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NORFOLK, Va. -- The Naval Safety Center's Summer Safety Campaign 2010 emphasizes the importance of service members and their families remaining safe during the summer months.
The "Live to Play, Play to Live," theme for this year's campaign focuses on recreational safety, vehicle safety and the many ways service members and their families can have fun outside without becoming a victim of mishaps.
"We try to raise the awareness and educate Sailors and Marines that many of the things they want to do over the summer have some risk involved," said April Phillips, Naval Safety Center Public Affairs Officer.
This is the second year the Naval Safety Center has released the "Live to Play, Play to Live" Summer Safety Campaign and according to Navy Safety Center's Recreational Off Duty Safety Specialist it has beenefitted the Navy.
"There has been a significant decrease in fatalities," said Daniel Dray, the Traffic and Recreational Off Duty Safety Specialist at Naval Safety Center. "I think a lot of the decrease has to do with the development of the military sport bike course that has recently been made mandatory."
According to statistics gathered by the Naval Safety Center, summer deaths in 2009 were nearly 25 percent lower among Sailors and Marines and motorcycle fatalities were 70 percent lower than the summer of 2008. Most of the deaths were due to motor vehicles.
"We have more individuals injured in traffic related mishaps than any other activity, so that is the primary area where we are focusing our attention during this campaign," said Dray.
The Summer Safety Campaign includes steps that every person should take before driving a motor vehicle including: being well-rested, drive during daylight hours, schedule breaks every two hours, never drink and drive and pull over if you get tired.
"Even just taking a long trip in the car to see family or friends can involve serious risks, but everything can be done successfully as long as they manage the risk and are prepared," explained Phillips.
To prepare for long trips the campaign encourages the use of the Travel Risk Planning System or TRiPS, which is an online survey that helps service members to recognize and reduce travel risks by asking a few simple questions about your destination and travel plans. Service members can access TRiPS through Navy Knowledge Online at www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/Pages/ashore/motor_vehicle/trips.aspx.
Phillips said she hopes the information from this year's campaign will reach many service members across the fleet and has prepared pamphlets and PowerPoint presentations that can be easily personalized by each command to address their major concerns with summer safety this year.
"Commands are taking our information and tailoring it to their needs, but they aren't just for the Sailors or Marines who work there – it's also for their family members," said
Phillips.
The campaign strongly encourages service members to share the information provided by their commands with their families and friends.
"We understand that families are equally important team members," said Phillips. "When they are hurt or killed during summer mishaps it will affect the readiness of that service member, so it is very important for us to keep them informed."
For more information on the Summer Safety Campaign offered by Naval Safety Centers visit: www.safetycenter.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 05.18.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.18.2010 09:46 |
| Story ID: | 49877 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 606 |
| Downloads: | 342 |
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