Holloman gets Street Smart

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Colin Cates
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  More than 700 Airmen from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., participated in an Street Smart presentation at the base May 2.

Street Smart coordinated with the 49th Wing Safety office to bring this program to the base for the first time. The Street Smart program takes the audience into the real-life drama experienced by firefighters and paramedics as they work to save the lives of individuals who have made poor choices when it comes to drinking or using drugs, and not wearing seat belts.

"Today's safety briefing was a look at the consequence of making bad choices from a paramedic's perspective - what we see when people do not wear seatbelts or text and drive, or drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol," said Ronny Garcia, Street Smart presenter.

Holloman AFB is one of 75 military installations the Street Smart program will visit across the United States and overseas. Street Smart is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, with a military grant of $170,000. The briefing showed a five-minute slide show of graphic pictures of the aftermath of violent car crashes during which the presenter discussed the causes of the accidents.

"As sad as it is with the men and woman we are losing overseas, the Air Force is actually losing more Airmen here in the states due to driving without seatbelts and driving under the influence -- and these things are totally preventable," Garcia said.

Garcia dismissed several misconceptions, such as the belief that air bags in vehicles protect against all crashes and render seat belts obsolete by requesting active audience participation. He placed Airmen 1st Class Jesse Hastings, 49th Contracting Squadron contract specialist, on a stretcher, strapped him down, and began demonstrating and explaining many of the injuries and painful procedures the paramedics would have to perform on him to save his life.

"The presentation had great visuals that brought the affect of bad choices to life," said Hastings.

The presentation's message was directed toward Airmen age 26 and under, because from a safety perspective they are the target focus for texting while driving and driving under the influence, according to Staff Sgt. Jonathan Murphy, 49th WG ground safety apprentice.

"The visual impact of what is shown during this presentation is very powerful," Murphy said. "To be able to show first-hand what will happen to you if you make these choices is something we cannot do at the safety office."

The goal is that the impact of this presentation will reach as many Airmen as possible, and not just the ones who attended, Murphy said.

"The presentation was not a typical safety briefing; they talked directly to every Airmen as an individual instead of as part of a group," Hastings said. "This was a very powerful and meaningful event, and I will never forget what I saw today."