OT: Public Safety Announcement

No comic reviews this week, as I, believe it or not, never made it to the comic shop last week to pick up my purchases!  

Instead today I wanted to talk about something which is Off Topic, but I want all of my readers to think about.

While driving our son to daycare this morning, my wife and I witnessed a driver in a Ford Explorer veer off the road, bounce off a ditch, hit an incline and launch into the air, rolling several times before the driver was launched some twenty-something feet into the air, landing on the pavement.  We were the first people on the scene and my wife went to check on the driver while I called 911.  According to my wife, the guy (who was the only person in the vehicle) seemed in good shape considering, and could talk and breathe alright, though EMS did load him onto a backboard and immobilize him before putting him in the ambulance.

Where my wife and I work, we have a long-standing company commitment called HSE -- Health, Safety, and Environmental -- dedicated to a safe work and home life.  We do lots of field construction and craft work, and thus safety truly is one of our core values.  As such, we begin each meeting with an HSE Topic, and the accident this morning made me think of several which I have heard in my time here, which I want to share.

1) Accidents can, and almost always do, happen when you least expect them, in any place at any time.  Keep your wits about you at all times and be alert to your surroundings.

2) Don't take shortcuts.  Procedures are in place for a reason and if you skips steps you are inviting trouble.

3) Laws, rules and regulations are there for your safety and the safety of others.  Obey them.

4) Use the correct and appropriate safety equipment, every time.  In this case, wear your dang seatbelt!

5) If you carry a cellphone, and these days that's pretty much everyone, consider putting a contact in your phone titled "In Case of Emergency" or "ICE."  Emergency first-responders are trained to look for such contacts on cell phones of accident victims and this can help alert your family or loved ones of an accident if you are immobilized or cannot speak.

And finally, 6) Use common sense.  If something seems dangerous or foolish, chances are you're right.

I don't want to sound like some fire and brimstone educational film or anything, but seeing this guy thrown around like a ragdoll while his SUV was made to look like a Matchbox car was pretty harsh.  If he escapes without major injury, which it looked like he will, he'll be one lucky individual.

Stay safe everybody.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming, already in progress.