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In all of these horrific occurrences, the current or wave action usually causes the boat, person or object to drift farther than expected and the retriever drowns. Obviously, these individuals couldn’t swim as well as they thought. Many people aren’t aware of the differences of swimming in natural waters (lakes, rivers, oceans) and swimming in a pool.
Initially, everything started out normally with no hiccups. Then, some childish behavior, followed by a lack of crew coordination, started at the walk-around of the aircraft and carried through the preflight and into launch.
Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) include a wide variety of substances that can be harmful to human health, the environment and property if appropriate considerations are not taken when handling. These materials can range from nuclear to chemical or biological and be found as common household items or in industry.
I never gave much thought to off-duty safety. For me, it was just something I always had to hear about before being released for a long weekend. The message was always the same: Have a plan, wear your personal protective equipment (PPE), take a buddy, and on and on and on. Fortunately, I eventually got the message — but it nearly cost me my life.
As a National Guard CH-47 company, we are always subject to possible call-up for state and national emergencies or deployments overseas. When Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast, we found ourselves being called on like never before.