FORT RUCKER, Ala. (April 7, 2010) - Officials today are applauding the Army team's commitment to safety as they celebrate last week's close of the service's Safe Fall/Winter Campaign.
"Thanks to every member of our Army Family and their commitment to keeping this team safe, eight more Soldiers are alive this year than were last to enjoy the fun of spring and summer activities," said Col. Scott Thompson, deputy commander for the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center. "I am very proud of this effort and encourage every Soldier, Civilian and Family member to maintain their strong commitment to safety as we head into the high risk summer months."
During the Army's most recent Safe Fall/Winter Campaign, which ran from Oct. 1, 2009, to March 31, 2010, there were 64 Class A ground accidents which resulted in 67 Soldier fatalities. This was 32 fewer accidents and 8 fewer fatalities than during the same time period the last year.
Statistics from the fall and winter campaign indicate that the Army continues to struggle with safety during off-duty hours as well as privately owned vehicle risk management. During the campaign period, 45 Soldiers were killed in POV accidents and more than 78 percent of those who died were killed during off-duty hours.
"We do a great job with protecting our Band of Brothers and Sisters on duty," said Thompson. "We need to get better at continuing that effort into the off-duty hours as well."
Thompson said although the decrease in accidents and fatalities is certainly something to be proud of, now is no time to rest on the safety successes of the fall and winter seasons. With the tempatures heating up around the country, now is the perfect time for every member of the Army's Band of Brothers and Sisters to reaffirm their commitment to risk management throughout the upcoming months.
"Every one of us must remain vigilant wherever we are and whatever we are doing," he said. "It doesn't matter if you are ground guiding a tank, heading to the club with your friends or soaking up the sun at the beach this summer, your safety, and the safety of those around you, must remain a top priority."
To help make the goal of a safe summer a little easier to achieve, the team at the USACR/Safety Center has launched the Safe Summer 2010 Campaign. This effort focuses on providing all Soldiers, Civilians and their Family members the tools they need to stay safe this summer. The campaign offers a wealth of resources including posters, videos and articles featuring tips for staying safe wherever a summer adventure might lead. USACR/Safety Center Safe Summer Campaign information is available at https://safety.army.mil/safesummer2010. Additional tools to enhance risk management whether on- or off-duty are also available at https://safety.army.mil.
"Our profession is inherently dangerous and it requires a team effort between Leaders, Soldiers and Family members to keep our Army safe and strong," said Thompson. "Play hard out there... but, also, play it safe."
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