What You Should Know About Tornadoes

By Emergency Government Director
Leo Talsky

No part of Wisconsin is immune from tornado disasters. All Wisconsin counties have recorded at least one tornado in the period from 1844 through 1995. Barron, Chippewa, Dane, Dodge,
Fond du Lac, Grant, and Waukesha Counties have each recorded 30 or more tornadoes.

As many as 75% of Wisconsin tornadoes occur in the late afternoon and early evening, between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. Most tornado activity occurs between April and September, with June having the highest tornado frequency. However, remember, tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and in any month.

Everyone should know the difference between a severe thunderstorm or tornado "watch" and a severe thunderstorm or tornado "warning". A "watch" means that conditions are favorable for a severe thunderstorm or tornado to occur, and that the public should be prepared to take shelter. A "warning" means that a severe thunderstorm or tornado has actually occurred or been sighted, and that the public should take shelter immediately.

Tornado Safety Rules:

1) When a tornado warning is announced, take immediate shelter. Seek inside shelter if possible.
2) In homes and small buildings, go to the basement or to an interior part on the lowest level: closets, bathrooms, or interior halls. Get under
something sturdy or cover yourself with a mattress.
3) In schools, nursing homes, hospitals, factories and shopping centers, go to pre-designated shelter areas. Interior hallways on the lowest floor are usually best.
4) In high-rise buildings go to interior small room or hallways.
5) In mobile homes or vehicles leave them and go to a substantial structure. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine or culvert with your hands shielding your head. Be alert for flash floods that often accompany tornadoes.

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Water Main Flushing Notice
(Sanitary District No. 4)

Water main flushing will be done weekdays between:
8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
April 10th through April 28th

The purpose of the flushing is to improve the water quality by removing mineral deposits that have settled in the bottom of the mains. It also ensures that the hydrants are operable. While not harmful to a person's health, you should use caution with regard to using laundry facilities during this time because of the possibility of rust damage to your clothes.

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Chief's Desk

Now that April is upon us, the weather begins to cooperate and allows all of us the opportunity to get outdoors. Motorists must now be alert for big and little bicyclists using the roadway. Take some time to check over you childrens bikes to make sure they are safe. Seat and steering adjustments,
chain lubrication, tire inflation, and reflector inspection are just a few things you can do prior to that first ride. Please have your children wear bicycle helmets they can prevent serious head injuries and even save a life.

I am asked many times about what someone operating a motor vehicle should do when an emergency vehicle approaches with its lights and siren activated. Section 346.19(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes states the following:

Upon approach of any authorized emergency vehicle giving audible signal by siren the operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive such vehicle to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right curb or the right-hand edge of the shoulder of the roadway, clear of any intersection and, unless otherwise directed by a traffic officer, shall stop and remain standing in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

This is a very important bit of information, especially when emergency medical personnel are responding to a call for help. Every second can count and if you are not paying attention while driving, it could have grave consequences for the victim and could cost you a traffic citation. Our
officers realize that it is not always possible to get your vehicle over to the right, but every effort needs to be made for the safety of everyone. It all ties in with the basic rules of operating a motor vehicle obey traffic laws, drive courteously and defensively, and pay attention to your
surroundings.

As usual, if you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please contact us. We will make the appropriate inquires to determine if everything is in order.

Crime Prevention

Your Home: As Safe As You Think? Traditionally, most of us have regarded our home as our castle, a refuge and a place safe from the intrusions of crime in the streets. But your home may not be as safe as you think. Residential burglary is a real and present danger.

You may not recognize the typical burglar. Hes often one of the neighborhood kids, a young male who usually lives within a mile or two of his targets, but not always. He is usually an opportunist and an amateur but that doesn't mean he can't find his way into your home. He selects
homes he can enter quickly and quietly, and exit with a minimum risk of detection. And he can find those homes easily:

- In a recent year more than 6.5 million burglaries occurred in the United States. This is the     equivalent of one out of every 12 households.
- 720 burglaries occurred every hour, one every five seconds.
- One recent national study disclosed that reported losses amount to over 1.5 billion dollars a year, an average of $526 per burglary.

Reported burglaries increased by 43% during a recent eight year span. The trend is the same in big cities, suburbs, and rural areas sharply up. From all indications, the problem will continue unless you take action. You can be the single most important deterrent to residential burglary. Here
are some general tips to help you prevent a burglary to your home.

Doors:
- Outside doors should be solid core or metal clad. Hollow doors can be easily kicked in.
- Door hinges should be inside or replaced with non-removable hinges.
- All outside doors should have a securely mounted deadbolt lock, at least 40 inches away from a window so it is out of the reach of a burglar.
- A wide-angle peephole will allow you to see visitors without opening the door. Never rely on a chain lock as a security device.
- Sliding doors can be secured with a swinging metal rod (a "Charlie Bar") to prevent entry even if the lock is picked or broken. Even a solid piece of wood laying in the bottom track will deter entry.

Windows:
- Double-hung windows (the most common type) are easy to jimmy open. To prevent entry, drill a downward sloping hole through the top of the bottom sash and into (but not through) the bottom of the top sash. Insert a pin or nail in this hole to prevent the opening of either sash.
- Secure sliding windows in the same manner as sliding doors.
- Casement windows usually have secure latches. Make sure that they are strong and tight fitting.
- Jalousie and awning type windows are not very secure because individual panes are easy to pry or remove. Landscaping outside the window such as thorny bushes will make it more difficult to gain access to this type of window. Another option is to replace the windows altogether.

Now that you have protected the points of entry / exit of your home, look around the outside. Remember that the burglar is looking for easy opportunities. There are some things you can do outside such as:
- Trim all trees, bushes and shrubs that offer concealment.
- Install outside lighting to eliminate dark areas around doors and windows. Motion lights are also a good idea.
- Keep your yard looking neat and orderly. This indicates to a burglar that you care about your home and are aware of safety measures.
- Before an extended absence, ask someone to watch your home, collect the mail and papers, and cut the lawn. This will give your home a "lived in" look.
- Contact the Town of Brookfield Police Department (796-3798) and request a House Check on your property. Officers will periodically check the exterior of your home to make sure everything is in order.

These are a few things you can do to make your home more secure. No homes are burglar-proof, but you have reduced the opportunity. Your investment of time, energy and resources will go a long way in reducing the possibility of becoming a victim of burglary.

Calvin J. Williams
Chief of Police

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Firehouse Footnotes

Improvements in Fire Department Services
From time to time, I overhear people talking about the Fire Department. I'm happy to say that the vast majority of what I hear is very complimentary! I'd like to take a few minutes today to bring you up to date with the Fire Department, how it works and some recent changes.

The Town of Brookfield Fire Department is classified as a Œcombination' fire department. That means there are both full-time and part-time employees. At the present, the fire chief is the only full-time Fire Department employee. The remainder of the staff is made up of part-time employees who carry pagers and respond when needed. Needless to say, that is frequently in the middle of the night, in the middle of a snowstorm, during church, or during a birthday party or some other inopportune time. In addition to responding to calls, many of the paid-on-call members work part-time in the fire station. The part-time members richly deserve your thanks and support for
the highly valuable services they provide to the Town.

Now for the "recent changes":
Improvements in emergency service delivery. We used to have firefighters in the fire station during the day seven days a week. But, we lacked coverage at night except Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As of late February, we began staffing the fire station 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is a significant improvement in service to the Town. No longer are there periods when our responses to fire and medical emergencies are delayed because no one was immediately available in the fire station.

Firefighter's union. Another recent change is that a union now represents our firefighters and EMTs. We began negotiations for our first labor/management contract in 1998. Negotiations concluded last year and subsequent arbitration of the agreement was concluded in February. I believe that this contract represents a positive step for the Fire Department as we continue to improve services to you.

Improvements in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Last June, the Fire Department began service at the Emergency Medical Technician, Intermediate (EMT-I) level. If you can envision EMS as a ladder, with no training and skills at the bottom of the ladder and paramedic service as the top, EMT-I level service is just one rung below the top of the ladder. EMT-Is can
perform advanced procedures including defibrillation, advanced airways, starting IV lines and administering certain life-saving medications before and during transport to the hospital. More than a few patients have significantly benefited from this advanced level of care. Getting to this level hasnt been easy. Many firefighters have worked many, many hours drafting plans, budgeting and implementing this very important step forward in service.

In short, you should be very proud of your Fire Department and the people working here. The level of skill and dedication of the employees is very high. The service delivery is prompt and efficient. If you ever have a question or concern, please call me at 796-3792 or stop by the Fire Station and see me. I look forward to seeing you and speaking with you.

Outdoor Burning
Well, we're at that time of year again. As the weather begins to improve, people will venture outside to clean up lawns and gardens and questions inevitably arise about outdoor burning. Town of Brookfield ordinances allow outdoor burning, with some restrictions.

Outdoor burning restrictions include:
1) Burning is only allowed on residential property. Burning is not allowed at commercial property.
2) Burning is not allowed on roadways or in ditches.
3)  Only common materials like leaves, twigs and small branches and other yard waste can be burned. Materials you CAN NOT burn include garbage, any material that gives off noxious odors or by-products, or flammable liquids or other materials creating fire hazard.
4) The biggest pile that can be burned is 2 feet high by 5 feet in diameter.
5)  Burning is only allowed when the wind is less than 10 miles per hour and during daylight hours. If in doubt, call the Fire Department at 796-3792.

Related to outdoor burning is burning in a barrel. Burn barrels are not prohibited by Town ordinance, But, it isnt encouraged either!

Burn barrels have their advantages and their disadvantages. The obvious advantage is that by covering the barrel with a screen or wire mesh cover, hot ashes and other debris cant fly away and, perhaps, start a fire somewhere else. Some of the disadvantages of burn barrels include health and environmental drawbacks such as giving off acid vapors, carbon monoxide, and
carcinogenic tars and "heavy metals'
.
Also, because burn barrels burn at lower temperatures than open fires, the barrel tends to give off larger amounts of smoke and leave larger amounts of ash and partially burned material.

The Wisconsin DNR suggests alternatives to burning in barrels:
1)  Reduce usage and buy products with less packaging.
2) Reuse items that would otherwise be burned.
3)  Recycle paper, cardboard, magazines and so on.
4)  Compost leaves and plant clippings.
5)  Chip brush and clean wood to make mulch.

Good luck with your outdoor projects and have a safe and wonderful spring!

-Chief Skip Sharpe
Town of Brookfield Fire Department

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PARK&REC NEWS

Easter Egg Hunt
On Saturday, April 22, the town will once again be "hopping". Our very own Easter Bunny will be busy getting eggs ready for the hunt at Marx Park that starts at 10:00 am SHARP! Thanks to all the volunteers on the day of the event and all the time spent stuffing the eggs the week leading up to the egg hunt and "crawl".

Employment Opportunities
We are always looking for umpires for baseball and referees for soccer. If you or someone you know is interested, call the Park and Rec and sign up right away to make some extra spending cash and help out with youth programs that benefit the whole town. Baseball umpires can make from $22-34 per game, softball umpires $10 (if they attend the umpires meeting), and soccer
officials $10-14 per game.

We are still looking for applicants for the tennis instructor positions. The position pays $7.10 per hour for instructors. Help out and help yourself.

Park maintenance personnel are needed for summer work. Interested individuals should contact the Park & Rec immediately. There is one position to be filled with 30-40 hours per week at $7.10/hour. Experience with sports fields and parks preferred but not required.

Sponsors
A huge thanks goes out to our sponsors: La Petite Academy Preschool for sponsoring a youth soccer team and Oscars Frozen Custard who again supplied us with the coupons for the Easter Egg Hunt. If anyone knows of any more sponsors, let them know that support is needed and to call the Park and Rec (796-3781).

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Mosquito Control 2000
Town of Brookfield Mosquito Control Program Information

Spraying of Permethrin will be undertaken again this year for the control of adult mosquitoes on an as needed basis. We anticipate beginning mid-May dependent on mosquitoes and weather. If mosquitoes are not present, we will not spray. Spraying will be done by the DPW between the hours of 12 am and 6am.

Call the Mosquito Hotline at 1-414-454-9411 to find out when your area is to be treated or visit the mosquito website (the Swatsite) at www.townofbrookfield.com for updated information on scheduled treatments. Information on the hotline and the website will be updated after 1 p.m. each
weekday. If you do not want you yard treated, call the Mosquito Hotline or the Town Hall (796-3788) and let us know as soon as possible. You must let us know before 3 p.m. on the day your area is scheduled. Residents who notified us last year that they did not want to be sprayed do not need to notify us again unless you want to change you status. If we do not hear from
those residents we will assume that they do not want to be treated this year. Only residential properties in the town will be treated except for those properties that are residential but zoned commercial.

To determine when treatments are needed, we will be monitoring mosquitoes this year in 5 different areas in the town. When mosquito populations are above the threshold annoyance level in any area, spraying will be done as soon as possible. In order to efficiently treat the entire town and to only treat those areas that have high mosquito populations, the town will be divided into 4 sections for scheduling treatments:

Section 1: properties south Davidson Road
Section 2: properties south of Bluemound Road and north of Davidson Road
Section 3: properties north of Bluemound Road and south of North Avenue
Section 4: properties north of North Avenue

Each section takes one night to complete. When possible, Section 2 and 4 will be combined. Please note that all treatments are weather and mosquito dependent. High winds, cool temperatures and rainfall may cause scheduled treatments to be delayed. If it rains soon after spraying, treatments may need to be repeated. Call the Hotline to find out.

The insecticide the town uses for control is Permethrin, a synthetic derivative of the chrysanthemum plant. This is the same product used for the last two years for adult control and used for the past 5 years to spray the town parks. It is EPA approved, is available in lawn and garden stores and is the same chemical that has been purchased by many town residents (available through Clarke Mosquito). More complete information is available at the Town Hall and on the website. Also on the website are links to general information about mosquito control.

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Town Hall Numbers

Emergency:
Police and Fire 911
Police Dept. (non-emergency) 796-3798
Fire Dept. (non-emergency) 796-3792
Town Hall 796-3788
Town Administrator 796-3788
Clerk of Courts 796-3780
Park & Recreation 796-3781
Building Inspection 796-3790
Electrical Inspection 796-3791

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Clerks Corner-Stay informed and help us help you!

* Read the Town Notification Boards *
These boards are located at:
- Marx Park € Weyer Road
- Mayrose Blvd. € Davidson Road
- Town Hall € Wisconsin and Woelfel

Attend Town Meetings. All town meetings are held at Town Hall, 645 N. Janacek Rd.

Surf the Net. Visit us at www.townof brookfield.com for agendas, minutes, and town information.

Get out the paper. Read the Brookfield News, Brookfield Herald, and Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel for notices and updates.

Just stop on in! The town hall is north of Bluemound Road on Janacek Road (196th and Bluemound). Call us at 796-3788 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for additional directions or information.

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Plow Damage

Call Town Hall at 796-3788 to report damage to lawns due to Town of
Brookfield plows. Please leave your address with the Town Clerk, as the DPW
will be coming around to sweep the streets and repair lawns beginning
mid-April.

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Spring Yard  Waste Collection Collection Dates

North of I-94
April 12
May 10
June 7
July 12
August 9
September 13
October 11
November 11
November 29

South of I-94
April 19
May 17
June 14
July 19
August 16
September 20
October 18
November 11
December 6

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Earth Day 2000

On Friday, May 5th, the town will be participating in an Earth Day Celebration with Pleasant Hill School. As a culmination and extension of in-school activities related to the environment and Earth Day, students from the school will walk along the pedestrian path down Barker Rd. from the school to Marx Park. Students will leave school at approximately 11:00 a.m., eat lunch and clean the park at 11:35, have a reading and ceremony at 12:15, and return at 12:30 p.m. Call the school at 970-2105 for details.

At the park, students will have lunch outside, clean up parts of the park and plant trees provided by the town. There will be a brief dedication ceremony for the planting of the trees. Parents and other members of the community are invited to attend this celebration of nature along with the children (bring a bag lunch). School and Town officials will also be on hand to help the students in their Earth Day activities. Rain date for this Earth Day event is Monday, May 8th.

Earth Day Phase II

On Saturday, May 6th from 9 11 am, all Town residents, from the very young to the very young at heart, are invited to participate in a Town Clean Up Day. This is a great opportunity to shake off those winter blues, meet your neighbors in the town, and join in for a good cause. Four sites have been selected as official clean up points: Marx Park, Wray Park, Black Forest Conservancy, and the wetlands by Fox Haven Apartments. The morning of the 6th, rain or shine, meet at one of the 4 sites (details below) and check in with a site coordinator for instructions. Heavy-duty trashbags will be provided by the Town; just bring your best wetland trash pick-up clothes and gear. Long pants and sleeves are recommended as mosquitoes have already been sighted in the town. Gloves and boots are also recommended for those hardy folks who just cant resist getting their feet wet. For more information call Chad Brown, Park & Rec Director at 796-3781. The location of the sites
and meeting points are listed below:

1. Marx Park: located on Barker Rd. across from Elmbrook Church, south of Bluemound Rd.
2. Wray Park: located at Jaclyn Dr. and Mary Lynn Dr., east of Watertown Rd.
3. Black Forest Conservancy: located at the corner of Brookfield Rd. and Black Forest Dr. Meet at this corner; parking is available on the north side of the street.
4. Wetlands by Fox Haven: located at the corner of Springdale Rd. and Watertown Rd. Meet in the western most parking lot at the apartment complex.

Together We Can Make A Difference!


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BeautificationCommittee Update

Goals for the committee in 2000 include:

1. Beautify Bluemound Campaign. This program which you may have read about in the Journal Sentinel, will seek to soften the image of Bluemound Rd. by planting trees, shrubs and flowers in the medians and possibly road right-of-ways. We are in the very initial planning stages and will be
applying for grants later in the year to help offset the cost of the plantings. We hope to make this a joint venture with the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce and enlist the businesses along Bluemound to make a commitment to help beatify the roadway.
2. Urban Forestry Initiative. This is a new program that we are trying to get up and running for the town. It involves doing a resource inventory in the town and setting up a plan to manage those resources. Not only will this give the town more capability for long-range planning but it allows us to apply for future grants through the state DNR.
3. Purchase and install the last 3 remaining Town Gateway signs. These signs are scheduled to be placed in the vicinity of Weyer Rd., Davidson Rd. east of Barker Rd. and Springdale Rd. south of Capitol Dr. to delineate our boundaries in those areas and to welcome travelers on those roads to the Town. Once these last three signs are in place, we plan to have a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate all of our identifying signs. We have had many compliments on these signs and the Town logo artwork displayed on them. We are now using that artwork on all Town documents and Town vehicles.
4. Continue with the garden bed sponsorship program. Plantings still to be done include the directional sign at Janacek and Bluemound Roads and around the new town sign that will be placed in front of the Town Hall. With spring already sprung, plantings at our other garden bed should be in full bloom soon. Try to make the time to stop and appreciate the oasis of color. Residents are invited to help with our efforts through contributions to the Perennial Garden Bed Sponsorship Program; pick your favorite spot! Read the insert for full details about this wonderful opportunity.
5. Earth Day 2000 activities. May 5th and 6th, 2000. See accompanying article.

These are some of our major initiatives and goals for the year. We are always looking for residents who would like to help with our efforts to beautify the town. There are numerous ways to get involved. If you would like to serve on our committee, we meet once a month, usually during the
day. If you have ideas you would like the committee to consider, please call either Chad Brown at the Park & Rec (796-3781) or Supervisor Carol Johnson at 784-2334. We are also looking for Scout Troops or Eagle Scouts That would like to be involved in a community service project. Please call the aforementioned numbers on how you can participate.

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Wood Chips

FREE wood chips are available at Wray Park for all your spring yard work. The pile is located in the parking lot at the park which is located at the corner of Mary Lynn Dr. and Jaclyn Dr. Call the Park & Rec for directions or with questions (796-3781).

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