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15 January 2009
As the cold
air moves in over MDWG you may find yourself with a dead car
battery. If this happens
please keep these
safety tips in mind.
Question: Why Do Batteries Discharge
More Quickly in Cold Weather?
Answer: The electric current generated by a battery is
produced when a connection is made between its positive and
negative terminals. When the terminals are connected, a chemical
reaction is initiated that generates electrons to supply the
current of the battery. Lowering the temperature causes chemical
reactions to proceed more slowly, so if a battery is used at a
low temperature then less current is produced than at a higher
temperature. As the batteries run down they quickly reach the
point where they cannot deliver enough current to keep up with
the demand. If the battery is warmed up again it will operate
normally.
SafeTips
Most people think they know how to
use jumper cables on a car's battery, but you'd be amazed how
many people do it the wrong way. Follow these suggestions when
getting your car back on the road.
-
Check your owner's manual before
jump-starting your car or using it to jump-start another
car. Some new cars had specific instructions or prohibit
jump-starting.
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Batteries contain sulfuric
acid, which gives off flammable and explosive gas when a
battery is charged or jump-started. Never smoke or operate
anything that may cause a spark when working on a battery.
-
Whenever you change the oil,
take time to check your battery for damage such as cracks,
corrosive materials and loose wires.
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Make sure you have a pair of
jumper cables that are free of rust and corrosion and have
no exposed wires. (Never use electrical tape to cover
exposed wires.) Buy a good pair of
jumper cables. You want a lot of insulation on the grips and
a very heavy gauge cable. If in doubt your local auto parts
store will be able to help you.
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Make sure you buy a battery that
is recommended in your car owner's manual.
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Never throw an automobile
battery in a garbage dumpster or leave it in a parking lot,
especially if it is cracked or damaged. Take it to a service
station and have it disposed of properly.
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Never jump-start your battery if
your car's fluids are frozen.
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When buying a new battery, make
sure that its terminals are sturdy and large enough to allow
the clamps of a pair of jumper cables to attach easily when
jump-starting.
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Always call a
professional or someone you can trust that has had the
proper training to do this procedure. If you still have no
luck you could call Major Winter for a ride.
Take Two To Follow It Through !
Bruce Drury, Lt Col, CAP,
MDWG SE
Bill Peters, Capt, CAP
MDWG SEA
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24 December 2008
If you’ve had too much holiday spirit you’d better find a
safe and sober ride. Driving while drunk is not worth the risk.
Please use some common sense this holiday season and use a
designated driver. PLEASE!!! read this email and follow it
THROUGH !!!
Designated Drivers
Designated drivers have probably saved nearly 50,000 lives and
spared many more thousands of people from suffering injury from
drunk driving. Over nine out of 10 Americans who attend social
events where alcohol is served would like to see designated
drivers used. And the proportion of people using or being a
designated driver has increased dramatically over time. Each
year over 73,000,000 Americans either serve as a designated
driver or are driven home by one. A designated driver is simply
a person who agrees to abstain from alcohol and be responsible
for driving others home. The others are free to drink or not as
they choose. Many establishments provide free non-alcoholic
beverages to designated drivers.
A Great Idea -
A
designated driver helps friends and family
Advantages to the
designated driver concept:
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The non-drinker has a legitimate and respected role at a social
function where alcohol is served. There is no stigma to
abstaining because the designated driver is considered an
important member of the group. Being a designated driver can
also help legitimize a personal choice not to drink.
-
The designated driver approach prevents driving under any level of
impairment because that person consumes no alcohol. It
doesn't require a driver or passenger to determine if a
person is too impaired to drive.
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The server or host can offer a positive alternative to drunk
driving by encouraging a group to designate a driver.
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The designated driver concept is easy to understand, simple to
implement, costs nothing, and is effective.
Tips for designated
drivers:
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Plan ahead whenever you are going to socialize with alcohol
beverages
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Decide ahead of time who will not drink any alcohol before or
during the party or event
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Consider taking turns being the designated driver (Look after your
friends and family and they can look after you)
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Larger groups should have more than one designated driver
Help
In
addition to being or using a designated driver, you can save
lives by taking car keys from intoxicated people to prevent them
from being drunk drivers. Here are some helpful hints on how to
get the keys from a drunk person about to drive:
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Be calm. Joke about it. Make light of it.
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Make it clear that you're doing the drunk person a favor.
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Locate their keys while they're preoccupied and take them away.
They will probably think they've lost them and will be
forced to accept another mode of transportation.
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If it is a close friend, try to use a soft, calm approach. Suggest
to them privately that they've had too much to drink and it
would be better if someone else drove them home or if they
took a cab or other transportation.
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If it's a good friend, spouse, or loved one, tell them that if they
insist on driving, you are not going with them. Tell them
that you will ride with someone else, take public
transportation, or walk.
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If it's someone you don't know well, speak to their friends and
have them make an attempt to persuade them to hand over the
keys.
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If possible, avoid embarrassing the person or being
confrontational.
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Report Drunk Drivers
If
you see a driver doing these things, report the car along with
its description and location, to the police or sheriff. The
driver may be ill or intoxicated and shouldn't be on the road.
Signs of drunk driving may include:
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weaving
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driving with windows rolled down in cold weather
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passing dangerously
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straddling the center line
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making wide turns
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driving slowly
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tailgating
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forgetting to turn on headlights
You really can make
a difference!
Although thousands of lives are saved each year by both
designated drivers and those who don't let friends or others
drive drunk, many more are needlessly lost. Each such death is a
tragedy affecting many others who are left suffering and
grieving. Be a
designated driver . . . be a hero.
Happy Holidays!
Take Two To Follow It Through !
Bruce Drury, Lt Col, CAP
MDWG SE
Bill Peters, Capt. CAP
MDWG
SEA
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7 December 2008
I am aware
of two incidents this year in MER where 182T Nav III aircraft
blew both main tires on landing. I spoke with Cessna several
months ago about this problem. Cessna's response was land with
in the proper weight limit. Do not fly with tires that are badly
worn and keep tire pressures correct and adjusted for outside
temperature changes. Also if you lock up the brakes and skid the
tires you take an extremely high risk of blowing one or both
tires.
Tires on a Cessna 172 are the same size as on the 182T Nav III.
The landing weight of our 172 Fleet is from 2500 to 2550. Our
landing weight on our 182T Nav III is 400 lbs heavier. A not
so perfect landing could raise the value much higher and could
cause tire failure.
Example:
We have one MDWG 182 T Nav III that has a gross weight of 2,070
lbs. Three 150 pound CAP members with full useable fuel 87 Gal
(522 Lbs) is already 91 lbs over the landing weight of 2950.
This weight does not include the flight bags, power supply of 30
lbs if one is on board, first aid kit, life raft etc. You will
have to countculate those figures out for each plane you fly.
Lets assume for this Example this plane has 40 lbs of CAP
equipment and flight bags. We now have a total of 131 lbs
over the gross landing weight of 2950. If you cruised at 23
square for 70 percent power for a fuel burn of 12 gal an hour
You would have to fly this aircraft for two hours before you
could land with in the required landing weight of 2950 pounds.
What do you do?
Know what your mission is. If you’re going to fly for two hours
on patrol then you will burn fuel
to reach the required landing weight.
If your main focus is to practice landings then you will have to
kick one or both passengers
out (not in flight). CAP aircraft are filled to max fuel level
so your passengers and cargo is your only way to reduce the
weight of the aircraft.
Please take a closer look at the 182T Information manual and the
weight and balance sheet
for the aircraft that you plan or could be asked to fly. Check
the tires on preflight for damage, wear and proper pressure.
What is the landing weight of a 182T Nav III Skylane G-1000?
2950 POUNDS.
THINGS MOST RECENTLY LEARNED - Are the best remembered.
Take Two To Follow It
Through!
Happy Holidays !
Bruce Drury, Lt Col, CAP
MDWG SE
Bill Peters, Capt, CAP
MDWG SEA
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9 November 2008
I would like to take the time to
alert MDWG on a situation that happened at Frederick Airport
this weekend. A flight instructor allowed his/her student to
leave the airplane while the engine was still running (NON-CAP
RELATED). It was dark and the student needed to use the
restroom. The students hand was cut off at the wrist by the
propeller. Even in the day time a prop in motion is hard to see.
I would like to take this time to
remind MDWG the following!!
There is to be no entry or exit
of any CAP aircraft while the prop is in motion! Some of our
aircraft have a service plug to provide power to an engine for
starting purposes. We will be taking a very careful look at this
need with operations and maintenance to determine a safe
procedure.
Only certified CAP marshalers with
supervision should be allowed to direct an aircraft to parking
or tie down spot. All parents and cadets should be reminded to
stay far away from any aircraft while the motor is running.
Please discuss this accident at your
next unit safety meeting. Discuss how we can protect our
CAP members and family by observing a few basic rules.
Thank You,
Bruce Drury, Lt. Col Cap
MDWG SE
Bill Peters, Capt, CAP
MDWG SEA
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2 October 2008
As the cold temperatures start descending down on MDWG lets use
the time we have now to make sure our winter weather equipment
is SAFE and in good working order.
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Van
wiper blades, all season radial tires in good shape,
windshield wiper fluid the low temperature type, Lock
de-ice, Emergency kit, first aid kit, inspect exhaust
system for leaks. Very important because our job can have us
spending large amounts of time in our CAP vehicle with the
heater on. Check to make sure your anti-freeze is at the
correct level and the correct dilution for the outside
temperature. Have a proper ice scraper and snow removal
tool. A weak battery now will fail you once temps drop.
Please check with Major Konecny or through your proper CAP
chain of command with problems or questions.
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Check
to make sure your air craft pre-heater is in good working
order. Instruct all aircrew how to safely use this equipment
and the correct temperature for its use. Make sure the gas
bottles are stored in a safe area. Check to make
sure extension cords are not damaged, cut nicked taped etc.
If you have a cord with some sort of make shift repair it is
unsafe. Ask your unit commander or proper chain of command
to purchase a new one. Also make sure the extension cord has
a grounded plug. If an extension cord is used a GFCI adapter
should be added to the cord for your safety. It’s also the
law when used outside. All aircraft should have a solution
in a spray bottle for removing frost and ice from the wings.
Please check with your operation officer for the proper
solution. This is only a partial list and I only covered
safety issues. This email is not to be confused with
operational subject matter. That topic is for other officers
to discuss with MDWG.
Bruce Drury, Lt
Col, CAP
MDWG SE.
Bill Peters,
Capt, CAP
MDWG SEA.
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2 July 2008
SAFETY
GRAM !
Please
take a minute to look at the
March 2006 Sentinel that I have
attached. We need to refresh everyone on 15 passenger van
safety. Please share this with your unit.
For those
squadrons that do not have a 15 passenger van you may be asked
to drive one at a Sarex or other CAP event in the near future,
if proper CAP license is obtained.
Please
remember to do a 360 walk around before you move any CAP
vehicle. The safety form 78 always states, I didn't see the car
back there. It takes less time to do a walk around then filling
in a form 78.
We have
started a section on the MDWG website labeled van safety, so
please log in and take a look as your time allows.
From the
safety team have a safe 4th of July celebration!
By all
means, take two to follow it through!
Bruce.Drury, Lt Col, CAP
MDWG SE
Bill
Peters, Capt, CAP
MDWG SEA
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