“SAFE-n-SOUND All Year Round” Published Nov. 27, 2013 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Last year, Air Mobility Command did not lose any Airmen during the holiday period. To prepare for the upcoming holiday season, AMC has released the "SAFE-n-SOUND, All Year Round" Campaign to run from Nov. 22 through Jan. 25, 2014. "It is imperative we do all we can to help our Airmen make educated risk management decisions that impact their safety both on and off-duty", said Sydney J. Hughes, AMC Ground Safety Division chief. The most common mishaps during this time of year are slips and falls due to icy conditions. The most serious involve motor vehicle operations. Driving too fast for conditions, drinking and driving, fatigue and distractions are common causal factors. "Ensure your efforts include addressing on-duty safety," said. Col. Paul R. Murphy, AMC Director of Safety. "Aside from the numerous slips and falls experienced each year at our bases located in colder climates, be especially vigilant in environments that present the potential for more serious mishaps." Last year, an Airman sustained a permanent partial injury when he lost the tip of his finger during a cargo loading operation. Shortly after the season ended, AMC lost two Airmen to on-duty mishaps. One Airman died when a KC-135 boom fell on her and the other was crushed when he was pinned between a wall and a vehicle as he was performing spotter duties. While these mishaps are not typical, on-duty hazards are present throughout the year. The 22nd Air Refueling Wing Safety Office emphasized that using risk management is the key to staying safe over the holiday season. "It's very common for people between the ages of 18 and 26 to work all day and then try to drive 15 to 20 hours to get to their final destination," said Robert Clapp, 22nd ARW Ground Safety manager. "This is extremely dangerous. By using risk management, the Airman would realize that the smarter, safer alternative is to request the day prior off from work and turn the 15 hour drive into a two day trip versus putting themselves at risk due to fatigued driving." In addition to the campaign, each week has been given a theme to address key areas of personal safety: Week 1 - Nov. 22 - The Long and Winding Road Week 2 - Nov. 29 - Christmas Lights Week 3 - Dec. 6 - Super Skier's Last Race Week 4 - Dec. 13 - I Just Want to Celebrate Week 5 - Dec. 20 - Ice Ice Baby Week 6 - Dec. 27 - Cold Weather Blues Week 7 - Jan. 4 - Back to Work and Tired Week 8 - Jan. 11 - Distractions Week 9 - Jan. 18 - Dangers of Short Daylight Hours "All Airmen are encouraged to use sound risk management principles to help them avoid making poor decisions that can lead to unnecessary pain and suffering", said Wayne Bendall, this year's holiday campaign manager. Editor's note: Information from an AMC Public Affairs article was used in this story.