CAMP COURTNEY, OKINAWA, Japan --
Officials from the Marine Corps Bases Installation Safety office are spreading the word about safety standards when personnel and youth are participating in rollerblading, skateboarding, bicycling and wearing Heelys on island.
"By promoting safety awareness about such activities we can help reduce the number of mishaps, and more importantly, reduce the chances of a child being involved in one," said Vincent M. Rosales, an occupational safety and health specialist for MCB.
According to statistics provided by the Los Angeles native, every year more than 3.5 million children 14 and under are involved in a recreational sports mishap requiring medical attention. The most common injuries are ankle sprains, muscle strains, bone or growth-plate injuries, repetitive-motion injuries and heat-related illnesses.
"Kids tend to go outside more to enjoy the summer break and, unfortunately, they encounter an increase in injuries," said Rosales.
Personnel and youth are required to wear a helmet whenever they are performing any of these activities no matter their location, according to Rosales.
"The incorrect wearing of helmets is a common trend we see aboard the installations," he said. "This is where we rely heavily on parental supervision to ensure safety practices are utilized at all times and corrected immediately."
Per Marine Corps Order 5100.19E, Marine Corps Traffic Safety Program, use of helmets is mandatory when bicycling, skateboarding, rollerblading and using Heelys.
"Though not mandatory, other [Personal Protective Gear] such as elbow pads, kneepads and wrist guards are strongly recommended and can be a great investment when compared to the medical bills," said Rosales.
Skateboards, rollerblading, bicycles and Heelys should never be used in areas where the rider or wearer must compete against vehicle or pedestrian traffic, and should follow the same rules as jogging which includes the restriction on using headphones.
Personnel should also be aware that each installation provides a designated location for activities like skateboarding, rollerblading and extreme bicycle riding. Participants are required to wear helmets, elbow pads and kneepads when using these locations.
"They need to ensure they wear all their safety gear and long pants, as this will help prevent any scrapes," said Leah Doyle-Stevens, Camp Courtney sports coordinator who recently held a King of the Ring Skate Park competition at one such location. "Shorts can become a big issue for a lot of the kids because they often forget they aren't pros and fall a lot."
"Any injury is one too many. Of course we want our children to enjoy their long deserved summer break from school, but in doing so we want them more so to enjoy it safely," concluded Rosales.