MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. -- Marine Corps Logistics Command held its 3rd annual Safety Stand-Down at Boyett Park Friday to show workers that safety and work can go hand in hand.
This year, LOGCOM’s focus was on the “101 critical days of summer,” and focused on safety in the workplace and at home.
Part of that focus was to highlight safety through the use of more than 20 static displays that drew attention to heat injury prevention, recreational vehicle safety, lawn and garden safety as well as common safety tips for around the house.
“This is a critical time of year, particularly in this part of the country. People are outside doing various activities, and we want safety to be something they always consider,” said Brig. Gen. James A. Kessler, commanding general, LOGCOM. “We have a number of different booths set up; all of them are designed to highlight a different aspect of safety.”
Part of highlighting safety for LOGCOM employees was to get them actively involved by visiting various booths where they could interact with demonstrators while reinforcing safety at the same time.
One demonstrator showed attendees what it would look and feel like when getting behind the wheel after varying degrees of alcohol consumption.
Kay Mull, safety specialist, Installation, Environment and Safety Division, LOGCOM, demonstrated a special type of goggles called Fatal Vision provided by the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Department, and many people who tried them on felt the immediate effects by causing blurry vision and loss of coordination.
For the attendees who tried on the goggles, walking in a straight line became a seemingly impossible task.
“The goggles really do make you feel like you had too many drinks,” said Clay Ritter, welder, Maintenance Center Albany. “This would make me think twice before getting behind the wheel.”
As well as teaching about the effects of alcohol on the system, Mull also reminded attendees that dehydration is a common issue in the summer, and it can be easily prevented.
“We as parents need to remind children to consume water or juice during the hot days of summer,” Mull said. “Children don’t want to stop having fun, and they don’t worry about hydration.”
Presentations this year focused on all aspects of safety whether in the workplace, at home and during recreational activities by bringing the local community such as police, fire and county health workers to the base with their safety demonstrations.
“I think people are getting better about safety, and it shouldn’t be an afterthought at all. It should be a part of your everyday life in that it becomes part of your planning process,” Kessler said.