Safety Tips - DeKok Insurance Group, Inc.

Shovel snow safely this winter!

A snowdrift is a beautiful thing – if it doesn’t lie across the path you have to shovel or block the road that leads to your destination. -Hal Borland

Winter is here, and with it comes skiing and snowboarding outings, fireplace-lit living rooms, homemade batches of soup… and shoveling snow. Joy and I enjoy rides through Welch Village and enjoy taking a quick glance at the skiers on the slopes as we drive by. Although the snow is beautiful on our land, the only time it looks like fun is watching people on skis glide down the snow-covered hills. Or in the Winter Olympics.

Our driveway is at least 1/4 of a mile long so I don’t shovel it – I have a John Deere tractor with a snow blower attachment, but there are always paths to shovel for our dogs, and around the house.

For many people in Minnesota, snow shoveling is both a reality and a necessity this winter. You probably already know this stuff, but here’s a reminder from the Boston Herald.

Warm-up! Never jump right into an activity. Start by cleaning off your car.
Place your hands a good distance apart on the shovel – it helps with leverage.
Never bend at your waist.
Push the snow when you can.
Scoop smaller loads of snow.
Use your legs, core and arms to help scoop and throw snow.
Always step in the direction you throw snow to avoid excessive twisting on your lower back.
And for 2 tips not included in the Boston Herald. . .you could ask one of the kids in your life for help!
And, when you get in the house, a big cup of hot chocolate is always a good idea.

I don’t know about you, but the below zero temps, snow, and high winds in January have kept me busy. The great thing about living in Minnesota is that if we wait just a little bit longer, we’ll be mowing the lawn!

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. -John Ruskin

Jon

Email: dekokinsgroup@gmail.com

Phone 507-226-8121

DeKok Insurance Group, Inc. Referral Program: When you tell your family and friends about your positive experience with my agency, and they call for a quote, I’ll send YOU a $20 gift card.

[tweetthis]In #Minnesota, #snow shoveling is both a reality and a necessity this #winter. [/tweetthis]

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Snowmobile Season Safety Tips from DeKok Insurance Group & the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA)

If you live or vacation where the weather gets cold and the snow starts falling, some people are content to cozy up next to the fire, and concentrate on staying warm. This is what winter means to my wife Joy: if she has a book, her laptop, and a pot of coffee, she’s set for a quiet adventure with words.

For some of our friends and clients, it’s time to get excited — because it’s time to break out the snowmobiles and head to the nearest winter recreation spot. It’s a popular activity, and for good reason: Snowmobiling allows you to explore natural areas that may be hard to access by foot (or snowshoe), and provides a different kind of excitement than skiing or hiking.

Of course, snowmobiling presents some dangers as well. The following safety tips are from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations — and keep in mind that following these will not only help you stay safe, but also influence equitable treatment of snowmobile access by government, agencies and landowners.

SPEED: Speed is a major factor in many snowmobile crashes. Always keep your speed slow enough to ensure that you’re in control.

ALCOHOL: Use of alcohol or any other drug that causes impairment is a leading cause of snowmobile-related fatalities. It’s best to refrain from any use at all before and during outings because of potential effects on vision, reaction time, balance and coordination. When combined with excess speed in particular, the results can be deadly.

AVALANCHE: More than 90 percent of the time, avalanches that involve people are triggered by the victims. Learn to follow avalanche safety procedures and always know the risks at all times. Click HERE for more information.

RIDING AT NIGHT: Nighttime snowmobiling is fun, but extra caution should be used. Ride at slower speeds so as not to override your headlights (which generally illuminate your path for about 200 feet). Faster speeds could mean that you have little or no time to react to an obstacle in your path.

ROADWAYS: Always keep an eye out for vehicles, as many trails are located alongside roadways and can cross over them. Be sure to stop fully at all stop signs and unmarked road crossings.

CLOSED AREAS: Areas may be closed to snowmobiles due to hazardous conditions, wintering wildlife, non-motorized recreation or by landowner request. It’s important to honor these closures for safety purposes and to help protect access to other riding areas.

While it’s extremely important to follow these tips for your personal safety, it’s also vital to encourage others to snowmobile safely as well. Helping to educate others will not only promote safety for all snowmobilers, but also protect the sport’s image as well.

Whether you’re a new rider or have been on the trails for years, ask yourself if you could be riding more safely. There are many more winters to come, and we want you to be able to enjoy as many of them as possible.

If you’d like to see what DeKok Insurance Group can do for you, request a quote today. If your insurance isn’t due for several months, email me your renewal date and the information above. I’ll call or email you around that time.

Have fun and stay safe,

Jon

Email: dekokinsgroup@gmail.com

Phone 507-226-8121

DeKok Insurance Group, Inc. Referral Program: When you tell your family and friends about your positive experience with my agency, and they call for a quote, I’ll send YOU a $20 Target gift card.

[tweetthis]Snowmobile Season Safety Tips #MNWiniter #SnowMobileSafety #MNInsurance[/tweetthis]

Graphic purchased from Fotolia and used with permission.