JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The 502nd Air Base Wing Safety Office is emphasizing summer safety by implementing the 101 Critical Days of Summer campaign, an annual Air Force initiative aimed at reducing fatalities during the busy summer months. The 101 critical days of summer began Memorial Day weekend and ends on Labor Day.
Travis Kilpack, 502nd ABW ground safety manager, noted that vehicle and motorcycle fatalities are more likely during this period, which is regarded as the busiest vacation time of the year.
"Riding motorcycles and cars account for the highest fatality rates during the summer," Kilpack said. "I hope that the 101 Critical Days of Summer messages continue getting out to people. As we continue to spread the message and repeat the information, it helps to foster a new culture of safety among our younger Airmen and civilians."
Kilpack added that he would like to see a decrease in accidents related to high-risk activities such as motorcycle riding.
"We are not telling people to stop what they are doing, but rather to plan well and accordingly," Kilpack said. "They should plan for risks, for instance in skydiving; they should train on how to pack their chute, and have their buddy it and vice versa. We want people to apply that same risk management mentality into all things they do." He stressed that safety starts with the chain of command.
"We want leaders to show Airmen that it is very important to not only get their work done at all costs, but rather safely, efficiently and economically," Kilpack said.
He also added that safety pays dividends in efficiency because the work was completed without injury, translating into no one having to work double to complete an unfinished assignment left by an injured co-worker.
Between 2012 and 2014 there were four fatalities in the Air Education and Training Command, one in 2013 and 2014 in vehicle accidents and two in motorcycle accidents in 2012.