R 261600Z MAR 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 021/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC SD//
SUBJ/FEBRUARY 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2003, THREE MARINES DIED
IN ON AND OFF DUTY GROUND MISHAPS, AND 16 SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT
INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE
MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2003:
A.  FATALITIES
(1) NO MARINES DIED FROM ON-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.
(2) THREE MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  A CPL
FROM 2D LAAD BN, MACG-28, 2D MAW LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE
AND IMPACTED A TREE, RESULTING IN HIS DEATH.  A LCPL FROM
VMFA-224 LAID DOWN ON THE ROAD AND WAS STRUCK AND KILLED BY A
VEHICLE.  A CPL FROM MALS-36, 1ST MAW DROWNED WHILE SCUBA DIVING.  
B.  SUICIDES: NONE.
C.  INJURIES
(1) NINE MARINES SUSTAINED SERIOUS ON-DUTY INJURIES IN FEBRUARY.  
A CAPT ATTENDING MILITARY FREEFALL SCHOOL COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER
STUDENT WHILE DESCENDING TO THE DZ.  SNO FELL APPROX 30 FEET TO
THE GROUND, RESULTING IN A BROKEN HIP, BROKEN LEFT ARM AND A
LACERATION TO HIS FOREHEAD.  A 2NDLT FROM 3D BN, 5TH MAR, 1ST
MARDIV RECEIVED SHRAPNEL TO HIS RIGHT ARM FROM A GRENADE DURING
GRENADE TRAINING.  A CAPT FROM MALS-39, MAG-39, 3RD MAW FELL FROM
A PALLET, BREAKING HIS LEFT WRIST.  A SSGT FROM 1ST TANK BN,
1ST MARDIV WAS INJURED WHILE DRIVING LEAD HMMWV IN A 37 VEHICLE
CONVOY, WHEN HE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE.  SNM SUFFERED LACERATIONS
TO HIS LOWER LEFT LEG, AND WAS EVACUATED FOR TREATMENT.  A LCPL
FROM 5TH MAR, 1ST MARDIV, CAMP DOHA, ACCIDENTALLY STABBED HIMSELF
IN HIS RIGHT EYE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN A MRE BOX WITH A KNIFE.
SNM'S CONDITION IS LISTED AS SERIOUS.  A CPL FROM 5TH LAR, 1ST
MARDIV, LOST CONTROL ON A MILITARY 250CC MOTORCYCLE, RESULTING
IN A DISLOCATED RIGHT ANKLE AND MULTIPLE FRACTURES.  A PFC FROM
3RD LAR BN ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELF IN THE LEFT FOOT WHILE
CLEANING HIS RIFLE.  SNM UNDERWENT SURGERY, AND IS IN STABLE
CONDITION.  A LCPL FROM MWSS-271, MWSG-27, 2ND MAW, FRACTURED
HIS LEFT ANKLE IN THREE PLACES WHEN HE FELL WHILE MOVING DECKING,
AND THE DECKING FELL ON HIS LEG.  A LCPL FROM 3RD BN, 11TH MAR,
1ST MARDIV LOST THE TIP OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS NOSE WHEN THE
TAILGATE OF A 5-TON VEHICLE HE WAS STANDING BEHIND WAS LOWERED,
STRIKING SNM.  FORTUNATELY, DOCTORS WERE ABLE TO SURGICALLY
REATTACH HIS NOSE.  
(2) SEVEN MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  
FIVE OF THE MISHAPS OCCURRED IN AUTOMOBILES, ONE ON AN ALL-TERRAIN
VEHICLE (ATV), AND THE LAST A PEDESTRIAN MISHAP.  TWO MARINES FROM
8TH ESB, 2D FSSG WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE DRIVER OF THEIR
VEHICLE FELL ASLEEP.  THE VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD TRAVELING APPROX
60 MPH AND STRUCK A BRICK WALL IN A DRIVEWAY.  THE DRIVER AND ONE
OTHER PASSENGER (BOTH LCPLS) RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, WHILE A PFC
UNDERWENT EXPLORATORY SURGERY FOR POSSIBLE ABDOMINAL BLEEDING.  
ANOTHER LCPL IS CURRENTLY ON A VENTILATOR BECAUSE HE CANNOT
MAINTAIN AN OPEN AIRWAY DUE TO SEVERE FACIAL TRAUMA.  ALL
OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING BELTS, WHICH IN ALL LIKELIHOOD SAVED THEIR
LIVES.  A LCPL FROM 6TH COMM BN WAS INJURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO
RE-ENTER HER VEHICLE AFTER IT STARTING ROLLING FORWARD.  SNM WAS
CRUSHED BY THE DOOR OF HER VEHICLE AS IT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED
CAR.  SNM IS IN STABLE CONDITION AND EXPECTED TO RECOVER.  A CPL
FROM MSSG-26, 26 MEU (SOC) WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE WHILE WALKING
IN A CROSSWALK.  SNM SUFFERED A BROKEN RIGHT TIBIA AND FIBULA, BUT
IS LISTED IN GOOD CONDITION.  A LCPL FROM 2D BN, 6TH MAR, 2D MARDIV
SUFFERED A CONCUSSION, FRACTURED VERTEBRAE, AND A BROKEN LEFT WRIST
IN AN ATV ACCIDENT.  SNM WAS WEARING HIS HELMET AT THE TIME OF THE
ACCIDENT, WHICH PROBABLY SAVED HIS LIFE.  TWO MARINES (CPL & LCPL)
FROM HMH-772, MCAS NEW RIVER, WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE CPL
LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO OVERTURN.  BOTH MARINES
WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, AND EXCESSIVE SPEED IS
BELIEVED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.  BOTH MARINES ARE IN
INTENSIVE CARE WITH A GOOD PROGNOSIS.  
D.  AVIATION:  NONE.
2.  LOOKING AHEAD
A.  LAST FY THIS TIME, 39 MARINES DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND
AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS, AND ANOTHER 12 IN AVIATION MISHAPS.  THIS FY,
31 MARINES HAVE DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS, AND 4
TO AVIATION MISHAPS.  
B.  AS THE SPRING RAINY SEASON APPROACHES, BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS
OF WET ROADS.  WET ROADS INCREASE THE CHANCE OF LOSING CONTROL OF
YOUR VEHICLE.  HYDROPLANING CAN OCCUR WHEN A COMBINATION OF SPEED,
TIRE WEAR, TIRE INFLATION, OR DEPTH OF WATER ON THE ROAD CAUSES
TIRES TO LOSE TRACTION.  TO REDUCE THE RISK, ENSURE YOUR TIRES ARE
PROPERLY INFLATED, THE TREAD IS IN GOOD CONDITION, ADJUST YOUR
SPEED TO ROAD CONDITIONS, AND TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL.  IF YOU
HYDROPLANE, IMMEDIATELY REDUCE POWER AND AVOID SHARP BRAKING.  IF
YOU ARE USING CRUISE CONTROL, IT WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY POWER TO
THE WHEELS UNTIL YOU DISENGAGE IT, DEPRIVING YOU OF CRITICAL TIME
TO SAFELY RECOVER.
C.  WE LOST THREE MARINES TO OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH, AND NONE
TO ON-DUTY MISHAPS.  THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT
OVER LAST YEAR, WHEN 13 MARINES DIED DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY,
5 OF WHICH WERE ON-DUTY.  THIS IS ONE OF MANY POSITIVE STEPS
TOWARDS MISHAP REDUCTION WE ARE GLAD TO REPORT THIS MONTH.  
ANOTHER POSITIVE SIGN IS THE REDUCTION IN TOTAL MISHAP FATALITIES
FROM THIS SAME PERIOD LAST FY, 35 VICE 51.  
AND FINALLY, WE CONTINUE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN MARINES EFFECTIVELY
USING ORM BY WEARING REQUIRED PROTECTIVE SAFETY DEVICES (I.E.
SEATBELTS AND HELMETS).  LET'S CONTINUE TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT
ORM WORKS, BOTH ON AND OFF DUTY.  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, AND STAY
SAFE!
3.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//