LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
With the summer months right around the corner, many Airmen may look forward to outdoor activities and vacations; however, many may not realize these months are also the most dangerous.
The 101 Critical Days of Summer is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the number of off-duty injuries rises due to the increase of activities, many of which involve risk taking.
According to Gen. John D.W. Corley, the commander of Air Combat and Command, last summer, six Airmen were lost to accidents deemed preventable.
"This is unacceptable, and as leaders, we are ultimately responsible for taking better care of our most valued resource, our people," said General Corley.
Aside from the traffic accidents involving the deaths of six Airmen, there were three sports and recreation mishaps, one car accident, one motorcycle accident and one miscellaneous accident within ACC.
At Langley, there was a fatality May 19 last year, just days before the 101 Critical Days of Summer began, said Harry Dunn, the 1st Fighter Wing Ground Safety manager. The fatality occurred when a motorcyclist, who was racing a car, hit a truck in his lane.
Several of these mishaps could've been prevented by using personal risk management, said Mr. Dunn.
Personal risk management is a method of assessing the risks of activities, evaluating them with safety in mind and then making a sound decision before acting. Proper risk management planning can help reduce, if not eliminate, preventable mishaps.
This year, Langley's goal is to have zero preventable mishaps, said Mr. Dunn.
In order to achieve this goal, Langley is taking several measures to inform Airmen of this potentially dangerous time of year. One of the safety measures was the basewide safety day May 16, where Airmen attended a number of safety briefings, which included topics such as seatbelt and motorcycle safety.
Additonally, the safety office conducts briefings on summertime activities, including grilling and boating; however, because of previous mishaps, this summer will focus on driving safety, said Staff Sgt. Linda Cuciniello, Ground Safety Flight chief.
Squadrons can also request safety briefings for specific needs, which may vary depending on each squadron's previous incidents or situations.
Although the briefings may vary, the message remains the same.
"Think about what you are about to do and prepare for the trip or activity before you accomplish it. Make sure you get all the training you can before doing it. Think about the risk and consequences. Be a good wingman and watch out for each other," said Mr. Dunn.