Summer safety critical component for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The weather in Louisiana grows steadily warmer as Summer approaches. Still, the potential for mishaps remain as Airmen and their families venture outdoors for recreation and festivities.

According to the Air Force Safety Center's website, reckless behavior while off-duty remains the greatest threat for Airmen. Therefore, the AFSC has launched "101 Critical Days of Summer," an annual campaign that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, to draw attention to mishap prevention and responsible fun in the sun.

"That's the heart of the summer," said Tech Sgt. Bill Richardson, 2nd Bomb Wing NCO in charge of mishap investigations. "Since there are longer daylight hours and more holidays of the summer, most off-duty mishaps happen during that time."

Richardson highlights some of the more prevalent safety issues that may occur during the warmest months.

"One of our biggest concerns during the summer is motorcycles," he said. "People tend to forget preventative maintenance since they haven't ridden their motorcycles during winter and it can lead to an unsafe situation."

Motorcyclists must share the road with cars, and with summer comes longer travel seasons.

"People don't get as much rest when travelling because they tend to cram as much time away from work as they can into a short amount of time," he said. "Since fatigue is more common, travel mishaps are more likely to occur. Swimming and boating mishaps are also much more common."

One of the most common mishaps that occur when enjoying these activities is dehydration.

"When you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated," said Richardson. "Also be careful of what you drink. A bottle of water is always better than soda or alcohol."

Throughout the 101 critical days of summer, important safety information like these examples will be disseminated around Barksdale from the AFSC.

"There will be updates throughout the summer that will discuss fireworks safety, grilling safety and more," he said. "Bad decisions that people make may not just affect them, it can affect other people as well, which is why we want people to have fun safely and return to work safely.

The 101 CDS kicks off with an event at Hoban Hall May 23. Those seeking more information about 101 CDS may contact the 2nd Bomb Wing safety office at 456-5606.