News

Offutt to host safety day

  • Published
  • By Drew Nystrom
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  The 55th Wing Safety Office, in association with numerous on-base agencies and community-minded local businesses, is scheduled to host a safety day, open to all members of Team Offutt, May 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Offutt Fire Department.

With Memorial Day approaching, recognized as the unofficial start of summer, the Safety Office and its partners are teaming up to provide eye-popping presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and static displays to show and remind us how to use risk-management to take care of ourselves, our families, and our teammates.

“While safety, on-duty and off, is important 24/7/365, each year the Air Force experiences a spike in mishaps during the summer months,” Lt. Col. Andrew Prue, 55th Wing chief of safety, said. “While each mishap is unfortunate, it is especially sad because they frequently consist of injuries and fatalities, which were unnecessary and, in nearly every case, preventable.”

According to the Air Force Safety Center, during the past 10 years, an average of 50 Airmen and an equal number of family members died in off-duty activities such as boating, kayaking, swimming, biking, riding an ATV, and general aviation.

Buses are scheduled to circulate between the event location and the 557th Weather Wing, Ehrling-Bergquist Clinic and U.S. Strategic Command lower parking lot at assigned times to facilitate ease of attendance.

In addition to the typical booths manned by safety-conscious organizations like local energy providers, law enforcement agencies and non-profits, this event will include a motorcycle awareness demonstration, face-painting and balloons, military working dog demonstrations and an up-close look at the Omaha police department’s helicopter, ABLE 1.

Food trucks will also be on-site to provide dining options for attendees.

For more information about safety day events, call the 55th Wing Safety Office at 294-6357.