MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- For Airmen and their families across the sunshine state, summer can be a time to enjoy various indoor and outdoor activities. However, it is also the time of year when routine activities and travel can present more safety risks than ever.
In response to this heightened risk, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, observes the Critical Days of Summer safety campaign, an Air Mobility Command (AMC) initiative that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day annually.
The campaign is used to raise awareness about the risks involved with common summertime activities, such as grilling, camping, boating and traveling. Although these are routine summer activities, preventable safety mishaps among Airmen peak during the summertime.
This year’s Critical Days of Summer theme is, “Decisions Matter.” This theme emphasizes prevention, and encourages individuals to use the principles of risk management in an effort to prevent unnecessary injury or loss of life.
“Operating an automobile or enjoying a day on the water are routine activities that involve a moderate level of risk under normal circumstances,” said Chief Master Sgt. Shelina Frey, AMC command chief. “However, these routine activities can pose a high level of risk when factors such as fatigue and alcohol are introduced.”
David O’Neil, a safety specialist with the 6th Air Mobility Wing Safety Office, explained that although motor vehicle and water related accidents are certainly issues, the most common and preventable cause of injury and work-related absence on MacDill is sports and recreation related. According to O’Neil, many of these injuries can be prevented through proper preparation and risk assessment.
“We always encourage people to warm up, wear proper equipment and watch out for each other,” said O’Neil.
Tech. Sgt. Marc Villanueva, a contract specialist with the 6th Contracting Squadron, implements these elements of risk management and prevention into his summer workouts.
“I always wear protective equipment and pay attention to my personal limits when I lift weights,” explained Villanueva, “I also make sure to avoid dehydration, especially during the summer, by drinking plenty of water before and during my workouts.”
Although the command-wide initiative spans Memorial Day through Labor Day, O’Neil explained that given Florida’s temperate climate and abundance of outdoor activities, MacDill practices critical days of safety year-round.