Summer Season Campaign Focuses on Keeping Sailors Safe

NORFOLK (NNS) -- As the summer season kicks off with the approaching Memorial Day weekend, the Naval Safety Center (NSC) is making myriad resources available to commands so they can tailor their individual 2009 safety campaigns.

NSC's new campaign provides tools such as presentations, articles, videos and interactive discussion aids to promote the type of risk management that will allow Sailors to enjoy these activities successfully.

Campaign materials can be found at www.safetycenter.navy.mil/seasonal/summer09/index.asp.

The focus of this year's summer safety campaign is on enjoying off-duty time with family and friends. Many Sailors take advantage of the warm weather to plan vacations. They head to the beach or to the mountains. They fire up the motorcycle that sat idle in the garage all winter. But they need to do it smartly and safely.

"Risk management is largely common sense," said John Williams, a recreation safety specialist at the NSC.

"Make sure you're trained to participate in the activities you want to enjoy, and wear the right protective equipment."

In years past, the long Memorial Day weekend signified more than just an opportunity to honor fallen heroes and kick off the unofficial start to summer with a backyard barbecue. During the last decade, Memorial Day weekend began NSC's summer-long safety awareness campaign.

While this year's initiative doesn't have a catchy name as in years past, NSC is hoping the fleet can help change that for next year. The campaign website features a link that allows Sailors to offer their suggestions for a new name to the annual summer safety focus period.

"Ideas are pouring in," said April Phillips, NSC's summer safety campaign coordinator. "There's a lot of creativity out there, and I'm sure that next year we'll have a very memorable name for our summer safety initiative."

The summer safety period runs through Labor Day, and NSC's website will be updated throughout the campaign with more resources for an enjoyable summer and safe season.

For more news from Naval Safety Center, visit www.navy.mil/local/nsc/.