Happy Holidays, and I wish you a very safe and joyous new year!!

And once again, thank you for keeping this forum as enjoyable and sane as it is and has been for many years. Some of these topics could go sideways very quickly. Heh!!

For me the ETS thinking started many years ago with a by-chance discussion with local search and rescue folks at a county fair. That lead to teaching the ETS thinking to Scouts (Cub, Girl, Boy). As the years past, and my kids grew up and left the nest my ETS focus is more on just the small world of my wife & I.

The coming year brings very big changes to our lives since we'll be retiring and moving from northern Illinois to a MUCH more rural, but stunningly beautiful area of northern Wisconsin. With that brings a whole new set of potential risks (power loss, heavy snow, forest fire, age-related health issues, very different emergency services ...) and the need to rethink how we handle those new risks (whole-house generator, different snow removal equipment, plans to purchase a defibrillator, age-proofing our house, how to move canoe/kayaks/farm stuff without injury, ... ).

Congratulations on your retirement KenK!

A hearty second on congrats....

Also, my brother is retired just west of you in Bemidji, MN and has a country place with many of the same challenges you face. I have been impressed at how he has set up to face the challenges of snow removal, significant cold, etc.

It's all about understanding the local hazard profile and taking appropriate measures. While you do have challenges, Wisconsin is one of two states that has never experienced earthquakes, unlike Alaska and California, etc. We all have to deal with fires.....

Enjoy!