Mahnomen Volunteer Fire Department

05/09/2026

www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html

04/24/2026

Please take a minute and fill out this survey👇👇

04/21/2026

Looking for a fun activity? 🌍

Download our special hidden picture challenge featuring Sparky The Fire Dog and Smokey Bear! Kids can celebrate the friendship between these two safety heroes while learning how to prevent wildfires and protect the environment.

Download the activity at Sparky.org

04/21/2026

04/17/2026

Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. Heat can be very taxing on the body and can lead to heat related illnesses or make existing health conditions worse. Everyone can be vulnerable to heat, but some more so than others. According to The Impacts Of Climate Change On Human Health In The United States: A Scientific Assessment the following groups are particularly vulnerable to heat; check in with friends and relatives who fall in one of these populations, especially if they don’t have air conditioning.

Young children and infants are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness and death, as their bodies are less able to adapt to heat than are adults. Older adults, particularly those who have pre-existing diseases, take certain medications, are living alone or have limited mobility who are exposed to extreme heat can experience multiple adverse effects. People with chronic medical conditions are more likely to have a serious health problem during a heat wave than healthy people. Pregnant women are also at higher risk. Extreme heat events have been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality, as well as congenital cataracts.

NWS Safety information on Children, Pets and Vehicles: It is NEVER safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car, even in the winter. If you have a toddler in your household, lock your cars, even in your own driveway. Kids may play in cars or wander outside and get into a car and can die in 10 minutes! A reported 39 children died in hot cars in 2024. To see the latest information, go to this link. Deaths routinely are reported as early as April and tragedies continue into December in southern states.

https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat

Minnesota's Third Deadliest Weather Factor Since 1990...
The third greatest number of weather fatalities in Minnesota since 1990 has been due to excessive heat. Nineteen people have died from high heat and humidity. Only tornadoes and flooding have killed more people in the last 30 years.

Wisconsin's Deadliest Weather Factor Since 1982...
The greatest number of weather fatalities in Wisconsin since 1982 has been due to excessive heat. 144 people have died from high heat and humidity. This total is more than tornadoes, flooding, blizzards or anything else. The 1995 summer heat waves hold the record as the number one weather-related killer in Wisconsin since it became a state in 1848. Most deaths occurred in the major urban areas in southeast Wisconsin, but there have been a number of fatalities in the rest of the state as well.

In the last 10 years, a national average of 219 people have died as a result of health problems directly related to excessive heat. Considering this death toll, the National Weather Service has stepped up its efforts to more effectively alert the general public to the hazards of heat waves.

Based on research findings, the National Weather Service devised the Heat Index (HI). It is an accurate measure of how hot it really feels when the relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature. It is important to note that since heat index values were devised for shady, light wind conditions, exposure to full sun can increase values by up to 15 degrees.

The wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) has become a very important consideration for many organizations that deal with outdoor sports, work and more. Information about the WBGT can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/media/safety/heat/2020-WBGT-Handout.pdf

Heat disorders generally have to do with a reduction or collapse in the ability of the body to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating. In other words, a chemical imbalance caused by too much sweating. When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the inner-core temperature of the body begins to rise and heat-related illnesses may develop. Ranging in severity, heat disorders share one common feature: the individual has over-exposed or over-exercised for his/her age and physical condition in the existing thermal environment.

Sunburn, with its ultraviolet radiation burns, can also significantly re**rd the ability of skin to shed excess heat.

Safety tips...
The National Weather Service will issue advisories or warnings when the heat index is expected to have a significant impact on public safety. The common guidelines for the issuance of excessive heat warnings is when the maximum daytime index is expected to reach 105, and the nighttime low temperature does not fall below 75 or 80 degrees.

Here are some tips to follow to ensure that heat-related problems do not impact you...

Slow down. Strenuous activities should be reduced, eliminated or rescheduled to the coolest time of the day. Individuals at risk should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors. Dress for summer. Lightweight, light-colored clothing reflects heat and sunlight and helps your body maintain normal temperatures. Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods such as proteins that increase metabolic heat production also increase water loss. Drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fluids, even if you don't feel thirsty. However, those who suffer from epilepsy, heart, kidney or liver disease, are on fluid restrictive diets, or have a problem with fluid retention should consult a physician before increasing their consumption of fluids. Do not drink alcoholic beverages. Spend more time in air-conditioned places. Air conditioning in homes and other buildings markedly reduces danger from the heat. If you cannot afford an air conditioner, spending time each day in an air-conditioned environment during hot weather affords some protection. Be careful not to get too much sun. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation that much more difficult.

https://www.weather.gov/mpx/swawday5

04/16/2026

STATE WIDE TORNADO DRILL @ 6:45 THIS IS ONLY A TEST!!! THANK YOU

04/16/2026

Today at 1:45 & 6:45 the outdoor warning sirens will sound for Severe Weather Awareness Week.This is only a TEST..

04/16/2026

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. Tornadoes are capable of completely destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees, and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles. Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and at any time of the year. Although tornadoes are most common in the Central Plains and the southeastern United States, they have been reported in all 50 states.

This website is designed to teach you how to stay safe when a tornado threatens. If you know what to do before, during and after a tornado, you will minimize your risk of injury and increase your chances of survival. You'll also find links to research, past events other topics of interest as well as downloadable safety handouts about thunderstorms, lightning, and tornadoes. https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado

Before the Tornado...
Tornado watches highlight the area where tornadoes are most likely to develop. Continue with your normal activites, but keep informed of the latest weather information and be ready to get to shelter in case tornadoes develop quickly.

In the Home...
Go to the basement if possible. Get under a table, work bench, or some other sturdy furniture to avoid falling debris. A stairwell is also a good place to hide during a tornado.

If You Cannot Get to a Basement...
Go to a small interior room on the lowest floor. Closets, bathrooms, and interior halls afford the best protection in most cases, or try to hide under a bed. Get under something sturdy or cover yourself with blankets. Stay away from windows.

In an Apartment, School or Office Building...
Move to the inner-most room on the lowest level or to a pre-designated shelter area. Stay away from windows. If in a hallway, crouch down and protect your head from flying debris. Avoid areas with glass and large roof expansions.

In a Mobile Home, Car, Truck or Other Vehicle...
Abandon these as quickly as possible. Seek a sturdy shelter or permanent structure. Remember that many deaths occur when people try to drive away in a vehicle, but get caught in the deadly winds. Avoid bridges since they act as wind tunnels.

https://www.weather.gov/mpx/swawday4

04/15/2026

https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

On a National Level...
Floods claim dozens of lives annually, force 300,000 persons from their homes, and result in property damage in excess of 2 billion dollars. Characteristically, 75 percent of flash flood deaths occur at night with half of the victims dying in their automobiles or other vehicles. It may be difficult to believe, but many deaths occur when persons knowingly drive around road barricades indicating the road is washed out ahead.

Are You Prepared?
Assume a thunderstorm produces 6 inches of rain in less than 6 hours time near your community. Storms of this magnitude or greater occur several times each year in the U.S. Would you know what action to take to protect yourself and the people who depend on you for safety? After a major flood event, one of the most common quotes from the survivors of the flood is the expression they did not believe it could happen to them or in their community.

Before the Flooding...
There is nothing anyone can do to prevent the occurrence of flash flood producing rainfall. However, by striving for sound flood plain zoning, developing an emergency action plan in advance of the disaster, purchasing flood insurance at least 30 days before the flooding, and being aware of the dangers associated with extremely heavy rainfall and flooding, there is a chance of decreasing the death toll and property damage that results from flash flooding.

Interactive flood map ----> https://water.noaa.gov/ #@=-96.401081,38.1465724,3.9215909&b=topographic&g=obsFcst,1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!0!0!0!0!0,0.5,1!1!1!1!0,0,0,true&ab=0,0, ,1,1,1, ,1,0,0, ,1,0,0, ,1,false&a=hydrologic,0.35,false&s=0,0,0.9,0.9,false&n=false, ,0.9,0,0.9,0,0.9,false&p=false,0.75,0,7,0,1,2026,4,6,0,false&d=0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1, ,1, ,1, ,false&q=

https://www.weather.gov/mpx/swawday3

04/15/2026

Happy Dispatchers Week!

Thank you for all you do. You are truly appreciated.

Mahnomen County Sheriff's Office