Commentary: Safety essential for summer fun

  • Published
  • By Maj. Erik Sant
  • Chief, 512th AW Safety Office
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  At last, summer is finally here. Many of you are going to go camping, have a picnic, go boating or have a cookout. It's the time of year to do all of the outside activities you enjoy. 

The "101 Critical Days of Summer" traditionally runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It's during this time the majority of us are enjoying all the things we did when we were kids: biking, swimming, blowing things up with firecrackers ... I digress. A lot of us made it through childhood by sheer luck alone. Now we, or should I say all of you, are older and hopefully wiser. We need to protect ourselves from our own stupidity. 

When going out to ride your bicycle, you know the one in the garage that has been rusting all winter; make sure you check it over for safety's sake. Ensure you wear the proper safety equipment when you ride it. Yeah, I know, helmets don't look cool. Fashion tip: neither does a crushed cranium. 

Summer is also barbecue time. Check the burner, hoses and all the attachments; and, replace rusted or unserviceable parts to your grill before you light it for the first time this year. Fashion tip number two: the singed look isn't in this year. 

We all love boating, and when we go boating we want all of our friends to go with us. Your boat should have a Coast Guard maximum capacity placard somewhere on it. Make sure you don't overload your boat either by the number of party goers or by weight. Also, everyone should be wearing a flotation device. Yes I know, the cool thing again. Fashion tip number three: the pale blue look is definitely not in! 

Many of us like to have a cold one while enjoying our favorite activities. However, we lose too many of our friends and colleagues to drunk driving accidents every year. If you decide to partake, I beg you; please find a friend to take you home. It isn't worth your career or your life to take the wheel after drinking. If you see someone else trying to take the wheel after drinking, be a friend and take their keys and drive them home. It's the nicest thing you could do for them. 

Have a great summer. Enjoy the weather and outdoors, but above all ... be safe.