R 201415Z DEC 01
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 063/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/NOVEMBER 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1. DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2001, FOUR MARINES AND ONE CIV
GOV'T EMPLOYEE DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, THREE MARINES DIED
FROM SUICIDES, AND EIGHT MARINES AND ONE RECRUIT SUFFERED
SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES
FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:
A. FATALITIES
ON DUTY: A CIV GOV'T EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING A FORKLIFT ONTO A TRUCK,
WHEN THE FORKLIFT BEGAN TO ROLL BACK DOWN THE RAMP. THE GOV'T EMP
JUMPED OFF THE FORKLIFT, STRIKING HIS HEAD ON THE TRUCK. HE LATER
DIED AS A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES.
OFF DUTY:
(1) A LCPL AND PFC, FROM 2D CEB, WERE TRAVELING TO VISIT FAMILY
WHEN AN 18 WHEEL TRACTOR-TRAILER RAN A STOP SIGN AND BROADSIDED
THEIR VEHICLE. THE LCPL DIED AT THE SCENE AND THE PFC IS CURRENTLY
HOSPITALIZED WITH A FRACTURED MANDIBLE (LOWER JAW BONE) AND A
LACERATED SCALP. BOTH MARINES WERE WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS.
(2) A CPL FROM MAG-39, WHILE RIDING AS A PASSENGER, WAS INVOLVED IN
AN AUTO ACCIDENT ON 30 OCT 01. HIS CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE
ACCIDENT WAS CRITICAL WITH A PROGNOSIS OF GRIM. SNM SUBSEQUENTLY
DIED 12 NOV 01 OF A CLOSED HEAD INJURY AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY
SYNDROME.
(3) A CPL FROM MALS-13, WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ROLLOVER
AND SUFFERED INJURIES, RESULTING IN HIS DEATH. SNM WAS NOT WEARING
A SEAT BELT AND WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE THREE
OTHER MARINES IN THE VEHICLE, ALL OF WHOM WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS
AND THEY ARE IN STABLE CONDITION AT YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL
CENTER. ALCOHOL WAS INVOLVED AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, A
LCPL, IS EXPECTED TO BE CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER.
(4) A PVT FROM 9TH COMM BN, WAS TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH WITH
THREE PASSENGERS IN HIS VEHICLE. IN HIS ATTEMPT TO OVERTAKE A SEMI
TRACTOR TRAILOR, HE CLIPPED THE REAR END OF THE SEMI, CAUSING HIM
TO LOSE CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT AND
THE PVT'S DEATH. THE THREE OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE
SURVIVED. SNM WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT.
B. SUICIDES
(1) A GYSGT FROM 1/24 SHOT AND KILLED HIS WIFE, THEN SHOT AND KILLED
HIMSELF.
(2) A LCPL, FROM HMLA-167, WAS MISSING FROM HIS APPOINTED PLACE OF
DUTY. WHILE CHECKING HIS QUARTERS, A SGT NOTICED SNM'S MOTORCYCLE
IN THE DRIVEWAY BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE WHEN HE KNOCKED ON THE LCPLS
DOOR. THE SGT CONTACTED PMO AND THEY ENTERED THE QTRS TO FIND SNM
WITH A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD.
(3) A SGT FROM HMLA-775, DET A, WAS OUT HUNTING WHEN THE STATE POLICE
FOUND HIS BODY. SNM HAD A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD.
C. MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES
ON DUTY:
(1) A LCPL FROM MCSFCO GUANTANAMO BAY, ACTING IN HIS CAPACITY AS
SUPERNUMERY FOR THE GUARD, WAS RUNNING A SPARE SET OF NVG'S TO
MARINE OBSERVATION POST (MOP) 13. ON DESCENT FROM MOP 13, SNM LOST
HIS BALANCE AND FELL APPROX 20-25 FEET. SNM SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES
AND A COMPOUND FRACTURE OF HIS LEFT LOWER LEG. SNM WAS MEDEVACED TO
THE NAVAL HOSPITAL AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO MIAMI, FL FOR AN MRI. HIS
CONDITION IS FAIR AND PROGNOSIS IS GOOD.
(2) A RECRUIT FROM CO M, 3RD RTBN, RTR, MCRD SAN DIEGO COLLAPSED
WHILE RUNNING THE 2-MILE INTERVAL RUN AND WAS TAKEN TO THE ACUTE
CARE UNIT (ACU) BY THE COMPANY CORPSMAN. SNR ARRIVED AT ACU WITH A
TEMP OF 107.4 DEGREES. SNR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN TO BALBOA NAVAL
HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND ARRIVED WITH A TEMP OF 105. SNR'S TEMP
SUBSIDED TO 102, HOWEVER HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PNEUMONIA,
GASTRO INTESTINAL BLEEDING, AND HEATSTROKE. HIS CONDITION IS
CRITICAL BUT STABLE WITH A PROGNOSIS OF UNKNOWN.
OFF DUTY:
(1) A SGT FROM MWSS-273, LOST CONTROL OF HIS POV, WENT
OVER THE SIDE OF A BRIDGE, AND SUBMERGED HIS VEHICLE IN MARSH WATER.
SNM WAS TAKEN TO THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SC IN CHARLESTON FOR
TREATMENT OF LUNG CONTUSION, BROKEN LEFT LEG AND MULTIPLE LEG AND
ARM CONTUSIONS. SNM WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT AND IS CURRENTLY IN
STABLE CONDITION.
(2) A CAPT FROM HQSVCBN, 2D FSSG SUSTAINED C3 AND C4 FACET FRACTURES
(SPINAL COLUMN INJURY) AFTER HIS VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S
SIDE. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE IS LISTED IN
STABLE CONDITION. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT.
(3) A PFC FROM 9TH MCD, WAS ENROUTE TO MCT AND TRAVELING IN A VEHICLE
THAT WAS STRUCK BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER. SNM WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE
VEHICLE USING THE JAWS OF LIFE. SNM SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS LEFT
LUNG, SPLEEN, KIDNEY AND PELVIS. HIS CONDITION IS CRITICAL WITH A
GOOD PROGNOSIS. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT.
(4) A PFC AND PVT FROM MARCORENGSCOL, WERE IN A VEHICLE DRIVEN BY
THE PFC. THE PFC FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND ROLLED THE VEHICLE,
EJECTING BOTH MARINES. NEITHER MARINE WAS WEARING SEATBELTS. BOTH
MARINES WERE TRANSFERRED TO AND RELEASED FROM PARISH HOSPITAL IN
TITUSVILLE, FL. ON 12 NOV 01, THE PFC REPORTED TO PALMETTO HOSPITAL,
IN FL, WHERE HE WAS ADMITTED AND IS BEING TREATED FOR BRAIN SWELLING,
LOWER BACK AND LEG PAINS. HIS CONDITION AND PROGNOSIS ARE
GOOD/STABLE.
(5) A LCPL FROM 1/7, WAS BROUGHT IN FOR TREATMENT OF FRACTURES TO
THE FACE AND PELVIS AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
THE MARINE IS LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND HAS BEEN MOVED TO ICU.
THE MARINE HAD A PASSENGER IN HIS VEHICLE THAT WAS KILLED IN THE
ACCIDENT. NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR THE PASSENGER WERE WEARING
SEATBELTS.
(6) A LCPL FROM MWSS-373, WAS ON HIS MOTORCYCLE RETURNING TO MCAS
MIRAMAR FROM CHULA VISTA. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET,
HIS MOTORCYCLE IMPACTED THE CURB. AS A RESULT, HE SUFFERED INJURIES
TO BOTH HIS LEFT THIGH AND LEFT ARM REQUIRING AMPUTATION OF A PORTION
OF HIS ARM. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED TO THE UCSD MEDICAL
CENTER WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY IN STABLE CONDITION.
(7) A LCPL FROM 2D TSB, WAS DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT WENT INTO
ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. SNM IS IN
STABLE CONDITION WITH A COLLAPSED LUNG. NO OTHER PARTIES WERE
INJURED. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT.
D. AVIATION
(1) A 1STLT FROM VAQ-129, WAS FLYING AS A STUDENT ABOARD AN EA-6B
THAT CRASHED IN OLYMPIC, WASHINGTON. THE 1STLT AND TWO NAVY
OFFICERS WERE ON BOARD. THE 1STLT IS HOSPITALIZED WITH A BROKEN LEG,
AND THE OTHER TWO AIRCREW (USN) SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE NAVY
EA-6B WAS DESTROYED.
(2) FOUR MARINES FROM VMAQ-1, WENT DOWN IN AN EA-6B A/C ON A TAC FORM
HIGH MISSION IN WHISKEY 122 TRAINING AREA, 50 MILES SE OF MCAS,
APPROX 25 MILES OUT TO SEA. CH-46 SAR WAS LAUNCHED AND PICKED UP THE
FOUR CREWMEMBERS. THE CREWMEMBERS ARE ALL REPORTED TO BE IN GOOD
SHAPE.
2. MIXED NEWS
A. LAST YEAR, DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, THREE MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY GROUND MISHAPS, ONE DIED IN AN OPS/TRNG MISHAP, AND
TWO DIED IN PMV MISHAPS. THIS NOVEMBER, FOUR ACTIVE DUTY MARINES
AND ONE GOV'T EMPLOYEE DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, AND THREE
FROM SUICIDES. THE FOUR MARINES THAT DIED, IN ON AND OFF DUTY
MISHAPS, WERE INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE RELATED MISHAPS. AS A
RESULT, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PMV RELATED FATALITIES FOR FY-02 IS
SEVEN.
B. AS INDICATED BY THE MISHAP SUMMARIES, SOME MARINES CONTINUE
TO OPERATE THEIR PMV'S RECKLESSLY, WITH LITTLE REGARD FOR THEIR
SAFETY OR THE SAFETY OF THEIR PASSENGERS. ON AT LEAST THREE
OCCASIONS LAST MONTH, OCCUPANTS WERE NOT WEARING SEATBELTS AND
WERE EJECTED FROM THEIR VEHICLE. WHILE NO ONE SAFETY DEVICE CAN
GUARANTEE LIFE IN A PMV ACCIDENT, THE LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVING AN
ACCIDENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITH YOUR SEATBELT ON IS SIGNIFICANTLY
HIGHER THAN TRYING TO SURVIVE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT IT. FOR
THE THREE MARINES WHO WERE EJECTED, DURING THEIR PMV ACCIDENTS LAST
MONTH, ONE WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE AND SO FAR HAS NO LONG TERM
INJURIES. ANOTHER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES, TO INCLUDE BRAIN
SWELLING, BACK AND LEG PAINS. THE LAST MARINE WAS NOT FORTUNATE AT
ALL, HE DIED. SHOW THAT YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR
PASSENGERS, BUCKLE UP AND INSIST THAT ALL YOUR PASSENGERS DO THE
SAME.
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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