101 Critical Days: Staying safe during dog days of summer Published April 30, 2007 By Tech. Sgt. Stephen Bailey 301st Fighter Wing FORT WORTH, Texas -- The 101 Critical Days is the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day in which most people will likely get seriously hurt or lose their lives because of safety-related accidents. The efforts in warning people remain the same every year: either a command message article is printed in the newspaper reminding everyone to be safe; or, the entire wing is huddled into the base theater to listen to one safety briefing after another. Sadly, the incidents continue to rise. For most people, the attitude towards the 101 Critical Days seems to be lackadaisical in that accidents will always involve either someone who is old or someone who is just not too bright - neither of which applies to them. Certainly, that's not always the case. There are those fatal accidents however, especially the ones announced yearly as the Darwin awards, that stem from the most unusual and peculiar incidents that make us all grimace and think, "What in the world were they thinking?" These, and most other accidents, are based solely on poor decisions and choices. "That's what we have seen over and over again," said Senior Master Sgt. Mike Sherman, 301st Ground Safety manager. "Overall, good safety practices are based on mature choices which are well thought out and not just spur of the moment reactions. Our staff realizes that people are going to do what they want to do no matter how much warning, guidance or advice they are given. Our job is to make sure everyone is well informed as to the dangers of poor safety practices." When it comes to poor choices, one military reservist remembers, "Before I joined the military, a bunch of my friends and I used to jump in the back of a pickup and let another friend drive us down these very steep hills at night. Halfway down, he would shut off the lights and we would literally be going 100 mph in the dark before he would turn the lights back on. We would all be laughing and bouncing in the back of the truck. I think back - what in the world was I thinking? - maybe I thought I was Superman and nothing could harm me." An Airman said, "As teenagers, my friends and I used to put firecrackers in glass coke bottles and let them explode throughout the neighborhood - thankfully nobody ever got hurt." One reservist relates how, as adults, he and his friends would ride motorcycles with just shorts and flip flops - no shirts or helmets. They would weave in and out of traffic. He said, "One slip and we would have had to eat our food out of a straw the rest of our lives and would have had to have skin grafts over our entire body." The list could go on and on of stories about people having tried things that could have caused themselves serious injury or death. Today, it seems like people are totally consumed with 'thrill seeking activities and high-risk adventure' trying to make life somehow a little more exciting. This was recently depicted in an overly popular movie where characters would attempt the most dangerous and ridiculous stunts just to get a laugh. And sure, though some parts were outrageously funny, you couldn't overlook the fact that these actors could have been permanently injured or killed. And this did happen with some of the movies fans who tried to reenact some of the stunts. "When you discuss safety issues, people seem to think you are trying to take the fun out of life and that you are trying to hold them back," explained Sergeant Sherman. "I can understand that even with my own children - trying to protect them as a father I have to steer them away from things that may hurt them, but I know later on they'll understand what I was really trying to do. Hopefully, the same goes for all of us when dealing with safety issues." But really, most people today feel the risks and activities they do only affect themselves, and to them that might be OK. But history shows that it doesn't just affect them. Many families, relatives and neighbors feel the pain, the strain, and the effects of someone close to them who has been hurt or killed. Drink a little too much, go to a place that may not be safe, make a decision on the spur of the moment and your life could be gone that fast. Who would be there for your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends? How would they continue on with life without you? "Safety is a life or death situation - no way around that. We must not take things for granted especially with our own life," said Tech. Sgt. Hugh Hardy, 301st FW safety office. So as the summer months approach, let's be more proactive rather than reactive to the activities we choose to do. Here are a few thoughts to consider: * Plan your time adequately * Execute good judgment and seek the truth * Identify any potential hazards * Listen to people around you that may help guide your decision * Listen to your spirit and/or conscience * Assess the risk involved * Consider all options * Analyze the entire situation * Make controlled decisions * Take proper action * Review the situation "We all like having a good time but we also want to be here for that good time," said Tech. Sgt. Robert Marshall, 301st FW safety office. "We all must be willing to learn and to pay attention to our surroundings - we might not get a second chance." "Safety affects all of us - let's all do a good job this summer to enjoy ourselves and to be careful," Sergeant Sherman said. "And just like Nike whose slogan is Just Do It. I think a better way might be: Think, plan and then, Just do it! Have a safe summer."