Risk Management Magazine

To prevent accidents, we need to take a link out of the chain of events that lead to the mishap. This accident could have easily ended differently. And while luck is not part of the Army Safety Program, this event did have some good fortune.

The ride south over the Siskiyou Mountains from Oregon to California started out cool enough. Up at 4,000 feet, it was chilly enough that I was glad I had added the jacket liner and neck warmer. But a hundred miles later, as I descend into the Sacramento Valley, the temperature begins to soar. 

The nature of our business requires Soldiers to always be prepared to operate in severe weather conditions with extreme temperatures; however, heat injuries can occur even when temperatures aren’t extreme.