Posted March 30, 2015


Parts of the state have experienced snow over the last couple of weeks. Its arrival wasn’t exactly celebrated; most people just sighed and reluctantly attempted to locate their snow boots. But a few optimists (who may also be gardeners) did manage to mutter, “Well, we need the moisture…”

And the optimist-gardeners are right. The U.S. Drought Monitor puts over 88 percent of Minnesota in a current drought that’s predicted to stick around through June — and we know what that means. Our 10,000 lakes are surrounded by fire-vulnerable prairies and precious, combustible birch/pine forests. We don’t need a scientist to tell us that drought conditions increase the likelihood of wildfires.

We do, however, need to be reminded how to minimize that risk.

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Photo: Grass fires can start quickly where drought conditions exist.

DNR rules will help. The agency declared restrictions on open burning of yard waste and brush in parts of northwestern, southern and central Minnesota beginning March 25. Once restrictions are in force, permits to burn brush and yard waste won’t be issued until green vegetation is growing, which could be four-to-six weeks. Many cities and counties have separate regulations on open burns, so residents will want to check with their local governments before burning.

DNR officials say campfires are legal, but you must still be careful, and there’s no better source of campfire-safety info than The Bear himself.  Smokey has a few tips on debris-burning, too.

All that said, there’s good reason for caution — but none for serious pessimism or panic.

According to University of Minnesota meteorologist Mark Seeley’s “Weather Talk” blog, this drought situation will effectively eliminate the issue of spring flooding on our rivers. That’s a relief for thousands of people — both victims and responders.

And historically, these things are not entirely predictable based on March models. Seeley says that among the 25 years with the driest Jan.-through-March period, half of them produced copious rain showers from April through June. Only about 30 percent of the time did the drought persist, so we’re likely to be okay.

But be careful anyway. The links above will tell you how. Wildfires are rarely started on purpose; barring a lightning strike, there is usually a very sorry, very embarrassed person whose careless behavior caused a horrifying event. Don’t let it be you.

 

There’s a dangerous new high in town. It’s an extremely concentrated form of THC — the active agent in marijuana. The effects of its manufacture and use are beginning to show up in Minnesota, and they’re not pretty. This material known as marijuana wax (street names include butane hash oil, marijuana wax, honey oil, budder, dabs and 710, which spells “oil” upside-down) is not yet familiar to most people, but it’s causing havoc that ranges from fatal explosions and fires to life-threatening overdose reactions.

The Department of Public Safety held a news conference yesterday to warn Minnesotans about marijuana wax and encourage them to learn more about the deadly drug. The session included a 12-minute interview with a Duluth mother whose 16-year-old son overdosed. She shared the story of helping him through the choking, vomiting, hallucinations and feeling of suffocation he experienced, including their trip to the emergency room and her fear he would die before the drug wore off.

There’s nothing harmless about marijuana concentrates. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the level of THC in a

marijuana cigarette is about 14-to-18 percent. In the wax form, which can be smoked or ingested, it can run 30-to-90 percent — and to make matters worse, there are uninformed users who are not aware of the danger. At this time, many medical professionals are not adequately familiar with the substance to recognize its symptoms immediately, nor are the long-term effects of wax use yet known.

 

We do know that the high levels of THC in the wax create an intense physical and psychological reaction, and that the manufacturing process has allegedly claimed one life in Minnesota.  A November, 2014 explosion and house fire in St. Cloud killed 85-year-old Sally Douglas, and two young men have been criminally charged in that event. The production process involves using butane (the same gas used in cigarette and grill lighters) to release THC from the plant leaves, and the butane is removed by heating the concentrate. The butane becomes a gas at room temperature, and can be ignited by a small spark.

 

Events such as the one in St. Cloud are repeating themselves across the nation. A simple Internet search turns up news stories from east coast to west coast about third-degree burns, fatal smoke inhalation and property destruction related to manufacture of marijuana wax — and reports of overdoses by unsuspecting youth who were never told the truth about what this stuff is or how it might affect them.

 

The video of the DPS news conference is here. Combined with the Duluth woman’s description of her son’s experience, it should be sufficient to make a person want to learn more…and to pass on that knowledge through a Facebook page, Twitter, a community newsletter or any other available venue.

 

The stakes on this issue are enormous. DPS will do its part to keep the public aware and informed, but we all share responsibility to help reduce the misery this new drug threat is causing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this winter, following a less-than-stellar performance by Minnesota drivers in the first big, icy storm of the season, it was boldly announced in this space that Ice is Slippery.

 

The number of people who took that information to heart and applied it to their driving is anyone’s guess. Crash numbers during the next storm did not abate significantly, but someone may have filed it away for future reference.

 

Now, the Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has released a new study on “high-risk” drivers. If you’re a Minnesota motorist, the results will not surprise you — but they do answer a question you frequently ask yourself on the road: “What is that person thinking?”

 

The study of 1,750 motorists identified “high risk” drivers based on certain behaviors and discovered that, while 1 in 6 drivers could be labeled high-risk, those same people’s perceptions of their driving behavior doesn’t match reality.

 

They think they’re good drivers. Half of them think they’re superior drivers.

 

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Photo: Don't text while driving. Distracted driving is a factor in one in four crashes.​

The OTS conducts studies like this for very good reason. Though it seems obvious that bad drivers think differently from good ones, knowing how they think helps OTS fight dangerous driving behavior. They use a combination of public education and traffic law enforcement to change driver attitudes and behaviors, saving lives and reducing crashes and injuries. In order to do that effectively, they need to get inside people’s heads.

 

The study is titled, 2014 High-Risk Driver Analysis, and it defines a high-risk driver as a person who consumed two-or-more drinks and drove at least once, or who engaged in two-or-more “risky behaviors” in the past 30 days. Risky behaviors include texting while driving, not wearing a seat belt, and driving more than 10 mph over the speed limit.

 

There may be disagreement as to what constitutes risky behavior. Some people believe that not wearing a seatbelt should not qualify as risky. Unbelted people are killed and injured in traffic crashes at a much higher rate than people who consistently wear seatbelts, however, so one’s definition of “risky” is the issue here.

 

“Driving 10 mph over the speed limit” is another point of contention in some circles. Speed limits, some drivers will say, are subjective. “They’re ignored. Adherence is dangerous where traffic is moving faster than posted speeds.”  The people in OTS, on the other hand, will tell you that speed is a factor in most highway deaths — and hence the “high-risk” label.

 

No one seems to disagree that driving distracted or driving drunk are high-risk behaviors — except for the people who engage in them. That is possibly the most fascinating and troubling thing in the report. The people who engage in the two most harmful driving behaviors, as measured by OTS over the years, are the ones who believe their choices to be justifiable. They think they can handle it. The data say they can’t.

 

Don’t despair, though. There are two pieces of good news here!

 

One is that you’re not crazy. The drivers you wonder about really are deluding themselves.

 

The other is that there’s value in information like this. It gives us cause to review our own driving behaviors and be sure we’re not contributing to the problem. It’s something to show our teen drivers and ask what they think. What do they see when they’re driving on their own? What kind of behavior worries them on the road? Do they know the crash statistics on texting-and-driving? They should.

 

In short, this study contains no big shocks, but it’s a good place to start eliminating your own delusions and making sure you’re not among that high-risk group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday morning at 2 a.m., daylight saving time finally arrived. Midwest residents moved their clocks ahead before retiring Saturday night and bemoaned the loss of an hour of sleep. Maybe they even thought about to going to work in the dark Monday morning.

 

But negatives aside, it feels like a happy milestone. We recognize it as a rite of spring.

 

Most people also recognize the phrase, “Change your clocks; change your batteries.”  They know it refers to the batteries in their smoke alarms, and many of them follow that advice every spring because they know it could save their lives. Like wearing a seatbelt, it’s one of those common-sense actions that make common-sense people rest easier.

 

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Photo: Smoke alarms alarms save lives; be sure the batteries are fresh.​

There are other practical things to do as we “spring forward” to make sure we’re ready for a new weather pattern. It would be nice to have a breather between sub-zero temperatures and destructive spring storms — but if you need one, breathe quickly. Things change fast in Minnesota, and spring brings its own safety demands.

 

On that note, here are a few wise precautions to take as we head into springtime: 

 

1. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms save lives. Make sure your home is equipped with both, and be sure the batteries are fresh.

 

2. Put fresh batteries in the flashlights while you’re at it; it’s not uncommon to lose power during a storm. Place the flashlights where you can find them in the dark.

 

3. Sign up for Wireless Emergency Alerts to stay informed on real-time events. An alternative is a weather app like StormWatch+ for your phone.

 

4. Don’t wait until severe weather season is upon us. Make an emergency plan with your family and practice it before the sirens go off. 

 

5. Motorcycle season is just around the corner. If you’re a rider, find a riding class and spruce up your skills. You can register online at the Motorcycle Safety Center.

 

6. Make up for that hour of lost sleep. Drowsy driving is a factor in 20 percent of fatal crashes.

 

7. Prepare your car for spring and summer trips. The Minnesota State Patrol recommends checking tires and fluids, and making sure seat belts and car seats are in proper working order.

 

8. Talk with your teen driver about seat belt use, distracted driving and speed limits. There are lots of good conversation starters on the DPS website under “Traffic Safety.”

 

9. Make sure your home emergency kit is stocked and ready to go for the summer season. With your kit stored away, you’ll be ready to head for the basement if the weather gets ugly. Or the attic. Or the next county. Who knows?

 

Being ready for anything feels great. You’ve just lost one hour of time you won’t get back until fall — but that’s nothing compared to what you can lose if you’re not taking care of common-sense details. Give it a shot. You might sleep better.

 

Are You Ready to Use 911?

Chances Are You’ll Be Calling from a Cell Phone

 

 

Nearly three million 911 calls were made in Minnesota last year, according to the DPS Emergency Communications Network (ECN) Division — averaging just over 8,000 calls a day. Eighty percent of those calls for help were made from wireless phones, which continue to grow in popularity. (CTIA, an international trade association representing the wireless industry, reports that worldwide, smartphones sold at the rate of 41 phones per second in 2014.)

 

But the rising use of wireless devices is creating challenges for 911 call centers as they wait for wireless carriers to provide improved location information.

 

Jackie Mines, ECN director, says the 911 call takers in Minnesota do a great job, given the current information provided by wireless carriers to determine where a wireless call is coming from. All Minnesota 911 call centers have the technology to receive detailed information on a caller’s location — as long as the carriers are able to provide it. But meanwhile, this is the situation:

 

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Photo: Most calls that come into Minnesota 911 call centers are from mobile phones.

When a 911 call is placed on a traditional land line, the 911 call taker can instantly see the address connected to that phone — including the floor number or the apartment or condo number in a multi-unit building. You may be asked to confirm the information, but on the 911 call taker can see it on their computer screen.

 

That’s not the case with cell phones.

 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued rules in 1996 that require wireless carriers to automatically transmit location information to 911 call centers; however, unlike with landline calls, the location displayed on the computer screen is less precise and was developed at a time when cellular calls were being placed primarily from outdoors - callers used cell phones from cars, parks, sidewalk cafes.

 

Now, many people have replaced land lines with cell phones, and most 911 calls are being from those mobile phones.

 

The FCC recently adopted an order requiring cell phone carriers to improve location information. Mines and her team at DPS support this order because it will improve the accuracy of the location information that is sent to 911 call centers, improving emergency responses.

 

Meanwhile, if you need to call 911 from your cell phone, ECN recommends you keep this in mind:

 

Learn to Get Out of a Burning House;

Practice Escape Plan with Kids

 

 

When you hear a story on the news about someone dying in a house fire, do you ever ask yourself, “Why?” Survival doesn’t seem all that complicated.

 

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Photo: Plan for how to escape a fire and practice it.​

The house is on fire. The smoke alarms go off.  If you’re asleep, the alarm wakes you. If you’re not, you stop what you’re doing and get out of the house. If you have children, you calmly call to them, explain the problem, and they respond quickly and obediently, collaring the dog on their way out. (They also grab their boots and coats, which are near the front door, because it’s very cold outside.) Everyone meets in the front yard, and the fire department and the insurance company take it from there. Simple.

 

Except that’s not how it works.

 

Nine people, including two children, have died in house fires this year. There were five similar deaths by this time in 2014 — and these numbers aren’t just statistics. People lost their lives, and one is too many.

 

Historically, Minnesota residential fires peak in the winter, and there’s plenty of winter left to justify reviewing the way that fire scenario is more likely to go.

 

First of all, the smoke alarm won’t go off if its batteries are dead or missing. There’s a place on a fire department report where they can write “Smoke alarm disabled.” That’s how common it is to find the smoke alarm batteries in a plastic truck at the bottom of a toy box — where they’re definitely not going to save your life.

 

But assume the alarm works, and you wake up or remove your attention from your project, book or TV show. You jump up and smell the smoke. You run through the house looking for the source. It’s rolling (50 percent of the time, statistically) out of the kitchen and right up the steps to the kids’ playroom. You become extremely upset and start up the stairs, screaming. The children can’t understand you…because you’re screaming. One of them is wearing headphones. They don’t move. The smoke gets thicker. You find the kids, start back downstairs, and they begin to cry and shriek. They’re frightened and their eyes hurt. They want to go get the dog. They can’t breathe. The front door is only feet away, but by now, you can’t see it. The dog’s location at this point is anyone’s guess. It’s 10 degrees outside and the kids are in socks. In modern construction, the size of a fire will approximately double in one minute, so by now you have a very serious problem in the kitchen, and this situation is going nowhere but downhill...

 

Enter: Bruce West, Minnesota State Fire Marshal. “Escape options, planning and practice will keep people alive in a building fire. Children can be taught to get out and stay out if parents plan and practice with them often.”

 

According to the American Red Cross, 69 percent of parents believe their children would know what to do and how to escape a fire with little help. However, 82 percent of families have not practiced a home fire drill. Since children, apparently, are not born with knowledge of things like “two ways out,” “crawl low, under the smoke,” and “meet the family across the street,” many parents may be making a dangerous assumption about how their children would behave in a house fire.

 

The State Fire Marshal Division offers these tips. They’ll help you avoid the unpleasant scenario described above.