MacDill hosts Street Smart to inform Airmen on driving safety

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  In the military, safety is a top priority. Various training opportunities and programs, whether internal or external, are constantly being implemented and/or utilized to ensure that the safety of all personnel is maintained.

Maintaining safety, however, is not restricted to just on the job, but off duty as well. For this reason, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida played host to Florida Stay Alive From Education Inc. and its "Street Smart" presentation, May 19, 2015.

"Street Smart" is a non-profit organization dedicated to making young adults aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, texting and/or e mailing while driving, not wearing seat belts, and the trauma associated with these dangers.

Attendance by Airmen under the age of 26 was mandatory, but the presentation was open to all that desired to attend. Three separate sessions were scheduled throughout the day to ensure that personnel could attend.

The speakers, Ronny Garcia, Florida S.A.F.E. Inc. training coordinator, and Greg McCarty, Florida S.A.F.E. Inc. community outreach, showed real videos and photographs of car accidents so that those in attendance could see the potential consequences of not driving safe.

"It's easy to decide not to wear a seat belt when you feel like it's not necessary for a short trip," said McCarty. "You're 25 times more likely to die in a car accident if you are ejected from the vehicle."

To further involve the audience, Garcia and McCarty invited Airmen 1st Class Xavier Torres, 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron, to the stage to play out a scenario detailing what an individual could experience after getting into an accident.

Torres was placed in a neck brace, laid on and strapped to a medical stretcher, and hooked to a makeshift IV among other things.

"The presentation was great, and the experience was actually pretty cool," said Torres. "I'm glad it was only a presentation instead of the real thing because being in that situation would definitely be uncomfortable and painful."

Garcia and McCarty utilized humor to keep the audience at ease, but made sure to help the audience understand the seriousness of buckling up and driving safely.

"I understand it was a little fun and games at times, but it was definitely an eye opener," said Torres. "I learned a lot and being used as part of the presentation has given me a different perspective on the consequences that could result when you don't plan ahead or wear your seatbelt."