CAP SAFETY PLEDGE

As a Civil Air Patrol member, I pledge to promote an uncompromising safety environment for myself and others, and to prevent the loss of, or damage to, Civil Air Patrol assets entrusted to me. I will perform all my activities in a professional and safe manner, and will hold myself accountable for my actions in all of our Missions for America.

The following are excerpts from CAPR 62-1, Safety Responsibility and Procedures.

PROGRAM GOAL:

The underlying goal of the CAP Safety Program is to minimize the risks faced by our membership in the performance of their volunteer duties.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

All levels of command shall work in partnership to develop effective safety education and mishap prevention measures to safeguard our members and preserve our physical resources.

All levels of command shall seek to instill a culture of safety that guides the planning and execution of every CAP activity.

Individual members will live the CAP motto of "ALWAYS VIGILANT" in planning, conducting, and participating in all CAP activities. Hazards and potentially unsafe behavior will be addressed immediately and then reported to higher authority.

Commanders at all levels carry the responsibility of taking immediate action against any CAP member who places a fellow member at unnecessary risk. Measures may range from counseling to the loss of membership in accordance with appropriate CAP directives.

The effectiveness of each Commander's safety efforts shall be evaluated yearly through the on-line Safety Survey process. The commander at the next higher echelon (or his/her designee) will review and comment on the surveys of all subordinate units.

Safety Officers shall develop a program of regular safety education and mishap prevention training for the unit(s) to which they are assigned. This program shall deliver no less than 15 minutes per month of face-to -face safety education and training to the membership. Members who missed the face-to-face safety meeting will review the information presented at the meeting before they participate in any CAP activity (including unit meetings). Rational flexibility should be used to get the latest safety meeting information to those members who miss a unit safety meeting. Any system that gets the message to the members is acceptable. Due to the educational benefits gained from the interaction during face-to-face meetings, each member must attend at least one face-to-face meeting per calendar quarter.

CAP - Safety Video

Aircraft Ground Handling

U.S. Air Force - Safety Videos

U. S. Air Force - NASCAR

Safe Driving

U.S. Air Force - Snowcross

ATV Safety

U.S. Air Force - Drowsy at the Wheel

Fatigue and Driving

U.S. Navy - Safety Videos

U.S. Navy - Naval Safety Center

Think Safety - You're Part of the Team

U.S. Navy - Jeremy McGrath PSA

Motorcycle Safety

U.S. Navy - Naval Safety Center

I Need You to be Safe

Even though safety is a serious concern, a lighter approach can be used:

"Big Safety", courtesy of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74)

Note: It goes a bit beyond safety, into professional behavior and appearance.

U.S. Army - Safety Videos

U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center - Series 1 thru 4

Operational Risk Management (ORM)

CAP ORM Principles

Four principles govern all actions associated with risk management. These continuously employed principles are applicable before, during and after all tasks and operations.

1) Accept no Unnecessary Risk: Unnecessary risk comes without a commensurate return in terms of real benefits or available opportunities. All CAP missions and our daily routines involve risk. The most logical choices for accomplishing a mission are those that meet all mission requirements with the minimum acceptable risk. The corollary to this axiom is “accept necessary risk” required to successfully complete the mission or task.

2) Make Risk Decisions at the Appropriate Level: Making risk decisions at the appropriate level establishes clear accountability. Those accountable for the success or failure of the mission must be included in the risk decision process. The appropriate level for risk decisions is the one that can allocate the resources to reduce the risk or eliminate the hazard and implement controls. Typically, the commander, leader, or individual responsible for executing the mission or task is:

a) Authorized to accept levels of risk typical of the planned operation (i.e., loss of mission effectiveness, normal wear and tear on materiel).

b) Required to elevate decisions to the next level in the chain of command after it is determined that controls available to him/her will not reduce residual risk to an acceptable level.

3) Accept Risk When Benefits Outweigh the Costs: All identified benefits should be compared to all identified costs. The process of weighing risks against opportunities and benefits helps to maximize unit capability. Even high-risk endeavors may be undertaken when there is clear knowledge that the sum of the benefits exceeds the sum of the costs. Balancing costs and benefits may be a subjective process and open to interpretation. Ultimately, the balance may have to be determined by the appropriate decision authority.

4) Integrate ORM into Planning at all Levels: Risks are more easily assessed and managed in the planning stages of an operation. Integrating risk management into planning as early as possible provides the decision maker the greatest opportunity to apply ORM principles. Additionally, feedback must be provided to benefit future missions/activities.

U.S. Navy - Operational Risk Management

"Check It - What gets Checked, Gets Done"

Go to the 'Training Links' page to access the CAP ORM training site.

Past Safety Topics

Road Rage

How not to get into a road rage situation-6 tips to stay calm, cool, and collected on the road:

1. Left lane is for passing - period. Even if you're doing the speed limit, move to the right

2. Use your directionals. It's the law. Get into the habit even if there isn't anyone else around.

3. Don't forget the hazard lights. If you're slowing down with the intention of stopping, put your hazard flashers on.

4. Check out your blind spot before changing lanes. A quick whip of your head will determine if someone is cruising in your blind spot. Don't rely solely on your mirrors.

5. When entering a freeway, give it gas. Accelerate rapidly to bring the car up to speed of traffic.

6. Drive and don't do anything else. No reading, shaving, brushing teeth, putting on make-up and no cell phone or ipods.

These 6 tips should keep you cool and collected on the road without causing road rage.

Basic First Aid

A certified EMT was the speaker for this class. We discussed injuries such as open wounds and broken bones and how to treat each while in the field. The first topic we discussed was ways in which bleeding can start and continue including the circulatory system. The cadets were shown hoe to make a compression bandage over the wound to stop the bleeding. If you are in the wilderness you can use a shredded shirt for a bandage and shoe laces for compression. We also spoke about how to stabilize a broken bone by using branches and rolled newspapers and tying them together with shoe laces and belts.

Vehicle Safety

We spoke about what to do when the brakes in your car fails. You are supposed to downshift immediately, but not too quickly otherwise you will skid. Downshift smoothly through the gears. Pump your brakes-doesn't always work but there might be enough pressure left in the brakes to build up pressure and stop.

Summer Time Safety Issues

The topic was poison ivy, oak and sumac. We spoke about how to recognize each plant, what the oil on the plant can do to the skin and ways of treating the rash. We also spoke about the myths and facts about poison ivy, such as: poison ivy rash is contagious-not true and you spread the rash only if the plant's oil touches your skin.

Sunburns - Causes: ultra-violet radiation. We spoke about sunburn symptoms: chills, fever, nausea, and blistering. We also spoke about sunburn treatment and prevention-get out of the sun, cover exposed skin, and take Advil, aspirin, or Aleve. The best prevention is sunscreen.

101 Critical Days of Summer

Labor Day to Memorial Day are the 101 deadliest days of summer. Majority amounts of car accidents are teenagers because of speeding, DWI and not wearing seat belts.

Water Safety - 700 people get killed while boating. Do not overload the boat and wear life vests. There are also a large amount of drowning's during this period.

Weather related - Beware of lightning storms and he start of hurricane season. During a lightning storm don't venture under trees.

Ground and Air Safety

While camping put a piece of red tape on guide wires so you don't trip. Don't be afraid to ask questions or for help. Know your personal limitations. If you're tired ask for help.

Air safety

Weight and balance-make sure the aircraft is properly balanced. Equipment required to be on a CAP aircraft can be quite heavy. Don't guess the weight of the equipment-know the weight.

Driving Safety

Disasters while driving -black ice- to avoid skidding on ice drive more cautiously and slower. When skidding pump the brakes. Most cars of today have ABS. Most accidents occur from excessive speeding. During light rain oils come to the surface of the roadway making it very slippery. Do not talk on your cell phone while driving and no drinking and driving.

Risks

In the military, people may ask you to take risks or put your life in danger to resolve a problem. Some risks can be managed. Risks that can’t shouldn’t be taken. The potential cost of a risk should be considered. Last year, a CAP aircraft crashed at a loss of over a million dollars. Another accidentally drove into a hangar with damages of about $500,000. Both were as a result of poor risk management.

“White line fever” is also called “highway hypnosis”. Both are names for the phenomenon that occurs when the driver of a vehicle pushes the limits of his or her ability to stay awake. It’s as if they were sleeping while sitting behind the wheel.

Risk Management consists of these steps:

Identify the hazards of what you intend to do. Assess the risks. Analyze your risk control measures. Make decisions based on your ability to control risks. Implement your risk controls. Supervise and review.

DON’T TAKE STUPID RISKS!

Fire

Fire Triangle - fuel, oxygen, heat.

Fire Classes:

A - wood and trash

B - paint and flamible liquids

C- Electrical

D- metal, aluminum

Fire Extinguisher types:

Water - removes heat - use on Type A fires only

CO2 - [dry ice] - removes oxygen [ too much and it removes your oxygen also] OK for ABC

Dry Chemical - blankets the fuel - do not use in confined ares like cars or aircraft. To use: “PASS “ - Pull the pin, Aim, Squeeze the trigger, Sweep across the fire.

Foam - Class A, B, C & D {MESSY}

Rules - 1. For all but the smallest fires, get yourself and everyone else out and call the fire department.

2. Only one person needs to fight the fire. Tell everyone else to leave..

Holiday Hazards

Care in performing tasks including STF [slips/trips/falls], elevated work, electrical safety, and PPE [personal protective equipment].

Ticks

We discussed the biology of a tick, types of ticks, how to recognize their bite and how to treat the bites. We also discussed Lyme Disease and how to protect yourself against ticks.

Six big myths about pedestrian safety

Myth 1 - Kids account for most pedestrian causalities

False- Seniors run the greatest risk of a walking fatality

Myth 2 - Intersections with walk/don't walk lights are the safest places to cross

False-studies show that pedestrian signals have no effect on crash rates compared with non signalized intersections.

Myth 3 - You can cross safely when the driver waves an OK

False-the stopped vehicle actually becomes an obstacle blocking the view of drivers overtaking it in the next lane

Myth 4 - Drivers running red lights, barging into cross walks or not paying attention cause the most collisions

False-these accidents mostly involve jay walking, darting out into traffic mid-block, or crossing highways

Myth 5 - Wearing white at night lets drivers see you.

False-you should be wearing reflective tape at night when jogging

Myth 6 - Just walk home when you've had too much to drink

False-according to the most recent statistics, 34% of pedestrians aged 16 or older killed in traffic collisions had a blood alcohol concentration at or above .08, the legal limit fro drivers in NY state.

Driver Safety

We held a round-robin on driving dangers with each cadet naming a danger with each followed by a discussion of how to avoid them. Some of the dangers mentioned were driving distractions including eating, talking, drinking, noise and map / direction reading. Speeding brought up the fact that car racing is the number one cause of teen death and injury. Not obeying signs and signals was followed by a discussion of "All Way" stop signs and "Right on Red" rules. Weather and night vision problems are also dangers.