Safety office recognized by AF in four categories

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jacob Morgan
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  With an active military comes increased chance of safety mishaps, to include flight, ground and explosives. Since Sept. 11, 2001, the United States has had a faster operations tempo with Operation Noble Eagle, and contingency operations overseas. Since then, safety mishaps have never been down to the levels before 2001 at Dover Air Force Base, Del. Until now.

In 2011, the 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office created innovative programs to incorporate the entire base into what they deem a 'safety culture,' bringing mishaps down 25 percent and costs from mishaps down 75 percent from the previous year and equaling the lowest levels of safety mishaps since before the tragic events of Sept. 11.

For their efforts, members of the 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office were presented four Air Force level achievements in ground, flight, explosives and Aero Club safety, May 8 by commanders across the base.

Team Dover was the only base in the AF to win all four categories of achievement.

"The achievements are confirmation that Dover Air Force Base, [Del.], has adopted a standpoint of safety first," said Lt. Col. Jim DeHaan, chief of safety with the 436th AW. "The individual Airmen and their units are really the key to the whole program."

While DeHaan gives credit to the Airmen on base, the 436th AW Safety Office is littered with awards from throughout the years, from winning the AMC Motorcycle Safety Program of the Year four years in a row, to distinguishing themselves at highly-visible events such as a Federal Bureau of Investigations and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms explosives training.

The achievement awards for 2011 recognize Air Force organizations below numbered Air Force or major command levels for outstanding achievement in, or contribution, to the different areas of safety.

Each award has certain requirements and considerations, including no serious mishaps in the year, doing well on inspections, and the integration of risk-management principles and techniques.

The flight safety section, consisting of only five members, educated more than 2,000 Airmen at various venues and held a Landowner's Appreciation Day, creating an environment of safety not only on base, but in the surrounding area.

"When I showed up, I was already excited; it was a great atmosphere," said Maj. Eric Ballew, chief of flight safety with the 436th AW. "Throughout the last year, we have started some major initiatives, such as a new spot inspection guide, that have really kept safety at the forefront of everyone's mind."

The spot inspection guide has been lauded by the AF Inspector General as the best practice inspection guide across the AF.

"The goal was to make the inspection system easier for the individual," said Ballew. "Instead of looking up individual Air Force Instructions, members can take a look at a small book, where information is condensed. It has created more cross-talk between the maintenance and operations world."

The ground safety section, led by Kevin Greene, excelled in many areas as well. They led 'Safety Send Offs', Driving Under the Influence prevention events, checked more than 10,000 seatbelts, and had no four-day weekend mishaps during 2011. They are also the only AF ground safety section that taught new Airman the "Alive at 25" program during the First Term Airman's Course.

Explosives safety, comprised of only one member, Ernest Natividad, also distinguished itself by coordinating a short-notice storage plan for explosives supporting Odyssey Dawn in Libya and coordinating a large-weapons inspection effort for more than 3,300 Airmen.

The last achievement award, the Aero Club safety achievement, is unique because it sets Dover AFB apart from the other six bases who won the other three sections. They had more than 25,000 mishap-free flight hours and are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a flight training center.

"Joe Nickle runs a great program over there as our club safety officer," said DeHaan. "He not only keeps our members on base safe, but he also counsels civilian pilots who were identified for unsafe practices."

Overall in 2011, the 436th AW Safety Office created programs to incorporate the entire base populace.

"Only a percentage of units receive the achievement awards," said DeHaan. "Winning all four awards shows Team Dover has gone from good to great in safety culture."