Fort Huachuca, Arizona--Safety personnel assigned to organizations on post teamed up to host a summer safety awareness fair May 4 at Barnes Field House to prepare members of the Fort Huachuca and local communities for the upcoming summer season.
Summer is the time when people enjoy getting outdoors to run, hike, bike, ride motorcycles, camp, fish, swim, lie in the sun, picnic and fire up their grills.
However, outdoor activity brings increased hazards and risks. According to the National Safety Council, more than 400 fatal vehicle crashes and 43,500 injuries warranting medical attention take place on Memorial Day weekend alone.
As a result, the Army and Air Force designate May 25 through Sept. 24 of every year as the 101 Critical Days of Summer, a campaign designed to help Service members and their Families have an injury-free summer. The safety fair was planned to arm attendees with an arsenal of information and other injury-prevention aids before the 101 Critical Days of Summer arrive.
"First of all, safety should be practiced throughout the year," said Steve Fairbanks, U.S. Army Garrison safety director and one of the planners of this year's event.
"However, during the summer months knowing the risk involved in your favorite outdoor activities may prevent an unnecessary trip to the emergency room for you, a Family member, or even a friend," he added. "The Fort Huachuca and Sierra Vista communities both offer sound summer safety information that focuses on a variety of topics. Some of these topics include: hiking, caving, trekking, swimming, biking, boating, BBQ, traffic, motorcycle and even pet safety.
"On a personal note, I quickly learned that you can never carry too much water while hiking. Recently, I found myself rationing water for both my Family and pets to ensure we had enough to make it back to our vehicle.
"Even though we properly planned our route in advance and even carried two extra liters of water as an emergency supply, that wasn't nearly enough to compensate for the dry climate. I found that the amount of water that we used to carry with us on similar hikes in Okinawa would not work here because of the climate change, especially when it came to the amount of water that our dogs needed to stay hydrated," Fairbanks said.
Personnel from the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS), USAG and U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (USAICoE) Safety Offices teamed up to plan the fair, which attracted 35 on-post safety-related exhibitors and 30 off-post agencies and vendors bringing safety-related information, equipment or products. The event attracted "a steady stream of [visitors] throughout the day," according to another safety fair organizer, Staff Sgt. Matt Wolf, USAICoE Safety noncommissioned officer in charge.
Exhibits featured safety information covering a variety of topics, and emergency response, medical and other personnel were on standby to answer questions and offer handouts or other items.
Fairgoers had an opportunity to learn more about substance abuse, summer hydration, heat injuries, sunburn prevention, and recreational, fire and monsoon safety.
Scott Miller, Training Division chief, DPTMS, brought an ordnance display consisting of material he collected entirely on Fort Huachuca. He explained the danger people could encounter if they found and handled unexploded ordnance.
"It's common to find ordnance on a military reservation," he said, adding that it usually turns up after a wildfire or prescribed burn which clears away groundcover.
The Huachuca Area Herpetological Association (HAHA) booth featured live snakes, tarantulas and other creatures which attracted a large number of people eager to view or handle the tame ones. According to Kathy Carlson, HAHA volunteer, the exhibit not only helps educate the public about these creatures, but also how to respect their habitat and live safely with them.
Lindsey Troutman, a wildlife biologist from the Fort Huachuca Environmental and Natural Resources Division brought skulls and asked visitors to identify the animals they came from. As incentive, she gave prizes for correct answers and lots of hints to encourage learning.
Outdoor exhibits featured first responders and equipment, a rollover vehicle which ejected a child-sized dummy to show what could happen if children were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of an accident, and golf carts that simulated driving while under the influence of alcohol.
There was something to interest people of all ages, including youth. In addition to the child-friendly wildlife and other interactive exhibits, the Boxerbots, a youth robotics group from Vail, Arizona, brought a few of their creations. This year's featured robot could throw and attempt to sink a basketball.
First-time exhibiter Julie Petersen from the gun store Lock, Stock and Barrel said it was their first time participating in a Fort Huachuca Safety Fair.
"We're glad to be here. If we can help people be safe, that's what it's all about," she said.
"I thank everyone who helped with this event, participated in or attended the safety fair," said Mike Williams, USAICoE safety director, who was one of the event planners. "Our goal is to keep everyone safe, and this type of event really helps."
Organizers are already planning next year's summer safety fair tentatively scheduled for May 18 and seek suggestions on how to improve it. Those with ideas are invited to call 520.533.2776.
Motorcycle safety event planned May 26.
May is the U.S. Army's Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and Safety Office personnel will host the Victory Huachuca Motorcycle Rally and Ride 8 a.m.-3 p.m. May 26 at Cochise Theater in order to focus motorcycle riders on motorcycle safety and mitigate risk.
The rally and ride begins at Cochise Theater with training and awareness classes and a demonstration by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The ride will begin and end at Cochise Theater. It is open to all installation community members, permanent party military members, permanent party 111th Military Intelligence Brigade and 2-13th Aviation Regiment Soldiers and cadre, DOD and Department of the Army Civilians, dependents and contractors.
Rally events include:
7:30-8 a.m.: Inspection of motorcycle tires, controls, lights, oil, chassis and stands in the Cochise Theater parking lot
8-11 a.m.: Briefings about helmets, accidents, policies, programs, demonstrations and vendors
11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Group motorcycle ride
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