NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS, 08/29/2013) – Center for Service Support (CSS) is reminding Sailors, Department of the Navy civilians and their families to be safe this Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 – Sept. 1, marks the final weekend of summer and the final weekend of the Critical Days of Summer.
“We place a lot of emphasis on safety, especially during the summer because it deals with our people,” said Chief Machinist’s Mate (EXW/SW/AW) Brian Bertolino, CSS’ safety coordinator. “We should never lose a Sailor to an accident. We have to work together to prevent any tragedies.”
The Critical Days of Summer stretch throughout the main summer holidays – Memorial Day, Fourth of July and into Labor Day. And it’s during those periods, those holidays, that traditionally the Navy has lost shipmates,” said Bertolino.
According to Bertolino it is everyone’s responsibility to look out for each other and act sensibly so that no lives are lost during this holiday weekend.
“Ultimately it’s the individual’s responsibility, but responsibility also falls on leaders as well,” said Bertolino. “We must be mindful of the activities we’re doing, who we are doing it with and the conditions we are conducting our activities. We must think about the steps needed to ensure that everyone is safe. There are myriad factors that influence safety.”
“It’s an all-hands responsibility. We must be alert and ready to respond to the hazards that are all around us and our families,” said Bertolino. “We have to take advantage of the great programs that the Naval Safety Center (NSC) already has in place.”
NSC’s Web site, www.safetycenter.navy.mil, and Navy Knowledge Online, www.nko.navy.mil, offer the Travel Risk Planning System or TRiPS. TRiPS is an automated risk-assessment tool online. Sailors can use it before driving outside command travel limits for liberty or leave.
These systems help Sailors and DoN employees recognize, and avoid the hazards they face on busy streets and congested highways. These systems also keep the Sailors’ commands involved in their travel safety.
“Always think about where you are and what you’re doing and make a commitment to yourself and your shipmates to conduct all activities safely,” said Bertolino. “We want everyone to come back alive.”
CSS and its learning sites provide Sailors with the knowledge and skills needed to support the fleet’s warfighting mission. More than 300 staff and faculty work hand-in-hand with the fleet and are dedicated to ensure training is current and well executed on behalf of 10,000 Sailors who graduate from CSS courses annually in the administration, logistics and media communities.
For more news from Center for Service Support, visit www.navy.mil/local/css/.