With great weather comes great responsibility when it comes to safety Published April 11, 2014 By Jake Chappelle 446th Airlift Wing MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- After what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights of downpours, long daylight hours and dry roads creep their way to the Pacific Northwest. But its resident Airmen should plan before breaking out the sunblock. Air Mobility Command launched a spring safety campaign to help Airmen enjoy the beginning of the warm-weather season, while applying appropriate safety habits. But Reservists aren't exempt from practicing apt safety principles. "You hear about it in the news this time every year," said Maj. Eugene Ballou, 446th Airlift Wing chief of Safety. "Rivers are higher and moving faster, but people finally get a taste of that first 70-degree day and want to jump in the lake. They don't realize the waters' still cold from the winter months, and they jump in the water and end up getting hypothermia, or go into cold shock and drown from the instant change of temperature." He said one of the best precautions before taking a "polar plunge" is by slowly adapting to the water. "A lot of folks will go out on their boats, drink alcohol - thinking it'll keep their bodies warm - and decide to jump in the water," Ballou said. "It's not like getting in your heated backyard swimming pool in the middle of July. You have to ease into [the water] so your body adjust to it. Alcohol will only drop your body temperature even faster." For some people the abundance of sunlight promotes more alcohol intake, even in the face of a potential Driving While Intoxicated charge. Everybody knows drunk driving is wrong, said Master Sgt. Regina Rector, Ground and Weapons Safety manager for the wing. It's also expensive. Just calculating the charges could sober most people up. How much is a military career worth? Forget about the higher [auto] insurance premiums, attorney fees, posting bail, vehicle towing, and struggling to get back on track. Rector said distracted driving is a big issue today. "All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety." She said distractions include: · Using a cell or smartphone · Eating and drinking · Talking to passengers · Grooming · Reading [including maps] · Using a navigation system · Watching videos · Adjusting the radio, CD or MP3 player, and · Texting Because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it's by far the most alarming distraction, Rector said. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission unveiled the Washington State Distracted Driving Campaign to grow awareness to driver distractions and the devastating results they can produce. More information can be found at http://text-talk-ticket.com/. Motorcycle safety awareness has also begun to sneak its way onto the roads. A third of Air Force motorcycle deaths within the last year were in AMC, said Master Sgt. Bruce Perkins, 446th AW Ground Safety assistant and Motorcycle Safety manager. That's five out of 16 from April 2013 to March 2014 to be exact. All of these shared common themes - excessive speeds, race-ready motorcycles, inexperienced and distracted riders. "With the weather getting warmer and longer, motorcycles are coming into the already congested roadways," he said. "Being a yearlong rider, I've seen these 'garage trophies' drug out of hibernation, and riders getting reacquainted with these two-wheel beasts. No sooner do they bring them out on the road to try to find the limits of these machines." "Don't let your wrist outthink your head." These were Col. Anthony Davit's words at the 62nd Airlift Wing Annual Pre-Season Motorcycle Riders Briefing here in early April. Perkins agrees with the 627th Air Base Group commander. "Every one of us has seen a motorcycle zip in and out of traffic at high speeds with ease," he said. "Do you think they used that principle?" Perkins has some tips for riders to keep in mind. The revised Air Force motorcycle regulation requires riders to wear personnel protective equipment which includes, · Department of Transportation approved helmet, · eye protection that meets the American National Standards Institute [ANSI Z87.1] criteria, · a long-sleeved, brightly-colored upper-outer garment that's reflective at night, · long pants, · full-fingered gloves, and · over-the-ankle shoes or boots. Rector said it may not be time to surf, and some people may think it's too early for warm-weather safety, but the Critical Days of Summer are within reach.