101 CDS simmering down, back to school starting

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Colin Deuce
  • 90th Missile Wing Safety
FE WARREN AFB, Wyo. --  Labor Day weekend will mark the close of the wing's 2008 101 Critical Days of Summer. 

However, we still face a long holiday weekend before we're done. What better way to finish the summer then to get out of the house and off the base for some last minute fun in the sun. 

Some of us will go camping, some hiking, while others will go boating or biking. Any of these activities can be done without getting injured. How? By exercising common sense, or what the Air Force refers to as operational risk management. 

This summer's campaign focused on active leadership as well as traditional wingman responsibilities. 

The wing safety office would like to thank all or our commanders and supervisors who consistently stressed the importance of safety to their troops over these past few months. 

Those efforts paid off. As of today, the wing has only had nine lost-time injuries - that's good. 

More importantly, Warren did not lose one member of a family, military, civilian, or dependent to a senseless fatal accident. Great job Team Warren. 

As summer vacation comes to an end, students across the base and city are readying themselves for the start of a new school year. With all of the excitement this time brings, safety may not be the first subject that springs to mind. 

Parents can keep their children safe by raising awareness of potential hazards that are inherent with this time of year. If a child doesn't know the rules of the road, then the parents need to supervise them to and from the bus stop. 

As the familiar yellow busses start their routes, the foot traffic will also increase on the streets. Drivers need to be extra vigilant everywhere. 

When in housing areas, scan from house to house instead of just the edge of the roads. 

Children playing in yards can quickly follow a toy or ball into the street. 

The base housing speed limit is 15 miles per hour, and the speed of most downtown housing areas is 25 mph. There's a very good reason for this -- children. 

Breaking the speed limit in these areas may lead to a tragic result. 

Keep in mind with all of those vehicles lining the roads in neighborhoods, the possibility of something or someone darting into traffic is real. 

Keep a defensive-driver mentality and have patience. 

Watching for children and school buses must be a priority. If the adults obey the rules of the road, this school year will be a safe one.