OCS PHASE III SAFETY BRIEFING - Washington Army National Guard

OCS PHASE III
SAFETY BRIEFING

PURPOSE
To educate you on safety
issues unique to Ft Lewis
and remind you of general
safety issues.

MISSION
To successfully complete training
in a safe manner so you return to
your state in the same or better
physical condition than when you
arrived.

SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S
BUSINESS
Everyone has the responsibility
and authority to halt training if a
dangerous situation is observed.

HEAT INJURIES
• Weather is warm and dry.
• Signs:
– Nausea
– Dizziness
– Headaches
– Confusion
– Muscle Cramps
– Blurred Vision

PREVENTION
• Drink 6-12 canteens of water per day.
• Avoid coffee and sodas.
• If you drink coffee/soda, drink an
additional canteen of water.
• Eat 3 meals a day to sustain
electrolytes.

PLANT HAZARDS
Skin Irritation
• Poison Ivy
• Poison Oak
• Sumac
What to Do
• See medic
• Do not scratch
Puncture wounds and
scratches
• Canadian Thistle
• Stinging Nettles
• Wild Raspberries
What to Do
• See medic if it gets
infected

ANIMALS
• BEARS – Leave them alone. Don’t
antagonize them. Don’t run.
• DEER – Be careful when driving
especially at dusk, dark, and dawn.
Drive slowly. Shotgun be on the
lookout.
• SNAKES – Stay away from them.
See medic if you get bit.

ANIMALS
• DEER MICE – 15% of deer mice
carry the Hantavirus, a deadly
virus. Their droppings carry the
virus.
• Keep bivouac area clean.

INSECTS
• FIRE ANTS – Build large ant hills out
of spruce needles. Leave them alone.
Be careful where you lay your gear!
• BROWN RECLUSIVE SPIDER – Very
small. See a medic if you have an
insect bite with abnormal swelling,
redness, and seeping puss.

INSECTS
• TICKS – Do daily checks. Western
Washington ticks may not cause Lyme
disease, but can cause serious
infection.
• BEES, WASPS, HORNETS – Nests
marked with engineer tape. Stay
away from nests. If nests are
unmarked, notify you chain of
command.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS
If you are allergic to any kind of
insect sting, notify your chain of
command. Notify the 205 th
Regiment during inprocessing.

MANMADE HAZARDS
• Concertina Wire
• Commo Wire
• Tent Stakes
• Abandoned Foxholes
• Garbage
• Unexploded Munitions – DO NOT TOUCH
Notify your chain of command, mark the
area.
• Meth Labs

VEHICLE SAFETY
• Bivouac Areas -
– Reduced visibility – one ground
guide
– Backing in – one front and one rear
ground guide
• Larger than HMMWV – one front and
one rear ground guide
• When in doubt – use a ground guide

SLEEP MANAGEMENT
• Optimum – 6 hrs uninterrupted
sleep per 24 hours.
• Minimum required – 4 continuous
hrs.
• Ensure your soldiers and leaders
meet this standard.

RISK ASSESSMENT
• Conduct a Risk Assessment prior
to each training event.
• Be aware of the risks involved in
training.
• Reduce risks.

YOU ARE ALL SAFETY
OFFICERS
If you see an unsafe act, it is
your responsibility to call a
halt in training.