JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Critical Days of Summer kicked off May 23 with historic rain, and while it killed three people, destroyed 22 homes and damaged 137 houses throughout the local area according to the San Antonio Express-News, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported for the Joint Base San Antonio community during Memorial Day weekend.
CDOS, an annual Air Force campaign to raise awareness of hazards during summertime, began Memorial Day weekend and concludes Sept. 3.
"The local area had one of the heaviest rainfalls on record, so personal involvement, personal accountability and watching out for each other made the weekend a success," Jewell Hicks, 502nd Air Base Wing chief of safety, said. "However, there is no time for us to relax because we have another 13 weeks to go of what has historically been the time of year when Department of Defense agencies experience the highest number of fatalities and disabling mishaps."
While the Air Force suffered zero on-duty fatalities during the 15-week CDOS campaign in 2012, 16 Airmen died in off-duty mishaps, two stemming from alcohol.
According to Air Force safety reports, nine of those mishaps involved motorcycles and the rest were at home, in privately owned motor vehicles and during sports and recreation.
"A lot of times, peer pressure and alcohol is the underlying issue with these mishaps, especially with our younger Airmen," Linda Howlett, JBSA-Randolph ground safety manager, said. "The best thing everyone can do is use personal risk management and look closely at every activity they do."
Because roadways are where most Air Force members lose their lives, several of the weekly CDOS topics will focus on driving safety, Howlett said.
"The recurring themes are excessive speed, alcohol, fatigue and failure to use safety belts," Hicks said. "If you ride a motorcycle, your risk increases exponentially."
Water sports are typically the second-leading cause of death during the summer, which includes swimming, tubing and riding jet skis, Howlett said.
The Memorial Day weekend floods, in terms of safety planning, reinforced the notion that common sense can be the difference between life and death.
"Mother Nature is unpredictable, so if you're capable, do everything you can to stay out of her way when the weather is dangerous," Howlett said. "Where there are low-water crossings, 'turn around, don't drown.' It only takes two feet of water to push a vehicle."
There were also no fatalities reported in Air Education and Training Command during Memorial Day weekend.
The theme for this year's CDOS campaign is "Safe 'n Sound - All Year Round."