safety

KN, p. 187 “On the Road – Get Ready for the Blizzard”

 

SnowRulerDSC_0331

“Blizzard? What blizzard? It’s 70 degrees outside!” That’s Sheila talking as she looks over my shoulder.

There has been snow falling in the northwest and central part of the USA for weeks. In the 2024-25 season, overall snowfalls were a bit lower than usual, but with Jay Peak in the northeast receiving 100 inches more than average last year, it was hard to predict this season. This year, highways are getting pounded and cars and trucks have been stuck on the roads for a while. Storm after storm has been wreaking havoc across the country and it’s only mid-January.

I never think about being prepared to get stuck for hours because I live in one of the most densely populated areas of the country. If traffic stops for any length of time, people have been known to get out of their cars, leave them on the highway and walk to the houses close by. That can cause a LOT of headaches when snow plows come through during the blizzards.

But, it’s not an option to leave the car in the middle of no place during a blizzard when you might be miles away from help. It’s usually warmer inside the car, plus it’s a shelter until help does arrive.

What do you do when you get caught traveling to a vacation spot or a storm moves in more quickly than the weatherman predicted? It is possible to die if help is a long time coming or your car gets buried in snow, so how do you avoid that?

 

To borrow a phrase from the Boy Scouts, Be Prepared.

If the weatherman isn’t sure about the path of the storm and you need to get somewhere a couple of hours away, follow these tips:

  1. Make sure you have a full gas tank.
  2. Let someone at your destination know your predicted arrival time.
  3. Charge your cell phone.
  4. Travel with snacks and several bottles of water for each passenger.
  5. Toss a couple of blankets in the car, just in case.
  6. Always travel with flashlights, but before the trip, check the battery power.
  7. Keep kitty litter in the trunk, in case you get stuck and need traction to get out of the slick spot.
  8. Buy a short shovel (available in auto supply stores) and leave it in the trunk. (thanks, Sue Harrison)

If the storm hits unexpectedly while you are on the road and you can no longer see to drive (or the roads are hazardous) stop the car and pull over if you can.

  1. Stay inside the car.
  2. Run the motor for ten minutes every hour.
  3. Open the windows just a crack to avoid carbon monoxide buildup inside the car.
  4. Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked
  5. Tie a colorful scarf to the door. During a white-out, this will help the road crews find you more quickly.
  6. Make sure to stay hydrated.
  7. Exercise to keep warm – swing arms and legs as much as possible for a few minutes out of every 30.

Be smart about it and travel safely this winter. Better yet – stay off the roads until they are clear.

 

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

 

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KN, p. 338 “Halloween Fun for 2025”

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It’s time to let the skeletons clickety clack and rattle their way through the streets. Ghosts have been waiting to flap in the trees and gleefully boo the goblins. The bats have been practicing swooshing past my office window at twilight. Everyone is getting ready to have fun in the neighborhood.

Last year, the neighborhood had to tone down the door-to-door candy fest because of the light rain that dampened the festivities, but the weather people promise fair skies this time. The usual crowds of children yelling “Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet,” and other happy foolery should be back, parading their colorful costumes past our driveway.

Check out a few recommended guidelines, for everyone brave enough to go out in the cold:

  • Trick-or-treat with small groups of people you know (adults should always be close by their children).
  • Adults are encouraged to stay outdoors to pass out candy (we set up tables in the driveway and chat with passersby).
  • Adults should consider placing candy into the trick-or-treater bags rather than have children reaching into a bucket.

Above all, stay safe. If that means staying home with the family while wearing a costume, eating homemade Halloween treats, and watching Halloween movies on TV, go for it!

Kelley (the articulated skeleton who lives with us) and I will be at Halloween Grove reading to the spider, the witches, and the apprentice skeleton, and watching the bats fly by. Kelley might even dress up in a tux this year!

Happy Halloween!

 

 

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KN, p. 335 “What Does It Take to Work for the Secret Service?”

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The Secret Service in the USA is responsible for the protection of certain government officials and their families, as well as the safety of our financial infrastructure. Those two very different areas require a wide range of employees and abilities.

Right now, the Secret Service is looking at community college students and recent graduates for the Uniformed Police section. Signing bonuses may be involved. The Uniformed Police are in charge of guarding Federal Buildings where the protected government officials work and may live. They also have special units including sniper teams, emergency response teams, and K-9 units. Interested? You need:

  • High School Diploma
  • U.S. driver’s license
  • 20 – 37 years old
  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • Pass a written and physical abilities test
  • Pass a background check (plus drug screening, no criminal record)
  • NO body art. In fact, if you’re interested and have a tattoo somewhere visible, it must be removed before getting accepted.
  • Attend and complete training programs
  • Be proficient and be able to use firearms

If you are more interested in becoming a Special Agent, the additional (or slightly different) qualifiers are needed:

  • 21- 37 years old, unless a Veteran, then the upper limit is 40 years old
  • Pass special vision and hearing tests
  • Qualify for Top Secret clearance
  • Agree in writing to accept assignments anywhere in the world.
  • Top grades obtained in a completed bachelor’s degree

In order to advance in your career as a Special Agent (and receive pay raises) you will have to go back to school. Before those raises or promotions come along, you will be required to have:

  • A year of graduate school
  • At least a year of well-executed investigation, protection, and law enforcement techniques. Initiative is important, as well as being able to accurately analyze evidence and come up with solid leads.
  • The ability to work well with others and take charge in some investigations.

Interested in becoming the head of a department or station? More school, more experience, dedication to the Agency, and improvement in all areas just might get you there.

In order to identify the skills that candidates hold in five different areas, they must take the timed Entrance Exam for Special Agents:

Section 1: Logic-Based Reasoning – read scenarios and the possible conclusions, then decide if those conclusions are valid.

Section 2: Experience Inventory – read descriptions of a few situations and acknowledge  whether or not they have experienced them.

Section 3: Language Usage – check documents for errors in grammar or fact.

Section 4: Experience Inventory – Given several situations and responses, the candidate must choose the responses their former bosses/teachers attributed to them as likely.

Section 5: Detail Observation – presented with several photographs to study, the candidates later respond to detail questions about the photos and other matters, without having the photos to check.

The APAT is a pre-employment physical fitness test measuring strength and endurance, among other things. It is scored on a point-based system, on a scale from 0 to 8. A minimum total score of 20 points with no zeros is needed to pass and the test is not adjusted for age or gender. These are the numbers! (from the Secret Service site)

Point Value Push-Ups Sit-Ups Illinois Agility

Run

 1.5 Mile Run
0 14 or less 22 or less 23.89 or higher 19:41 or higher
1 15-16 23-28 23.88-22.18 19:40-16:53
2 17-19 29-30 22.17-21.66 16:52-16:09
3 20-22 31-33 21.65-21.13 16:08-15:26
4 23-26 34-36 21.12-20.60 15:25-14:43
5 27-29 37-41 20.59-20.23 14:42-14:12
6 30-37 42-45 20.22-19.44 14:11-13:07
7 38-43 46-49 19.43-18.65 13:06-12:02
8 44 or more 50 or more 18.64 or lower 12:01 or lower

Special Operations Division: The Counter Assault Team  (CAT) operates within the U.S. Secret Service to provide tactical support to the President, certain government officials, certain buildings, and certain National Security Events. This group is a bit like SWAT teams and if that kind of action is what you’re looking for, be prepared to:

  • Undertake 33 weeks of Special Agent Training
  • Be assigned to the Washington Field Office (WFO)
  • Undergo an additional 9 weeks of CAT Selection and Basic Training
  • Accept that it takes anywhere from 12 to 24 months from start to finish to prep for this potentially dangerous job.
  • Have already served in a military or law enforcement position or have been a professional athlete

Candidates for an Administrative, Professional or Technical (APT) position must meet the same requirements as Secret Service agents and uniformed police in the areas of citizenship, body art, age, hearing and vision, background checks, and top secret clearances.

Likewise for The Technical Law Enforcement (TLE) jobs that include:

  • Investigative Protection Officers (IPO):
  • Protective Armored Specialists (PAS):
  • Technical Security Investigators (TSI):

Under that umbrella can be found work in Chemical Biological Countermeasures; Electronics; Explosive Ordnance Disposal; or Technical Surveillance Countermeasures.

If your interest is piqued after taking a look at these brief descriptions of the work and requirements possible within the Secret Service Agency, be aware of yet another possible detractor. Travel away from home for periods of 30 days or longer is not unusual and may in fact, if on protective duty, be hazardous to your health.

Whether in the lab, office, or out in the field, the men and women who are chosen to work for the Secret Service are highly qualified and come from all walks of life.

*Some information (and the Logo) from the Secret Service site.

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