CHECKING THE WAKE SAFETY E-NEWSLETTER

July 2011

Volume 3, Number 10

HAVE A SAFE JULY 4th

In This Issue: * Take 10 For ORM Fireworks Safety * Information on NDWs Wide Area Alert Network (WAAN) * A Montage of Safety Information for the 101 Critical Days of Summer Campaign

Take 10 For ORM: Fireworks Safety by Teresa S. Boucher

The July 4th Holiday brings with it lots of chances to see and be around fireworks. It may surprise you to learn that according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), bottle rockets and sparklers are the most dangerous manufactured explosives and the M80s and M100 cherry bombs the most dangerous homemade explosives. Lets take a look at some of the facts associated with fireworks.

DID YOU KNOW?

The rate of travel of a standard bottle rocket can reach speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Bottle rockets are very susceptible to ricochet and can end up traveling in any direction but the one intended. Bottle rockets present a significant fire hazard as the casing burns from a few seconds to a few minutes after the rocket detonates which is all that is needed to start a fire. A typical sparkler can burn at temperatures up to 1,800 degrees. M80s and M100s are illegal in many states because of the amount of explosive and their destructive power. According to CPSC, over the past 10 years, illegal explosives have typically caused 33% of the injuries associated with fireworks. Approximately 9300 people nationwide are seriously injured by fireworks every year. About 40% of all fireworks injuries are due to illegal fireworks that have been banned by the CPSC. About 45% of injuries from fireworks are incurred by kids under 14 years of age. Every year about 400 Americans lose sight in one or both eyes due to fireworks.

<- - - Click to hear fireworks!

Fireworks contribute to more than 20,000 fires every

Naval Safety Center Links
www.safetycenter.navy.mil www.safetycenter.navy.mil/toolbox/

year. Approximately 4 people will die this year in the U.S. from fireworks. Children between the ages of 5 and 9 have the highest rate of firework related injuries. Parts of the body most often injured are the hands (32%), eyes (28%), and head/face (16%).

Dont Become A Statistic!

Fireworks can be the most dangerous explosives and are best handled by trained professionals. Attend professional displays and respect the safety barriers. If you decide to have a display, make sure fireworks are legal and you read and follow label directions. Always have water handy [a garden hose and bucket] when lighting off your own fireworks. Never try to relight dud fireworks. Wait 15 to 20 minutes and then soak them in a bucket of water. Keep fireworks away from children and be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks. Always store unused fireworks in a cool, dry place. For your safety and for the safety of the people you love, fireworks should only be used with extreme caution.
Source: National Fire Protection Association & Consumer Safety Product Commission

Contact Info:
Regional Safety Deputy Regional Traffic Safety PM Regional RODS PM CHECKING THE WAKE Editor (410) 293-9827:DESK (410) 293-2548:FAX teresa.boucher@navy.mil

Wide Area Alert Network (WAAN)

ATTENTION: DID YOU KNOW?
All military, civil service, and contractor personnel with a NMCI user account and assigned to the Naval District Washington (NDW) Headquarters, subordinate installations, and tenant activities are required to register their office email address and phone number, at minimum, in the NDW WAAN. All personnel are strongly encouraged to register personal emergency contact information as well. The WAAN alerts registered users to various hazards, emergencies, traffic conditions, force protection condition (FPCON) changes, etc., both during and after working hours. The automated telephone notification system (ATNS), a sub-system of the WAAN, enables a registered user to receive telephonic, email, and text alerts on devices they

designate. Self-registration is easy, but must be done on a NMCI computer/laptop, using the AtHoc Self-service Client application. Personally identifiable information the user provides is safeguarded. Users can update their AtHoc profile at any time. General information about the NDW WAAN, including graphically illustrated registration instructions and answers to frequently asked questions, is available on the following NDW website: http://www.cnic.navy.mil/ndw/about/waan/index.htm

Registration Instructions:
1) Right-click on the AtHoc Self-service Client icon (purple globe), which should be displayed in the user system tray in the bottom right-hand corner of the computer screen; 2) Select (left-click on) the "Access Self-service" from the pop-up menu after it displays on the screen; 3) When the AtHoc Self-service Client application opens, select (left-click on) the "My Info" tab, and update your last name, first name, display name, building number, and command name in the data fields, and then left-click on the Save button; and lastly, 4) Select (left-click on) the "Devices" tab, and enter contact information in the mandatory and optional data fields as required/desired, and then left-click on the Save button. Users whose computer does not have the AtHoc Selfservice Client icon (purple globe) displayed in the system tray, or the purple globe is grayed out, must call the NMCI Service Desk to resolve. The NMCI Service Desk can be reached at 1-866-843-6624.

WAAN ALERTS YOU TO VARIOUS HAZARDS INCLUDING EMERGENCY WEATHER CONDITIONS WIDE AREA ALERT NETWORK (WAAN) Register Today - - - - -

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A Montage of Summer Safety Tips

IN THE EVENT OF A HURRICANE, THE NDW WAAN WOULD BE USED TO DISSEMINATE EMERGENCY INFORMATION TO QUICKLY PROTECT PERSONNEL, PROPERTY & OPERATING CAPABILITIES. TIP #1: One of the best ways to stay safe this summer is to wear a helmet and other safety gear when biking, skating, skateboarding, riding scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and horses. TIP #2: To prevent a swimming pool tragedy, use layers of protection. This includes: placing barriers completely around your pool to prevent access, using door and pool alarms, closely supervising your child and being prepared in case of an emergency.

TIP #3: Never bring charcoal grills indoors. Burning charcoal produces deadly carbon monoxide. Place grills outdoors in well-ventilated area and away from childrens play area. TIP #4: Make sure your home playground is safe. Falls cause 60% of playground injuries, so having a safe surface is critical. Concrete, asphalt or packed dirt is too hard. Use at least 9 inches of wood chips or rubber/wood mulch. TIP #5: To prevent serious injuries while using a trampoline: Allow only one person on at a time and do not allow somersaults. Use a shock absorbing pad that completely covers the springs and place the trampoline away from structures and other play areas. Most important: have spotters and supervision at all times. TIP #6: Never swim alone and always watch children when they are near water. Wear life jackets when enjoying water sports. TIP #7: To keep those pesky mosquitoes away, remove standing water in your yard to reduce their breeding. Avoid the outdoors at dawn and dusk, when insect activity is highest. Wear long pants and use mosquito repellant. TIP #8: Avoid the hot mid-day sun. Pace yourself in outdoor activities, so you dont become overheated. Drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic beverages. TIP #9: When outdoors, protect your skin. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. TIP #10: Having a cook-out? Handle food carefully and correctly. Wash utensils and cutting boards after handling raw meats. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible. TIP #11: The kitchen faucet, refrigerator handle and microwave buttons are some of the germiest things in your house because so many people touch them and yet theyre rarely cleaned. Remember to disinfect them regularly with bleach diluted with water (3 Tbs to a qt of water). TIP #12: Kitchen sponges are the worst source of bacteria in your home. Nuke the sponge in an inch of water for a minute to kill any bacteria or viruses. Do this daily. The regular dishwasher cycle isnt hot enough to disinfect a germy sponge. NUKE YOUR SPONGES TO GET RID OF HARMFUL BACTERIA BONUS TIP: LEARN CPR! You never know when you may use it!

DONT FORGET TO WEAR A HELMET AND ALL OTHER PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

REMOVE STANDING WATER TO KEEP MOSQUITOES AT BAY!

The responsibility for Safety in all facets of our lives, really rests in all of our hands.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY.

FROM EVERYONE IN THE NDW SAFETY OFFICE - - HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.
- Winston Churchill

ENJOY, HAVE FUN, AND BE SAFE

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAVING FREEDOM MEANS - - - - - - - - - -TALK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED WITHOUT IT.