Blog Archive: July 2018
July 26
When you’re in the middle of an emergency, all you need is help. You don’t really think about where it comes from – that’s the job of the first responders who answer your call. But in certain situations, even first responders need a little extra help, and that’s where the Minnesota Duty Officer program comes in. A duty officer is on call at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They’re the person local and state law enforcement and first responders (think volunteer firefighters, State Patrol, you name it) call to request state-level assistance...
July 23
Water is a funny thing. We can’t live without it, but right now, it’s getting increasingly hard to live with it in many parts of Minnesota. This summer’s storms have brought damaging winds, tornadoes and rain. Lots and lots of rain. So much, in fact, that dozens of counties, along with several tribal nations, are reporting significant impacts. What’s a state to do in such a situation? Ask for help. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently arrived to conduct preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) along with state and local officials...
July 19
Sometimes you just have to take advantage of a good opportunity, even if it doesn’t seem like one at the time. An example: The material on which the state of Minnesota prints our driver’s licenses and state IDs is being discontinued, and our stock is running out. So why not use this as an opportunity? The state’s branding is changing, and REAL ID is coming soon, so a redesign was definitely in order...
July 16
It’s the middle of the night. Someone you love is injured, or your house is on fire, or you’ve been in a car crash…whatever the reason, you have to call 911. And there it is: the calm voice on the other end of the line, talking you through the scary stuff, making sure the right kind of help is on the way. We don’t think about them much, but 911 dispatchers are known as the “thin gold line,” connecting the public to police, fire, and emergency medical personnel. As you can imagine, it takes a special sort of person to be the go-between from emergencies to first responders...
July 12
We’ve certainly had our share of hot, humid Minnesota days so far this summer. And if you’re a motorcycle rider, you probably find them a lot easier to bear on the back of your bike. The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) understands. There’s nothing like catching a summer breeze on an open stretch of road on your bike. And whether this is your first year as a motorcyclist, or whether you’re an old hand at riding, there’s a motorcycle training course for you. You don’t have to be a beginner to benefit from a motorcycle training course at one of the 27 locations throughout Minnesota...
July 9
It’s broad daylight out, the roads are dry as a bone, and you’re going to be late to your friend’s barbecue. Why not press down on the gas a little harder and nudge it up above the speed limit? What could it hurt? Turns out, speeding is hurtful in a lot of ways. Exceeding the speed limit is still dangerous, even on dry roads in broad daylight. Our most recent blog details six myths about driving over the speed limit—and the real story behind each...
July 2
Are you excited for the Fourth of July? All those great American traditions: grilling in the great outdoors, relaxing with friends and family, watching gorgeous fireworks displays together after dark. But you know what’s not a great American tradition? Getting arrested – or, worse, injuring or killing someone – because you chose to drive drunk. Unfortunately, the numbers tell us that plenty of people in Minnesota drive under the influence of alcohol on the Fourth. In fact, our independence day has the dubious honor of having the most DWI arrests per hour of any major holiday over the past five years...
