Are you ready for severe weather? Each year, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, collaborates with the National Weather Service and 16 state and local agencies and organizations to sponsor Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota. Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week is designed to educate and refresh everyone […]
Category: Safety
CST to DST: More daylight means…more burglaries
Are you still feeling a little tired from losing an hour of sleep this weekend? While it feels like we trade an hour of sleep for an extra hour of daylight, switching from Central Standard Time to Daylight Savings Time simply moves an hour of sunlight from the beginning of the day to the end of the […]
Daylight Savings Time: How is Your Sleep
Spring Forward At the end of National Sleep Awareness Week, we “spring forward” into Daylight Savings Time (except those in Arizona and Hawaii) and move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Adjusting to DST has many negative effects, some lasting longer than just the Monday after the switch to DST. Sleep […]
10 Steps to Protect Your Home Before You Go on Winter Vacation
Most people dream of escaping a cold, snowy landscape for a winter getaway. But it can be hard to enjoy your vacation if you’re worrying about your house. Not only is an empty house an easy target for burglars, other household problems can occur while you are away. Before you head out on vacation, follow […]
Cyber-Security: How to Create Secure Passwords
Passwords are a common form of authentication and are often the only barrier between a user and your personal information. However, if you don’t choose good passwords, they can be almost as ineffective as not having any password at all. There are several programs attackers can use to help guess or “crack” passwords, but by […]
7 Things You Need to Know to Avoid Phone Scams
Given the recent multitude of reports of phone scams attempting to get personal and/or financial information, we wanted to inform you about some of the types of phone scams that you may experience the next time you pick up the phone. Here are 7 important things you need to know about scammers: 1. Everyone is […]
New Laws in Minnesota in 2015 that Will Affect You
On January 1, 2015, several new laws went into effect in Minnesota. Many of these new laws may directly affect your life, so we’ve broken them down into sections: boats, driving, nurses, expungement, and lifeguards. 1. Boats If you trailer a boat or water-related equipment like docks and lifts, you must take Aquatic Invasive Species […]
7 Ways to Prevent Space Heater Fires
It definitely feels like winter now and you’re probably getting your space heater going to warm things up. But heating equipment, such as space heaters, is the second leading cause of house fires and deaths (NFPA). We’ve got 7 ways you can safely use space heaters to prevent house fires. Here’s some scary statistics based […]
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Winter: The Silent Killer
With a streak of cold weather now upon us, Heartland Security wants you to know how to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, as this silent killer takes more than 430 lives every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Though you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, CO poisoning is entirely preventable. Almost […]
Fire Safety During the Holidays
Holiday fires are a common occurrence during the holiday season. The most common causes of holiday-related fires are candles and Christmas trees. Candle Fires The time of the year for the most home candle fires is December, with Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day the top three days of the year for home candle […]