Team Seymour prepares for the Critical Days of Summer

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Shawna L. Keyes
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, NORTH CAROLINA --  Summer is in full swing as Team Seymour prepares for the 2014 Critical Days of Summer.

The program is an Air Force safety campaign that focuses on risk management for all summer activities - on and off duty. Every year it begins on Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day. In 2014, it is observed May 23 to Sept. 2.

This year's campaign theme is Double Checks; Not Second Thoughts. It is meant to remind Airmen to be responsible wingmen and to take care of yourselves, your families, and your teammates.

"Our ability to make smart choices is fundamentally connected to our core values and has to play a significant role in everything we do - on and off duty," said Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. "After enduring a brutal winter, we are all looking forward to taking advantage of the warm weather, but we must keep safety precautions and risk management as a priority."

Last year's Critical Days of Summer ended with the loss of 21 Airmen. There have already been 27 fatalities as of May 15 this fiscal year. According to Bill Parsons, Air Force chief of ground safety, every Airman has a role in reversing that trend with a summer of zero fatalities.

"We can achieve that goal by using all the risk management techniques available, including activity planning and being responsible wingmen," Parsons said. "Each Airman is critical to our mission. As you plan your summer activities, use the same risk management skills you apply on the job to ensure a safe return and assure mission success."

The 4th Fighter Wing Safety Office encourages its Airmen to use a tool they call the Real-Time Risk Management process. It follows four-steps as a way to identify and evaluate any inherent risk before conducting an activity. This process is shortened to the acronym ABCD, which stands for Assess, Balance, Communicate and Decide.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Taylor, 4th FW chief of safety, went on the elaborate on the importance of each step. He explained by assessing each situation or task to identify hazards and potential consequences; balancing controls to mitigate or eliminate the risks; communicating the risks internally or with your team, crew or workmates; and deciding whether to proceed with the activity or implement control measures, you are exercising the tools to keep you and those around you safe.

"With a simple, but potentially hazardous activity, this process can be done completely by an individual and within a matter of seconds, Taylor added."

A common message from the safety office and first sergeants is to encourage Airmen and their families to slow down and think before they act. If unfamiliar with a task or your surroundings, take additional precautions.

"A lot of injuries happen when inexperienced people try too much too fast," said Master Sgt. Peter Perez, 4th Comptroller Squadron first sergeant. "This can also happen to someone who used to be experienced at an activity but its 'been a while' since they last participated. Be smart about what you do and make sure you have the proper gear and training."

Perez always encourages Airmen to do things in groups; either with friends, family or both.

"It's always nice to have a wingman to watch out for you and let you know when you are about to do something dumb," Perez said. "If you are in an unsafe situation, call for help before something bad happens."

For more information about safety programs, call the 4th FW safety office at 722-4093. You can also find more information on the Critical Days of Summer on the Air Force Safety Center website at http://www.afsec.af.mil/criticaldaysofsummer/.