Summer safety campaign sees near-record

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Matt Proietti
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The Air Force wrapped up one of its most successful 101 Critical Days of Summer safety campaigns Sept. 3.

Nineteen Airmen died in the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, whereas in 2006, the Air Force's safest summer season, 17 Airmen died in the same period.

These figures don't include fatalities associated with operations in Southwest Asia. The Air Force has lost 82 Airmen in combat since 1990. In the same time, 1,370 have lost their lives off duty in their homes, in their vehicles or while participating in recreational activities.

"This is all about preserving combat capability and keeping our Airmen safe," said Maj. Gen. Wendell L. Griffin, Air Force chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. "We're all Airmen taking care of Airmen."

General Griffin said the campaign was important to him when he took over the top safety post in June.

"Anything to do with preventing mishaps and saving lives is one of my top priorities," he said. "Overall, we're pretty pleased with this year's campaign, even though we think one fatality is too many."

Since the first 101 Critical Days of Summer campaign in 1967, Air Force leaders have put an extra emphasis on safety during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when people are generally more active and in the outdoors more often than the rest of the year.

"If the leadership is focused on these things, they get better. If the leadership is pitching safety, practicing safety, the young folks pay attention," General Griffin said. "I want to make sure that safety is on every commander's scope, every supervisor's scope, every Airman's scope. We want to make sure that safety is a way of life for them."

Safety officials analyze mishap data to recognize unsafe trends and come up with plans to counteract them, General Griffin said.

"We're trying to convince young Airmen that they're not invincible and that there are things that can hurt them," the general said. "We (study) what we need to focus on in terms of professional equipment. Are the troops wearing seatbelts? Are they wearing helmets? Are they wearing their personal protective gear? Are people drinking alcohol irresponsibly? Are we managing the risk?"

General Griffin said two of the more successful promotions used during this safety campaign involved officials from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Mobility Command. USAFE officials sent out a seven-person team of safety experts who delivered nearly 30 briefings to more than 11,500 people in nine days at five locations. AMC safety officials produced an excellent motorcycle safety video they have shared with other commands.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley encouraged participation in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "Click it or Ticket" and "Over the Limit/Under Arrest" law enforcement efforts.

"We at Air Force Safety can't take credit for all of the great things that are going on (with) safety initiatives," General Griffin said. "This really is a commander's program and it is incumbent upon leaders to institute the program, and we're getting great support from all commanders out there." 

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

View the comments/letters page