R 281230Z AUG 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 038/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/JULY 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1. DURING THE MONTH OF JULY 2001, 10 MARINES AND 1 SAILOR
DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS; 4 MORE DIED FROM SUSPECTED
SUICIDES, WHILE 20 ACTIVE AND RESERVE MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT
INJURIES. THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF THE CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH
OF JULY:
A. ON DUTY FATALITIES
1. LCPL FROM 3D MAW DIED AFTER HE OPENED THE TAILGATE OF A
5-TON AND TWO PALLETS FELL ON HIM.
2. LCPL FROM MSSG-24, 24TH MEU(SOC) DIED AFTER HE WAS STRUCK
WITH A PRESSURIZED PART WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON A VEHICLE.
3. FIVE MARINES FROM MCSF CO, BANGOR, WA WERE RIDING IN AN
ARMORED VEHICLE WHEN IT OVERTURNED. TWO MARINES DIED.
4. A CH-46E FROM HMM-365 HAD A CLASS A FLIGHT MISHAP WHEN IT
CRASHED INTO THE WATER WHILE CONDUCTING NVG TRAINING NEAR MCAS NEW
RIVER, NC. THREE CREWMEN WERE KILLED. THE PILOT AND COPILOT WERE
SERIOUSLY INJURED.
5. NAVY E-3 FROM HQSPTBN, MCB CAMP LEJEUNE FELL OUT OF A RUN AND
WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A CORE TEMPERATURE OF 107
DEGREES. HE DIED SEVERAL DAYS LATER.
B. OFF DUTY FATALITIES:
1. LCPL FROM "C" CO, 4TH CEB, RICHMOND, VA DIED WHEN HIS POV HIT
A TREE.
2. PVT FROM MARINE CORPS COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONIC SCHOOL
(MCCES) WAS KILLED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A CAR.
3. THREE MARINES FROM CSSD 16, 1ST FSSG, WERE RETURNING FROM
LIBERTY WHEN THEIR VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. ONE CPL DIED.
C. ON DUTY MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES:
1. LCPL FROM 2D TSBN, 2D FSSG WAS PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON A
MK14 AND ATTEMPTED TO RESEAT A CAP TO STOP A LEAK IN A REAR BRAKE
CYLINDER. THE PRESSURE FORCED THE CAP INTO HIS FOREHEAD, CAUSING
FACIAL INJURIES.
2. TWO LCPLS FROM 11TH MAR WERE INVOLVED IN A MULTI-VEHICLE
ACCIDENT WHEN THEIR WRECKER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID STOPPED TRAFFIC.
SEVEN CIVILIAN VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. NO SERIOUS INJURIES.
DAMAGE TO THE WRECKER IS TBD.
3. TWO PFCS AND ONE LCPL FROM 1ST BN, 2D MARINES WERE STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING WHILE CONDUCTING TRAINING ABOARD CAMP FUJI. THE LCPL WAS
MEDEVACED AND REMAINS HOSPITALIZED IN GRAVE CONDITION. THE TWO PFC'S
WERE TREATED AND RELEASED.
4. SGT FROM HMM-261, MAG-26 LOST A FINGER IN AN AIRCRAFT GROUND
MISHAP WHEN IT WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER SWASHPLATES OF
A CH-46.
D. OFF DUTY MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES:
1. SIX MARINES TRAVELING IN A PICKUP TRUCK SWERVED TO AVOID A
COYOTE. THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED. ALL MARINES IN THE VEHICLE WERE
INJURED TO VARYING DEGREES. THE MOST SERIOUS INJURY INCURRED WAS A
BROKEN NECK.
2. CPL FROM MSSG-31, 31ST MEU(SOC) SUFFERED SEVERE BAROTRAUMA
AFTER HIS REGULATOR FAILED WHILE SCUBA DIVING.
3. LCPL FROM MCSFCO, BANGOR, WA. WAS HANDLING A BALLOON FILLED
WITH ACETYLENE WHICH EXPLODED NEAR HIS FACE, RUPTURING AN EYEBALL
AND CAUSING ADDITIONAL INJURY TO HIS NECK AND FACE.
2. MIXED NEWS:
A. LAST YEAR DURING THE MONTH OF JULY, SIX MARINES DIED IN OFF DUTY
MISHAPS. NONE DIED IN ON DUTY GROUND OR AVIATION MISHAPS. FIVE DIED
IN PMV MISHAPS AND ONE IN A PEDESTRIAN MISHAP. DURING JULY 2001,
NINE ACTIVE DUTY AND ONE RESERVE MARINE DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY
MISHAPS, TO INCLUDE FOUR SUICIDES.
B. FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF FY01, 61 MARINES HAVE DIED IN ON AND
OFF DUTY MISHAPS. LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, 92 MARINES HAD DIED.
THIS IS A TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT.
C. DURING THE MONTH OF JULY, 11 MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN
OFF DUTY POV MISHAPS. TOO MANY OF THESE ACCIDENTS WERE EASILY
AVOIDABLE. AS DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS IN VEHICLES, WE MUST TAKE AN
ACTIVE PART IN THEIR SAFE OPERATION. SEATBELTS WORK. USE THEM AND
INSIST THAT YOUR PASSENGERS DO AS WELL. BEWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
INATTENTION AT THE WRONG TIME CAN BE DISASTROUS.
D. AVIATORS USE THE ADAGE 'AVIATE, NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE'. IT
MEANS TO FOCUS FIRST ON WHAT CAN HURT YOU FIRST. A SIMILAR
MINDSET COULD HAVE PREVENTED A NUMBER OF THIS PAST MONTH'S FATALITIES
AND INJURIES. THIS YEAR'S REDUCTION IN PMV FATALITIES CONTINUES TO
BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR CORPS CAN DO WHEN ATTENTION IS
FOCUSED ON A PROBLEM FROM THE TOP DOWN AND THE BOTTOM UP. EACH OF US
PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN OUR TRAFFIC FATALITY SUCCESS. CONTINUE TO LOOK
OUT FOR YOURSELVES AND FOR YOUR FELLOW MARINES. DON'T TAKE
UNNECCESARY CHANCES WITH YOUR LIFE, THE LIVES OF YOUR MARINES, OR THE
LIVES OF YOUR FAMILY.
3. COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
4. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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