100th ARW Ground Safety gives Team Mildenhall winter safety tips

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ethan Morgan
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  With the holidays around the corner and winter here, the RAF Mildenhall Safety Office urges Airmen to use sound risk management during the holiday season both on-and off-duty.

The 100th Air Refueling Wing Ground Safety Office is pushing for Airmen and their families to be safe, especially while driving.

"I suggest people slow down and be mindful of the conditions they are driving in," said Staff Sgt. Jason Thigpen, 100th ARW Ground Safety technician. "Just because the national speed limit is 60 mph doesn't mean you have to go that fast."

Thigpen stated that most car accidents in the local area happen due to drivers driving too fast in inclement weather such as rain, fog and icy roads.

"Around the holidays, a lot of people like to travel, especially as close as we are to Europe," said Thigpen. "While driving across the continent, you can run into many different road hazards and weather conditions."

The RAF Mildenhall Safety Office suggests travelers get plenty of rest before traveling any distance to prevent fatigue, which can present a hazard for travelers.

Holiday hazards are not limited to the roads but also include the home as well.

Fires are another big safety concern over the holidays. Fires often start because of faulty decoration wiring, daisy-chaining lights, overloading a power socket, candles or cooking fires.

According to statistics provided by the safety office, in the U.S. candles start about 11,600 fires each year, resulting in approximately 150 deaths, 1,200 injuries and $173 million in property loss. Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires annually, resulting in approximately 10 deaths, 30 injuries and an average of more than $10 million in property loss and damage.

"Any Christmas tree can catch on fire, but real ones are more likely to do so," said Thigpen. "If a real tree is not kept moist and is allowed to dry out it becomes nothing more than kindling that can flare up in less than 30 seconds."

For more information on how to keep safe this holiday season, visit the Air Force Safety Center website at http://www.afsec.af.mil/index.asp.