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According to legend, SECURA is haunted. Some claim to hear the screams of a girl who drowned in a pond on the property 150 years ago.

“I stopped in late one night at work to pick up something I left on my desk,” a SECURA associate remembers. “The hair on my neck stood on end – like my instinct knew I was being watched.”

Was it instinct? Is there someone – or something – lurking the grounds at SECURA’s corporate office in Appleton, Wisconsin?

Lore has it, 150 years ago (long before the land was SECURA’s), a family was picnicking in this location. A young girl fell into the pond, was trapped in a pipe, and drowned.

Some say that when it’s quiet, you can hear the girl’s screams from beneath the water and her parents’ cries for help from ashore.

Don’t believe what you read? Do a quick Internet search for “SECURA haunted.”

Happy Halloween.

Since the beginning of mankind, providing sustenance has been risky, if not downright dangerous. Our ancient ancestors fought off the elements and wild beasts during the hunt, while our not-so-distant relatives faced famine on their farms.

Nowadays we are faced with the risks of food-borne pathogens and the all-too-common kitchen fire. But with some simple measures, we can continue to eat well and safe.

Preventing food-borne illnesses
These precautions can help you avoid illness from the most common food-borne pathogens:

• • Sign up for free food recall updates or see recent recalls.
• • Wash your produce and meat thoroughly before consumption.
• • Cook proteins to the following internal temperatures, recommended by the FDA:
• • Finfish: 145° F
• • Beef, veal, and lamb roasts and steaks: 145° F
• • Ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork: 160° F
• • Ground poultry: 165° F
• • Pork: 145° F with a three-minute rest time
• • Separate raw meets from ready-to eat foods in the grocery cart and at home.
• • Use separate cutting boards for meat and produce during food preparation.
• • Keep your meat fresh by storing in a refrigerator that is colder than 40° F and a freezer colder than 0° F.
• • For more information, visit www.fda.gov.

Kitchen fire safety

• • Always check your oven before pre-heating.
• • Never leave a stove burner unattended.
• • Keep a working smoke detector and fire extinguisher in your kitchen.
• • Always follow the recommended cleaning guides provided in your oven manual.
• • Never try to put out a fire with water.
• • Don’t put metal dishes or utensils (or foil) in the microwave.
• • Keep all appliances unplugged when you’re not using them. You’ll save electricity, too!
• • Don’t keep dish towels or potholders on your stovetop; you never know when you’ve left a burner on accidentally.

Fall is the peak season for deer activity, which means an increased risk of auto-deer collisions.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are 1.5 million auto-deer collisions annually, resulting in more than $1 billion in damage. At SECURA, deer-auto collisions are the fourth most-common auto claims we see, accounting for 3,200 claims annually.

States with the highest risk for collisions are (in order):

1. West Virginia
2. Iowa
3. South Dakota
4. Pennsylvania
5. Michigan
6. Montana
7. Wisconsin
8. Minnesota
9. North Dakota
10. Wyoming

How to avoid an auto collision with a deer

• •  Be more cautious or avoid driving at dawn and dusk because deer mainly travel at these times.
• •  Follow the posted speed limit, but slow down when you see deer-crossing signs or when you’re in a rural area.
• •  Avoid swerving to miss a deer. Swerving puts you at an additional risk of losing control of your vehicle.
• •  Watch the side of the road for eyes, which will reflect the light from your headlights. If you see one deer, be on the lookout for others – deer move in groups.
• •  Ask your passengers to be on alert, too. Four eyes are better than two.

What to do if you hit a deer

• •  Bring your car to a safe stop on the side of the road, and turn on your hazard lights so traffic can avoid you and the deer.
• •  Stay away from the deer and don’t try to move it yourself. The police will contact authorities about handling the deer.
• •  Call 911 and file an accident report for insurance purposes.