JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Summer is almost upon us and once again the Air Force 101 Critical Days of Summer Safety Campaign will be in effect from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, this year's theme is: 'Double checks, not second thoughts.'
To many, summer time is vacation time; where military members and families spend their off time swimming, boating, taking family vacations, playing sports and participating in various high-risk activities.
Despite summer being known for celebration and recreation, there's an underlying danger that comes from bad choices.
"Driving long hours and more miles than your body has energy for, drowning during a water sport activity or suffering from dehydration and sunburn during recreational sports, are just a few of the dangers people tend to overlook during the largest vacation period," Tech. Sgt. Travis Yates from the 502nd Air Base Wing Safety Office at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, said.
According to the Air Force Safety Center officials, summer historically sees an increase in off-duty injuries and fatalities. Many of these accidents occur from reckless driving, sport injuries, heat-related injuries, water sport accidents and more.
There were 321 injuries throughout Air Education and Training Command in the 2013 Critical Days of Summer season, one of which resulted in a death from a motorcycle accident. Throughout the Air Force, 21 Airmen died during the 2013 summer months.
Some measures the safety offices recommend are:
· Drink plenty of water.
· Apply sun screen to protect skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
· Keep a close eye on children and pets during all outdoor activities.
· Be prepared for unintended fires while using grills, smokers, campfires or any other source of heat for cooking or leisure.
· Be aware of high outdoor temperatures and plan accordingly for longer outdoor activities.
· Wear the proper safety equipment appropriate for high-risk activities.
"Remember, personal safety is the responsibility of each individual and is a vital part of all activities, both on- and off-duty," said Yates. "Use your situational awareness, common sense and the wingman concept to have an accident-free summer."