WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Spring is a season of sounds. The warm weather carries with it the songs of birds awakened from their cold slumber, the hum of lawn equipment trimming fresh green grass, and the moans of people suffering unnecessary injuries in the great outdoors.
The spring and summer months see a significant rise in the number of accident-related injuries. There are more people out on the road. More people cooking over open flames. More people in the water. And more kids just being kids out in the wild. So, the base is punctuating April with an event aimed at thinking safe to stay healthy as the weather gets us out of the house.
Ronnie Thacker is the 88th Air Base Wing Safety Office voluntary protection program manager and lead organizer of the event. “Every year we are required to come up with annual goals for the fiscal year. And one of the big goals that we had for FY25 was quarterly outreach efforts by our office to affect the base populous,” said Thacker. “We felt this was a good way to affect a change within organizations to get a risk management mindset.”
That change engine is the 2025 Safety Fest. From 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 30, the National Museum of the United States Air Force will dedicate one of their side lots to education and festivities. The fest features a car seat inspection station, vendor booths and demonstrations, food trucks, and a bouncy castle. It’s an event for not just the 30,000 people who drive through Wright-Patt’s gate every day, but also the family members who are a part of that community.
“We’re hoping to get the word out that we would like them to come if they're able to,” added Thacker. “We’re trying to drive home the importance of safety as not only something for work. It's a mindset that you should carry when you go home as well. Spouses, children, they're a big part of the military culture. And we feel having them attend can reinforce some of those standards and principles that everyone kind of lives by at work.”
And retirees?
“If they're able to, we would love to have them out there as well.”
The event will also feature some of the services that protect our safety. There will be demonstrations by the K-9 team, an appearance by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, and the steady presence of Wright-Patt’s fire department. There will also be civilian sector hands-on learning as well.
“Local and private companies are going to have an information fair and demonstrations of safety equipment and how it functions, so people can see it real world.”
For Thacker, the event is about more than just hitting a quarterly quota.
“For the airman, I hope it gets them to think about and engage not only on safety, but also on using services that we have. We want them to know about the services out there. In addition, their family understands that too. It's not just the airmen or the employee. Because Wright-Patt is a family.”
The Wright-Patt family can attend this alternate duty event on April 30 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.