Off duty safety

Shipmates,
As the summer season approaches I'd like to remind you to practice risk management in all your activities, assigned to duty and personal. This reminder is particularly poignant as we are nearing the anniversary of the loss of our shipmate Tony Touch in a motorcycle accident last year.

If you've not taken the opportunity to take one of the risk management offerings, like the 8-hour Team Coordination Training, I encourage you to do so when the course is next offered. These courses are required for air and surface operations but have relevance to all our Auxiliary and personal activities.

Warm regards and thank you for your service,
Daren

R 201748Z MAY 10

ALCOAST 256/10
COMDTNOTE 5100
SUBJECT: SPRING/SUMMER TRAFFIC AND RECREATIONAL OFF-DUTY SAFETY
A. SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MANUAL, COMDTINST M5100.47 (SERIES)
1. SPRING TIME HAS ARRIVED, SUMMER IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND
MANY HAVE ALREADY BEGAN PLANNING AND EXECUTING TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES. AS WE CRANK UP OUR FUN DIALS AND DUST OFF THE GRILLS,
BOATS, JET SKIS, MOTORCYCLES, ETC., GUARDIANS MUST REMEMBER THAT
MANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE RISKS.
2. ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC AND RECREATIONAL OFF-DUTY MISHAP REPORTS
SHOWS THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE INVOLVED THE MISUSE OF ALCOHOL.
ADDITIONAL CAUSAL FACTORS INCLUDE NOT WEARING PROPER PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL NEEDED
TO SAFELY OPERATE A BOAT, MOTORCYCLE OR AN ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE
(ATV), OR MISJUDGING ONES ABILITY TO SWIM IN OPEN WATERS. MISHAPS,
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE CAUSED BY FACTORS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL,
CAN BE MINIMIZED OR AVOIDED IF INDIVIDUALS WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO
LEARN THE RISKS, TRAIN FOR EFFICIENCY AND WEAR PROPER PPE WHEN
INDICATED.
3. IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THESE NEEDLESS MISHAPS, THE OFFICE OF
SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, DIVISION OF SHORE SAFETY COMDT
(CG-1132), AND THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WORK-LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITY
(HSWL SUPACT) HAVE DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING LIST OF RESOURCES TO
WHICH GUARDIANS CAN REFER WHEN PLANNING THEIR SPRING AND SUMMER
ACTIVITIES:
 A. HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CG1/CG113/CG1132/DEFAULT.ASP - DIVISION
OF SHORE SAFETY (CG-1132).
 B. HTTP://CGWEB.MLCA.USCG.MIL/KDIV/KSEHOMEPAGE.HTM - HEALTH,
SAFETY AND WORK-LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITY (HSWL SUPACT).
 C. HTTP://WWW.AFSC.AF.MIL - AIR FORCE SAFETY CENTER.
 D. HTTP://WWW.SAFETYCENTER.NAVY.MIL - NAVAL SAFETY CENTER.
 E. HTTPS://SAFETY.ARMY.MIL - ARMY SAFETY CENTER.
 F. HTTP://WWW.SAFEBOATINGAMERICA.COM - BOATING SAFETY.
 G. HTTP://WWW.STORMFAX.COM/SAFESWIM.HTM - OCEAN SWIMMING SAFETY
TIPS (RETYPE ADDRESS USING LOWERCASE LETTERS).
 H.  HTTP://WWW.SVIA.ORG - ATV SAFETY.
 I.  HTTP://WWW.MSF-USA.ORG - MOTORCYCLE SAFETY.
 J.  HTTP://WWW.BEERESPONSIBLE.COM - ANHEUSER BUSCH RESPONSIBLE
DRINKING CAMPAIGN.
4. RESOURCE LINKS LISTED ABOVE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY AVAILABLE
ON THE INTERNET. WHEN PLANNING A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY, TAKE THE
TIME TO EDUCATE YOURSELF, TAKE A TRAINING CLASS IF AVAILABLE, AND
NEVER CONDUCT HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS DRIVING A BOAT OR JET
SKI OR SWIMMING, ALONE OR AFTER CONSUMING ALCOHOL. BE THE GUARDIAN,
HELP OTHERS MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE. BY APPLYING SIMPLE RISK
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES, GUARDIANS CAN ENJOY THEIR RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES IN A SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
5. COMMANDING OFFICERS AND OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE NEED TO EMPHASIZE TO
THEIR UNIT PERSONNEL THE IMPORTANCE OF APPLYING THE SAME RISK
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES TO OFF-DUTY DRIVING AND RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES AS THEY DO TO THEIR WORK ACTIVITIES. ALL COAST GUARD
MEMBERS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY AND THE
SAFETY OF OTHERS. SEMPER PARATUS.
6. COMDT (CG-1132) POC IS MR. DALE A. WISNIESKI, EMAIL:
DALE.A.WISNIESKI(AT)USCG.MIL, COMM: 202-475-5206.
7. RELEASED BY RADM MARK J. TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND
WORK-LIFE.
8. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.