• Ride on approved trails and respect property of others
• Be especially careful and watchful when crossing a street
• Remain in control of the sled
• Don’t drink when riding
• Use appropriate safety gear and warm clothing
• Know how to recognize hypothermia and frostbite

It’s never been easier to get the best coverage and price than now. We have have a limited number of pit passes for the snocross event. Please call the Steele agency RIGHT NOW to put your snowmobile insurance coverage in the right hands. Get a pit pass before we run out!

We can insure sleds of any age. Whether you need full coverage or just need coverage to get onto the trails, we can help you out.

Cooking

• Keep flammables a safe distance from the stove & oven.
• Don’t wear loose clothing when you are cooking.
• Don’t leave the kitchen unattended when food is cooking.

Heating

• When using a wood stove, see our wood stove safety article.
• Have your furnace inspected by a heating professional.
• Replace furnace filters as needed.
• Clean the duct system and/or chimney regularly.

Matches

• Teach your children the importance of being careful with lighters and matches. Do not leave them within reach of children.
• When you use a match, be sure it is cool before discarding.

Electric

• Don’t overload your electrical circuits with excessive power strips or by drawing too much power from a single outlet.
• Be careful with extension cords – they can cause fires if not used properly.
• Have the electrical system inspected by an electrician as needed. If you suspect that something is not right, consult a professional.

With all you do to prevent a fire, you may still be faced with a fire some day. For this reason, we recommend that all homes have smoke detectors (don’t forget to check the batteries) and fire extinguishers (replace as necessary). Check to make sure all windows open freely, and review the fire escape plan. Be sure that everyone in your family knows what to do in a fire. Stay low to the floor (the air is safer there). If you catch on fire, stop, drop, and roll.

Even though we don’t have the constant threat of weather-related disaster like some parts of the country, we still need to be prepared for a disaster. That disaster could come in a variety of forms – We may lose access to power or communications channels could be overburdened by an increase in call volume. Preparation for such an event can bring safety and comfort to our family and loved ones.

Preparing

• Store a list of emergency contacts in your mobile phone – both emergency personnel (fire, ambulance, poison control, etc.) as well as family members to contact in an emergency (especially helpful for others to contact someone for you if you are not able to use your phone).
• Put a cell phone charger in your car (You may be able to use your vehicle’s engine to stay connected in a power outage) – keep a few gallons of gas on hand too.
• If your home phone service is an analog connection (not digital) – keep a non-cordless phone somewhere in your home – this should still work in a power outage.

In a disaster situation

• Keep phone calls brief to allow others use of the telephone networks.
• Save cell phone battery by lowering brightness of the screen, turning off apps or services that draw power, or power off completely and power on again to make a call.
• Tune into a local radio station for news alerts

For more information, read FEMA’s full recommendations.

We congratulate them on this accomplishment.

Tucker Hibbert and Levi LaVallee are two top names scheduled to be performing at this year’s races. Due to injuries that Levi sustained in December, he may not be able to compete this year. We hope he gets better soon so that we can see him back in the driver’s seat.

We’re expecting a larger crowd at this years event. Come see our sponsor booth at the event for a chance to win one of the prizes that are being offered.

Today, as I sat in my office, I felt like someone was shaking my chair. Turning around revealed that I was alone. Many people around western NY are reporting to have felt the earthquake.

Since earthquakes here are rare, the cost of the insurance is very minimal. Earthquake insurance does not come on a standard homeowner’s policy, but you can add it on or purchase a separate policy that will cover your home if a disaster were to occur.

Please call or email today to find out what it would cost to add earthquake coverage to your homeowner’s policy.