The White Falcon - 29.10.1993, Síða 3

Hitching Rides No one is permitted
to hitch rides by holding onto the rear
bumper of moving vehicles.

A 14 year-old youth was killed
his way.
Parachutes No one, especially chil-
dren, should be attached to any object
which can collect the wind and propel the
individual to an accident. Parachutes and
other items such as large cardboard boxes
are dangerous items to be playing with
during high wind conditions.
A 9 year-old, attached himself to
a parachute he found and it
dragged him across a rocky field
to his death.
Dumpster Doors Winds strong
enough to turn over heavy dumpsters
occur frequently here at NASKEF. Even
during lower wind conditions, no one
should attempt to operate dumpster doors
that can slam against them. If the winds
are blowing, do not send young children
out to dump the trash. You are risking
their safety! Tie your trash bags and if
weather conditions require it, wait for a
better time to dispose of your trash.
Car Doors Car doors can cause injury
to both adults and children. During high
wind conditions, small children should not
be expected to open or close car doors.
When conditions permit, park your car so
the wind blows from the front. If the
wind is blowing from the rear of the car
the doors can swing open with consider-
able force damaging other vehicles, your
own car, or hit pedestrians.
Sledding and Skiing
Permitted only in desig-
nated areas. Use of
station roads for sledding,
skiing or ice skating is not permitted.
A serviceman was killed
while skiing on an NAS-
KEF road. Do not sled or
ski on hills that end up
meeting parking lots or streets.
Use only approved and safe
equipment for skiing and sledding. A
mishap occurred near Grindavik when
three military personnel were riding on an
inflated tire tube down the mountainside.
They slid into a rock, and were all thrown
from the tube, receiving serious back
injuries requiring several weeks of
hospitalization. An area designated for
safe outdoor winter fun is the hill behind
the Housing Office.
Playing in Snow Banks Snow
banks on the sides of station roads are par-
ticularly dangerous to playing children,
During darkness the operator of heavy
snow removal equipment may not see
children at play if they have tunneled into
or are hidden behind high snow banks.
NASKEF has experienced a near miss in a
snow bank situation. Only a stroke of
luck and quick action kept two of our
young children from a fatal accident.
Snow banks are also hazardous to step
over.
An accident occurred when an
individual, having just departed
from a bus, attempted to climb
over a roadside snow bank,
slipped and fell under the rear
wheel of the bus.
Child Safety Seats It is not uncom-
mon to see infants in the arms of adults
while riding in the
front seats of
vehicles. The
traffic safety law
prohibits unre-
strained children in
privately owned
motor vehicles.
Children under four
years of age and weighing less than 40
pounds should ride in an approved child
safety seat. NEVER allow passengers to
hold an infant in their arms. It is not only
illegal, it is extremely hazardous. In an
accident, an unrestrained infant can be
thrown out of the adult’s arms. Upon
impact, the adult can crush the infant. For
additional protection, all children should
ride in the rear seat of the car, small
children should be protected in child
safety seats, and older children protected
with standard safety belts. Child Safety
seats are available for loan at the Safety
Office. Call extension 4417/4293 if you
are interested.
Winter Tires
As a general rule, cars on the Naval
Air Station must meet winter/
driving requirements by
operating with all four
unstudded or studded snow^
tires. You cannot have any
combination of studded with unstud-
ded tires. All four studded snow tires are
the most popular because weather condi-
tions can change quickly, i.e., although
sometimes icy, roads are most often clear
of snow. The obvious rule of thumb is to
show caution and defensive driving, by
continually anticipating adverse road and
driving situations. Because of the chang-
ing weather and road conditions, chains
are not as popular since they have to be
removed when the road is clear. In the
final analysis, the operator decides which
winter tire and chain category is most
practical. The earliest you may mount
studded snow tires on your vehicle is 1
November, and they must be removed by
15 April unless weather conditions
prevail.
Hiking Hiking is a popular sport in
Iceland, and
station person-
nel are among
those who par-
ticipate in
hiking trips to
various areas
during winter
months. As
expected, walking during the winter is
more difficult and more hazardous than at
any other time of the year.
An adult was seriously injured
when hiking in the vicinity of
Glimur Falls at Whale Bay.
Several winters ago, a NASKEF
serviceman was killed when he
slipped and fell while mountain
climbing. When hiking, always choose
a safe route. Make sure your schedule is
known to a responsible person at home.
Don’t forget to take along an emergency
survival kit and, of course, food and
proper clothing.
Skiing Whether .
you’re off to the begin-
ner’s slope or to the ad-
vanced trails, here are some
tips to help you ski safely!