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The Naval Safety Center maintenance-department chiefs
have selected the BZ of the year, which is named after the third Mech
editor, and the person who made the BZ section a premier part of the
magazine. A plaque will be sent to the award winner and certificates
of appreciation to the runner-ups. A big thanks to all the fine
Sailors, civilians and contractors who were recognized for their heroic
efforts, exceptional safety finds, and thorough safety awareness. Click
here to read about this award's
namesake, Mr. Joe Casto. |
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BZ of the Year: AD2 Anthony Hughes, HSL-46, Fall 2003
While trying to secure the stablilator of Cutlass 477, Petty Officer
Hughes watched a huge wave come over the back of the flight deck and knock
a maintainer off his feet. He quickly grabbed the Sailor by his
float coat and hung onto the aircraft as the wave swept his shipmate four
feet off the deck. Petty Officer Hughes' superb situation awareness
and quick reflexes prevented a maintainer from going overboard in the
middle of the night. (pdf or html)
1st Runner-Up: AD3 Herdmark Rufin, VAW-113, Winter
2002-2003
While troubleshooting Black Eagle 603, Petty Officer Rufin's alertness
and quick reaction prevented a piece of suport equipment (SE) from hitting
a spinning propeller. The E-2C's engines had started, and the ship
was in a turn. Suddenly, the unsecured SE began to roll toward the
prop. Petty Officer Rufin saw the potential for disaster and
immediately grabbed the gear, slowing its movement until others were able
to help. The SE stopped just three feet from the turning prop, and
maintainers tied down the gear. (pdf
or html)
2nd Runner-Up: AT3 Timothy Anderson, HSL-51 Det 11, Spring
2003
While washing an aircraft at NAF Atsugi, Petty Officer Anderson
discovered excessive play in a tail-rotor, drive-shaft viscous damper on
Warloard 11--the Seventh Fleet's UH-3H. He immediately notified a
QAR, who determined the viscous damper was out of limits--40 thousandths
of an inch, to be exact. Petty Officer Anderson was not required to
check this part during the wash job; however, he did while the drive-shaft
cowling for the tail rotor was open. One week later and immediate
before a night launch, Petty Officer Anderson noticed a hydraulic leak on
a dark deck. He told the pilots of the problem and summoned a QAR,
who determined that the auxiliary, hydraulic, servo pump had failed.
At the rate the pump was leaking, an in-flight emergency would have
occurred within five minutes of takeoff. His keen attention to
detail prevented a serious problem. (pdf
or html) |
