livendive 8 #1 January 24, 2007 QuoteSafety & Training Newsletter A Bulletin for the training community Vol. 7, Issue 1 January 24, 2007 USPA Safety Day Start preparing now—March 10 will be here before you know it! Now in its tenth year, USPA members look forward to starting off the spring season with Safety Day. Each S&TA is charged with hosting an event at their drop zone. Thankfully, many S&TAs take the responsibility seriously and put on a great event! However, the skydiving community needs more participation from DZs across the country and around the world. Each Safety Day event should serve as a thorough refresher, as well as provide a chance to disseminate factual information and generate group discussions. Participation should be encouraged well in advance. USPA makes it easy with great handouts for each event, all available for download at www.uspa.org. You can print copies and hand them out to participants. Make sure the basics are addressed with presentations covering equipment, freefall, canopy flight, and emergency and aircraft procedures. The printed material USPA provides covers all of the details. As in previous years, USPA will list participating Group Member drop zones on its website. Send an email to safety@uspa.org with the drop zone name (and event date if other than March 10). Thanks to the hard work and effort of some clever planners, past events have proven to be both fun and enlightening. Here are a few ideas that can make your event interesting and memorable: Station Poker-Participants receive cards at each of five stations established to cover each of the major topics-Freefall, Canopy, Aircraft, Emergency Procedures and Equipment. The winning poker hand wins a free jump or other prize. Hot Topics-Have each participant answer a questionnaire covering pilot chute-in-tow and two canopies out scenarios. Tally the answers, and see how they stack up. Discuss the pros and cons for each response. Everyone will learn more about dealing with these two malfunctions. Canopy Risk Quotient-Have each participant complete USPA’s canopy risk quotient, which is available for download with the other Safety Day materials. This eye-opener helps point out risky areas where canopy pilots need to focus their efforts to stay safer under canopy. Visual Aids-Use video and Power Point presentations wherever possible. Decision Scenarios-Present a contrived scenario of a “skydive gone wrong,” and point out where different decisions would have changed the outcome. As an example: A jumper breaks his leg, landing with a low turn in an off-field landing. Ground winds at the time of the accident were gusting between 15-25 mph, and the imaginary jumper had 250 total skydives, jumping an elliptical canopy at a 1.6:1 wing-loading. This scenario offers plenty of opportunities to change the outcome. Canopy choice, weather, spotting skills, deployment altitude and alternate landing area choice are just a few. Hanging harness practice-Set up a hanging harness that allows participants to quickly practice cutaway procedures using their own container system. Media-Invite local media to cover the event, providing positive press coverage for the drop zone. FAA-Invite representatives from the local FAA FSDO office to take part in the event with a presentation. First-Aid-Include a first-aid seminar presented by the local rescue squad or other qualified medical personal. Party-Provide a party for the end of the day to allow the group to socialize after the sun goes down. Chesley H. Judy Safety Award Now in its third year, USPA will again provide each drop zone with a Chesley H. Judy Safety Award certificate, which should be presented during Safety Day. The award was developed to honor the memory of Ches Judy, former Director of Safety & Training for USPA, who was killed in a 1995 plane crash. Each drop zone owner or S&TA should select a recipient for the award who, in the past year through example, deed, training, or innovation, has promoted safe skydiving in a substantive way. Once the recipient has been selected, provide USPA Headquarters with the name of the recipient, the drop zone and a mailing address for the certificate no later than February 15. USPA will send the completed certificate, suitable for framing, at no charge. The information may be e-mailed to safety@uspa.org, or call 540-604-9740 ext. 315. USPA’s Safety Day on MySpace USPA is now on MySpace! Anyone currently on MySpace can add USPA as a friend at www.myspace.com/_uspa or through the link at www.uspa.org. Two Safety Day blogs have already been posted and more will follow. List seminar ideas and get input from jumpers and other DZs. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D22369 0 #2 January 25, 2007 Will you be running the safety day this year? RoyThey say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #3 January 25, 2007 QuoteWill you be running the safety day this year? Roy Probably, but I'm not sure. If so, I'd like to do it kind of like in the past, where different instructors/coaches cover different topics so there's a mix of perspectives and delivery styles. What are you going to volunteer for? Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D22369 0 #4 January 26, 2007 I'd like to do it kind of like in the past, where different instructors/coaches cover different topics so there's a mix of perspectives and delivery styles*** I prefer this sort of a Q & A session, plus it doesnt put so much on one persons shoulders... military service taught me to never volunteer.... RoyThey say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
