Spell June, S - A - F - E!

  • Published
  • By John Burt
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Summertime usually means enjoying the outdoors with friends or taking family vacations. The fun can end, however, when unexpected events like injuries or natural disasters happen.

June is National Safety Month, an annual campaign sponsored by the National Safety Council. The campaign provides education and awareness to help avoid preventable injuries in the home and workplace as well as encourage all Americans to take specific steps to be prepared for disasters and emergencies.

"Safety starts with me," is this year's theme which stresses individual actions. National Safety Month focuses on a different topic each week including preventing slips, trips and falls, improving employee wellness and steps to emergency preparedness.

The "be ready" message is something the professionals in the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Emergency Management division emphasize year-round. One way is through the Air Force's Be Ready initiative, a campaign to help raise awareness and prompt individuals to take action to be prepared for whatever threat or disaster may arise.

"Three things that we constantly stress to our Airmen is get a kit, make a plan and be prepared," said Master Sgt. Ernie Rude, Emergency Management Publications Manager. "If every Airman will take these steps, effects from disasters can be minimized and lives could be saved."

A set of resources is available on the Air Force's Be Ready website. This site is for military members and civilians alike and offers checklists to use to properly plan for whatever contingency arises. There is even a "Be Ready Kids" section with downloadable activity sheets to help educate younger family members.

Throughout June and the hot summer months that follow, wherever your summer plans take you, don't take a vacation from safety!

For information and resources to help you and your family "Be Ready," visit http://www.BeReady.af.mil. For National Safety Month materials, visit http://www.nsc.org.

Graphic:
(U.S. Air Force graphic/Lisa Cymmer)