Photo By Staff Sgt. Chelsea Weaver | U.S Soldiers, Airmen and civilians of the South Carolina National Guard attend the...... read more read more
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June is National Safety Month, which also occurs during the 101 Critical Days of Summer, the busiest time for recreation and travel from Memorial Day to Labor Day. To promote safety in the ranks, the South Carolina National Guard held their annual Safety and Occupational Health Fair at the Bluff Road Armory in Columbia, South Carolina, June 1, 2018.
Soldiers, Airmen and their families were invited to view numerous educational displays and received a variety of promotional items to educate them on everyday safety practices. Items included reflective belts, small flashlights, eye protection, hydration bottles, and many fliers and brochures with safety tips for driving, cooking, weapons security, health and disaster preparedness.
“We always encourage leadership to be actively involved,” said Maj. Partrese Barr, South Carolina National Guard State Safety Manager. “If no one is talking to their troops about the importance of safety and training, then it won’t be a priority for them.”
According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the summer months see an increase in travel and participation in recreational activities, which poses an increased risk for accidents and injuries. The purpose of the Safety Fair was to assist Guard members and their families in being prepared and educated on everyday safety.
“I had a lot of fun today,” said Spc Jimmy Townsend, a human resources assistant in the Joint Force Headquarters, South Carolina National Guard. “Safety is very important and this event was very informative with a lot of good information as well as demonstrations.”
Those who attended this event were able to experience a drunk driving obstacle course, sponsored by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, where individuals wore goggles that gave them the illusion of being impaired and showed them how the effects of alcohol can affect their motor skills.
“I crashed into a lot of cones,” said Townsend. “This obstacle course allows you to see how different levels of inebriation can affect your driving.”
Additional support for the event came from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, who provided the 2018 Hurricane Guide and information on the new Emergency Preparedness App for smart phone devices. The Southeastern Chapter National Safety Council set-up a distracted driving simulator for attendees to experience road hazards using virtual reality goggles. The South Carolina National Guard displays included vehicle maintenance, fire prevention, environmental hazards, along with medical checks where attendees could have their glucose and cholesterol tested.
“It was a lot of coordination and planning amongst outside vendors and within the South Carolina National Guard to make this event happen,” said Barr. “This is the biggest event that we do to increase awareness of safety.”
| Date Taken: | 06.01.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.01.2018 14:39 |
| Story ID: | 279250 |
| Location: | COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 186 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, South Carolina National Guard readies for 101 Critical Days of Summer with Safety Fair, by SSG Chelsea Weaver, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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