R 191921Z APR 04
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 020/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC SD//
SUBJ/MARCH 2004 SAFETY MESSAGE AND THIRD QUARTER SAFETY THEME//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  DURING MARCH, TWO MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY
MISHAPS AND FOUR MARINES DIED IN ONE OF TWO AVIATION MISHAPS.
A.  OFF-DUTY
(1) A LCPL DIED AFTER HITTING A GUARDRAIL IN HIS PMV AND BEING
STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.
(2) A LCPL DROWNED WHILE SWIMMING DURING A SEA CONDITION WARNING.
B.  AVIATION
(1) TWO LTCOLS, A GYSGT, AND A LCPL DIED IN THE CRASH OF THEIR
UC-35D AIRCRAFT DURING A NIGHT INSTRUMENT APPROACH.  THE AIRCRAFT
WAS DESTROYED.
(2) TWO AH-1W AIRCRAFT COLLIDED DURING A REFUELING EXERCISE IN IRAQ.
THERE WERE NO FATALITIES AS A RESULT OF THE MISHAP.  BOTH AIRCRAFT
WERE DESTROYED.
2.  TRENDS/OBSERVATIONS
A.  TO DATE, 24 MARINES HAVE DIED THIS FY IN OFF-DUTY AND
RECREATIONAL MISHAPS.  IF THIS TREND CONTINUES, THERE WILL BE MORE
RECREATIONAL FATALITIES THIS FY THAN IN THE PREVIOUS SEVEN.  BE
PROACTIVE AND PLAY YOUR PART IN CHANGING THIS TREND BY TAKING CARE
OF YOURSELF AND YOUR FELLOW MARINES.
B.  HISTORICALLY, DROWNING IS THE NUMBER TWO CAUSAL FACTOR OF FATAL
OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  AS SUMMER APPROACHES, OPPORTUNITIES TO SWIM WILL
INCREASE CONSIDERABLY.  PROPER OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT (ORM) AND
TRAINING WILL REDUCE THESE MISHAPS WHILE ALLOWING MARINES TO ENJOY
SWIMMING AND WATER-RELATED ACTIVITIES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.  SOME
THOUGHTS ABOUT ORM FOR MARINES WHEN SWIMMING ARE CONTAINED BELOW.
CONSIDER ALSO ADDING WATER SAFETY/SWIM TRAINING TO YOUR UNITS'
FITNESS PROGRAMS.  IN ADDITION TO INCREASING WATER SAFETY AWARENESS,
YOU CAN ADD A LOW IMPACT PHYSICAL TRAINING REGIMEN THAT WILL
INCREASE ENDURANCE, REDUCE EXERCISE-RELATED INJURIES, IMPROVE
CONFIDENCE IN AND AROUND THE WATER, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, REDUCE THE
LIKELIHOOD OF A DROWNING MISHAP.
C.  THE BELOW ORM EXAMPLE IS A TOOL FOR MARINES TO USE IN REDUCING
RISK WHEN SWIMMING.  MARINES SHOULD ADD TO IT AS THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES
DICTATE.
(1) IDENTIFY HAZARDS SUCH AS SUBMERGED ROCKS OR DEBRIS.  EXAMINE THE
WATER TO BETTER GAUGE ITS DEPTH AND CURRENTS; LOOK OUT FOR
RIP-TIDES; AND BE AWARE OF APPROACHING WEATHER SYSTEMS THAT BRING
HEAVY RAIN, LIGHTNING OR ROUGH SEAS.  TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SWIMMING
ABILITIES OF EVERYONE IN YOUR GROUP.
(2) ASSESS THE SEVERITY AND PROBABILITY OF ANY HAZARDS ASSOCIATED
WITH YOUR PLANS.
(3) REDUCE RISK BY MAKING SOUND DECISIONS.  FOR EXAMPLE, BRING A
CELL PHONE IF YOU HAVE ONE; LET SOMEONE KNOW WHERE YOU WILL BE
SWIMMING AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK; DO NOT SWIM ALONE; SWIM WHEN
THERE IS A LIFEGUARD OR MARINE CORPS WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR
PRESENT; AND BRING A SAFETY FLOTATION DEVICE OF SOME KIND IN CASE OF
AN EMERGENCY.  REVIEW CPR STEPS FOR DROWNING VICTIMS.
(4) IMPLEMENT CONTROLS SUCH AS LIMITING THE DURATION AND DISTANCE OF
SWIMMING TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL FOR ALL.  WAIT A REASONABLE PERIOD
AFTER EATING BEFORE SWIMMING AND DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL WHILE
ENGAGING IN WATER ACTIVITIES.
(5) SUPERVISION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IN THE ORM PROCESS.  BE
ESPECIALLY WATCHFUL AND ALERT IN AND AROUND THE WATER.
3.  AS I SEE OUR MOST PRECIOUS ASSETS INJURED OR KILLED IN RECURRING
AND PREVENTABLE MISHAPS, I AM REMINDED THAT SIMPLY FOLLOWING OUR
CORE VALUES, "HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT", WOULD SAVE MANY
LIVES.  FOR THIS REASON, I'VE DECIDED THAT OUR THIRD QUARTER SAFETY
THEME WILL BE OUR CORE VALUES.  LEADERS WILL TAKE TIME TO
REEMPHASIZE THE MEANING OF OUR CORE VALUES AND ENGAGE MARINES IN
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO MAINTAIN THOSE VALUES IN THEIR OFF-DUTY
LIVES.  FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THE CORE VALUES,
GO TO THE 'WHAT'S NEW' PAGE OF THE SAFETY DIVISION WEBSITE,
HTTP:/WWW.HQMC.USMC.MIL/SAFETYWEB.NSF.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//