Family members can help keep each other safe this summer

Published June 10, 2010
By 1st Lt. Kathleen Ferrero
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- He walked past two Airmen operating a dump truck. It was nothing unusual.

Minutes later, one Airman accidentally crushed the other to death with the truck's tail gate. The ensuing investigation marked the first time in Master Sgt. Kenyon Luthi's safety career that he discovered how important his job is.

"Having been there moments before it happened, and then seeing what these guys meant to each other - they hung out four or five days a week, and both were married and had kids - that was hard," said Sergeant Luthi, AMC Ground Safety Inspector.

"(With the investigation,) we had to come up with something of value. It had to mean something. Not just for the family members, but for people working in the same conditions," he said. "Now it's a part of formal training for civil engineer folks."

Making lessons count and applying sound risk management decisions is everyone's responsibility.

That's why the Air Force is celebrating National Safety Month this month by combining it with Year of the Air Force Family and including family members in the effort to prevent accidents during summertime, when mishaps tend to spike.

"The Air Force needs our help to keep our Airmen safe," said the wife of a staff sergeant during an Air Force Safety Center video. "We as family members should influence our Airmen's behavior where the risk is greatest: when they are off duty."

By combining National Safety Month with Year of the Air Force Family, officials are hoping to drive safety lessons home through involving Key Spouse Groups and using other initiatives.

"We're asking family members to be involved with active duty members' awareness of safety -- traffic, seat belts, drinking and driving, all issues killing our Airmen. If they're involved, they may be able to interject and stop that from happening," said Mr. Mark Erpelding, AMC Ground Safety Division Chief.

He said focusing on these three things can help prevent accidents this summer: drive safely; drink responsibly; and play intelligently.

Private motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of Airmen, Sergeant Luthi said.
"With driving, it's about control," he said. "Drive at a reasonable amount of speed, so you'll be able to react better to a dangerous situation."

With mishaps involving alcohol, the people involved are "almost always hurt or killed because there was no plan involved," Sergeant Luthi said.

"They have a good idea of what they're going to do when they go out. They just don't plan to get themselves out of a bad situation," he said.

And summer is the perfect time to get out and play. But this can easily lead to injury. Have fun, just eliminate unnecessary risk, he said.

AMC's ultimate goal this summer is zero fatal mishaps. This was accomplished for the first time in the command's history during the summer of 2008, according to Mr. Erpelding.

"We did it before, we can do it again," Mr. Erpelding said.