CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Happy holidays to all and a merry New Year! This is the last paper and the last commander's comments for the year; the next Airlift Dispatch will come out Jan. 9. It's also the last call to speak about safety issues during the holidays and I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about situational awareness.
Wikipedia defines situational awareness as "being aware of what is happening around you to understand how information, events and your own actions will impact your goals and objectives, both now and in the near future." I prefer a more direct definition: think before you act and think about the best and the worst outcome of your actions. Most of life's unfortunate mishaps come down to poor situational awareness and could be easily prevented with a little forethought.
A story related to me by a retired military member always comes to mind when I think of situational awareness. Many years ago, a published Air Force mishap told a story of an individual who was working on a second floor and accidently knocked a sizeable toolbox from a second-story window. A stalwart young man on the ground saw the toolbox fall and, being a conscientious individual and not wishing to see damaged Air Force property, decided it would be a good idea to catch it.
It doesn't take a lot of hindsight to figure out this wasn't the best decision he'd made that day, but it did happen and the problem is that inexplicable lapses in judgment by otherwise intelligent, competent people continue to happen.
If you've ever read or heard of the "Darwin Awards," you know that perfectly normal people will at times make absurdly poor decisions, and these decisions can and do cost lives.
Aside from catching falling toolboxes, there are a number of less obvious safety issues during the holidays. Many plants used as decorations for the holidays, including mistletoe and poinsettias, are potentially poisonous and should be kept out of reach of children. Alcohol poisoning during the holidays is also a common risk for children.
Parents hosting holiday parties or a family get-together where alcohol is served should remove partially emptied containers as soon as possible -- even small amounts of alcohol can be dangerous to children. At the top of our list of poor situational awareness items has to be drinking and driving during the holidays. I've written about this issue many times in the past year and will continue to do so in the new year. Raising awareness, especially for this issue, is an ongoing effort by all levels of leadership.
Let's go through the itinerary: if you drink, you don't drive. Have a designated driver or plan on staying the night. Don't let friends drive if they have been drinking; be insistent. As always, please be a good Wingman and support our Team Charleston family throughout the holidays and ensure everyone returns safe and ready for the challenges of a new year.
Team Charleston - Take the Fight to the Enemy!