From: COMNAVSAFECEN NORFOLK VA
[COMNAVSAFECENNORFOLKVA@nrfkdms.nadsusea.navy.mil]
Posted At: Monday, August 16, 2004 5:08 PM
Conversation: 162123Z AUG 04 PROWLER SAFETYGRAM FOR THE FIRST HALF OF
AUGUST, 2004
c=US;a=DMS;o=WA1;ou1=AVPV1;ou2=NASWIDMS;ou3=COMVAQWINGPAC(uc);dda:msxcx5
00=c:US,o:U.S.
Government,ou:DoD,ou:Navy,ou:Organizations(uc),l:Washington,l:WHIDBEY
ISLAND,ou:COMVAQWINGPAC WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
Posted To: NRFK_SAFE_Code 70A

Subject: 162123Z AUG 04 PROWLER SAFETYGRAM FOR THE FIRST HALF OF AUGUST,
2004
c=US;a=DMS;o=WA1;ou1=AVPV1;ou2=NASWIDMS;ou3=COMVAQWINGPAC(uc);dda:msxcx5
00=c:US,o:U.S.
Government,ou:DoD,ou:Navy,ou:Organizations(uc),l:Washington,l:WHIDBEY
ISLAND,ou:COMVAQWINGPAC WHIDB

Importance: Low

TO  AL ALVAQRONS(uc)
    ALVAQRONS
CC  MAG FOURTEEN
    COMNAVREG NW SEATTLE WA(uc)
    NAVPGSCOL MONTEREY CA(uc)
    COMNAVSAFECEN NORFOLK VA(uc)
    NAVSTKAIRWARCEN FALLON NV(uc)
    COMNAVAIRSYSCOM PATUXENT RIVER MD(uc)
    COMMARFORLANT(uc)
    COMNAVAIRLANT NORFOLK VA
    COMMARFORPAC
    COMNAVAIRPAC SAN DIEGO CA
    COMVAQWINGPAC WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
    AIMD WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
    NATEC DET WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
    DCMA NG ST. AUGUSTINE(uc)
    NAVAIRDEPOT JACKSONVILLE FL(uc)
    FASOTRAGRUPAC DET WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
    NAVAIRWARCENWPNDIV PT MUGU CA(uc)
    ELATKWEPSCOL WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
    AIRTEVRON NINE CHINA LAKE CA
    NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND WA(uc)
    MAG 12(uc)
    MAWTS 1(uc)


UNCLAS
MSGID/GENADMIN/CVWP N5//
POC/M. HALL/LCDR/SAFETY OFFICER/LOC:COMVAQWINGPAC/TEL:DSN 820-4152
/EMAIL:MICHAEL.J.HALL4@NAVY.MIL//
RMKS/1.  THIS WEEK'S SAFETYGRAM COMES TO US COURTESY OF VAQ-129:
    A.  GREETINGS FROM THE VIKINGS OF VAQ-129.  ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL
WHIDBEY SUMMER IS UPON US.  BOATING, FISHING, WATER SPORTS, HIKING
AND SIGHT-SEEING ARE JUST A FEW OF THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.  THE LONG HOURS OF SUNLIGHT
OFFER US THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE WEEKENDS.  THOUGH, WITH
PRIVILEGES COME RESPONSIBILITIES.  THERE ARE NO NEW RULES TO OFFER
THAT WILL MAKE US SAFER AND RETURN TO OUR HOMES EVERY NIGHT WITH THE
SAME NUMBER OF FINGERS AND TOES.  RATHER, A "REDEDICATION" TO THE
ADHERENCE OF STANDING REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND AWARENESS TO SAFETY
IS NEEDED.
    C.  MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS CONTINUE TO BE A THORN IN THE SIDE
OF SAFETY PROFESSIONALS AND RIGHTFULLY SO.  EIGHT MONTHS INTO THE
FISCAL YEAR, 54 SAILORS HAVE DIED IN MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAPS.  WHEN
COMPARED TO MISHAP FATALITIES IN AVIATION, SURFACE WARFARE, ASHORE
OPERATIONAL AND OFF-DUTY RECREATION, PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE
ACCIDENTS ARE KILLING SAILORS FASTER THAN ALL OTHER CATEGORIES.
PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES AMOUNT TO 66% OF ALL MISHAP
FATALITIES.  THIS IS A 14% INCREASE FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR.  AT THE
CURRENT RATE, FY-04 WILL BE WORSE THAN ANY IN THE PREVIOUS
FIVE-YEARS.
    D.  42,815 LIVES WERE LOST IN TRAFFIC FATALITIES IN THE U.S. IN
2002 (THE MOST SINCE 1990).  THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL ALSO
ESTIMATED THERE WERE 2,300,000 CRASH INJURIES, WHICH AMOUNTS TO AN
INJURY FOR EVERY 83 DRIVERS.  THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) ESTIMATES ONE-THIRD OF TRAFFIC CRASHES AND
ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE RESULTING FATALITIES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING BEHAVIOR.  MORE THAN 60 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS TO
NHTSA SURVEYS CITE UNSAFE DRIVING BY OTHERS AS A MAJOR PERSONAL
THREAT TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
    E.  NOW, THESE ARE JUST NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES UNLESS YOU
PERSONALIZE THEM.  HOW ABOUT ONE OF THOSE THOUSANDS BEING YOUR
MOTHER, WIFE, SISTER, BROTHER, ETC.?  WE CAN CALL IT AGGRESSIVE
DRIVING, EMOTIONALLY IMPAIRED DRIVING, RECKLESS DRIVING, INCOMPETENT
DRIVING, RISK TAKING OR FRUSTRATED DRIVING, BUT THE DEFINITIONS
REALLY DON'T MATTER.  THE FACT IS, PEOPLE ARE KILLING OTHER PEOPLE
NEEDLESSLY.  WITH THE ABOVE STATS, YOU OR A LOVED ONE MAY BE THE
NEXT ONE ADDED TO THOSE NUMBERS.
    F.  HIGHWAY 20 AND INTERSTATE-5 ARE VERY DANGEROUS PLACES TO
DRIVE.  HIGH VOLUMES OF PEOPLE DURING THE SUMMER, IMPATIENT DRIVERS
AND MINIMAL LANES MAKE WHIDBEY ROADS SOME OF THE WORST.  WE MUST
REMIND OUR FOLKS AND OUR FAMILIES TO BE VIGILANT ON THE ROADS.  WE
MUST CONVINCE, EVEN IF JUST A FEW, TO SLOW DOWN AND DRIVE
DEFENSIVELY.  UNLESS YOU'RE ACTUALLY DRIVING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM,
UNNECESSARY SPEEDING AND AGGRESSIVE DRIVING WILL EVENTUALLY PUT YOU
IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.  EVEN WORSE, YOU COULD PUT SOMEONE ELSE'S
LOVED ONE IN THE HOSPITAL AND YOU WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT FOR
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
    G.  THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE SELECT FEW WHO DECIDE TO DO
DANGEROUS THINGS WITHOUT SAFETY CONTROLS NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE TRY
TO EDUCATE THEM.  THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE WHO DISREGARD SAFETY
PROGRAMS AND THE EFFORTS OF SAFETY OFFICERS.  OUR EFFORTS SHOULD NOT
BE DECREASED BECAUSE OF THIS.  FOR EVERY PERSON THAT DECIDES TO BE
RECKLESS, THERE IS A PERSON THAT TAKES A SECOND LOOK, MAKES A RISK
CONTROL OR PREVENTS A MISHAP/INJURY BECAUSE OF THEIR INCREASED
VIGILANCE.  IN THIS RESPECT, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY
LEADER TO MAKE THE SAFETY "HARD-PRESS" NOW, BEFORE THE SUMMER EVENTS
START IN FULL FORCE.  IF IT MEANS GOING TO ONE LESS FUNERAL, ONE
LESS CACO VISIT OR ONE LESS TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, ISN'T THE
EFFORT WORTH IT?
2.  THANKS TO THE "VIKINGS" OF VAQ-129 FOR AN EXCELLENT
SAFETYGRAM.//