. Eleven per cent of the durum is expected to grade 1CWAD, 40 per cent 2CWAD, 34 per cent 3CWAD and 15 per cent 4 and 5 CWAD. Frost was received in some areas, although damage is minimal in most cases as crops were mature. Strong winds have lodged and shelled out some standing crops.

Farmers are busy harvesting, spraying weeds and waiting for fields to dry up.

Be Prepared (Part 3) – Fire Preparedness.

When my kids were little I made the practice fire drills.  Now that they are older I didn’t think I needed to.  I asked them a few basic questions and realized they still need to practice.

Fire drills are a big part of being safe.  They prepare you for what you need to do in case of a fire. But what if there was a fire where you live? Would you know what to do? Talking about fires can be scary because no one likes to think about people getting hurt or their things getting burned. But you can feel less worried if you are prepared.

It’s a good ideas for families to talk about what they would do to escape a fire. Different families will have different strategies. Some kids live in one-story houses and other kids live in tall buildings. You’ll want to talk about escape plans and escape routes, so let’s start there.

Know Your Way Out

An escape plan can help every member of a family get out of a burning house. The idea is to get outside quickly and safely. Smoke from a fire can make it hard to see where things are, so it’s important to learn and remember the different ways out of your home. How many exits are there? How do you get to them from your room? It’s a good idea to have your family draw a map of the escape plan.

It’s possible one way out could be blocked by fire or smoke, so you’ll want to know where other ones are. And if you live in an apartment building, you’ll want to know the best way to the stairwell or other emergency exits.

Safety Steps

If you’re in a room with the door closed when the fire breaks out, you need to take a few extra steps:

  • Check to see if there’s heat or smoke coming in the cracks around the door. (You’re checking to see if there’s fire on the other side.)
  • If you see smoke coming under the door — don’t open the door!
  • If you don’t see smoke — touch the door. If the door is hot or very warm — don’t open the door!
  • If you don’t see smoke — and the door is not hot — then use your fingers to lightly touch the doorknob. If the doorknob is hot or very warm — don’t open the door!

If the doorknob feels cool, and you can’t see any smoke around the door, you can open the door very carefully and slowly. When you open the door, if you feel a burst of heat or smoke pours into the room, quickly shut the door and make sure it is really closed. If there’s no smoke or heat when you open the door, go toward your escape route exit.

 

Amber Alert

On Monday September 14, 2015 Alberta RCMP issued an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan for Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette.  Tragically, little Hailey’s remains were found Tuesday evening.  While the Amber Alert did not save Hailey it is important that we all understand our role in the process and do our best to prevent any more children being harmed.

What is an Amber Alert

The Amber Alert program is an urgent bulletin system that is activated in some cases of child abduction.

It uses electronic highway signs, designated local broadcasters and wireless signals to announce the name and a description of the abducted child, plus descriptions of any vehicle suspected of being involved in the crime.

The first Amber Alert system was established in 1996 in Texas after a nine-year-old girl, Amber Hagerman, went missing. She was riding her bicycle near home when she was kidnapped and murdered. The killing remains unsolved.

The umbrella agency that oversees the system has created the acronym America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.

What are the criteria for an alert?

Each jurisdiction that establishes an Amber system is free to do whatever it wants. In Canada the criteria set out by the RCMP’s National Missing Children Services:

  1. The child must be under 18 years of age.
  2. There must be confirmation that the child has been abducted.
  3. Police must have sufficient information to make a search for the child possible, such as descriptions of the child, abductor, accomplices or the suspect’s vehicle.
  4. Police must believe the child is in serious [imminent] danger and be convinced a broadcast will help find the child.

How often are Amber Alerts used in Canada?

Between 2003 and 2012, Canada issued 64 Amber Alerts involving 73 abducted children. Of those, 70 were recovered and returned safely and three died.

What Should You Do in Case of an Amber Alert?

The public’s role is critical to the success of the Amber Alert Plan.

If you witness a child abduction, contact your local law enforcement agency or dial 911;

If an Amber Alert has been activated, be on the lookout for the child, suspect, and/or vehicle described in the alert.

If you locate the child, suspect, or vehicle fitting the description, immediately call the telephone number given in the Amber Alert to provide authorities with as much information as possible.

Persons who locate an abductor should NEVER take any action other than to contact law enforcement.