Awareness briefings to spark summer safety campaign

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Tracy Francis
  • 354th Fighter Wing Safety Office
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Brig. Gen. Mark Graper, 354th Fighter Wing commander and Lt. Col. Todd Craigie, 354th FW chief of safety will host two "101 Critical Days of Summer" awareness briefings at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 22 at the base theater. Attendance is mandatory for base military personnel and highly encouraged for civilian personnel.

Summer is just around the corner and many of us are planning to take advantage of every minute of daylight possible before the long winter months are upon us.

We are planning our favorite summer activities such as camping, boating, fishing and hunting. Summer is a dangerous time increased risk and more mishaps occur in three short months than during the rest of the year.

The Air Force designates the time from Memorial Day through Labor Day as the "101 Critical Days of Summer."

The goal of the 101 CDOS campaign is to increase personal awareness of risk, thus reducing the number of summer mishaps and fatalities.

We increase our risk because we spend more time in outdoor activities and less time paying attention to the hazards associated with those activities. We may overextend our physical capabilities and neglect to give our bodies time to rest.

Frequently, we are thinking about our off-duty recreational plans instead of focusing on our work. Fatigue, inattention and alcohol abuse are common factors in many mishaps.

Reducing the preventable mishaps during this year's 101 CDOS campaign depends largely on the support and emphasis given by each commander, supervisor and individual.

Make every possible effort to communicate to your coworkers, friends and family the need to increase awareness of the hazards involved during this time of year. Encourage them to make responsible decisions in their activities and have a safe and enjoyable summer.

Several on- and off-base agencies will host a Safety and Health Fair 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 22 inside the fitness center. Both the awareness briefing and the fair are open to the Eielson community.