Everybody’s talking about it.
Most of it is rumor, hearsay and innuendo…
We idolize the exploits of the people we look up to, and try to keep our own experiences (and shortcomings) under the radar.
No, I’m not talking about sex — I’m talking about crew safety.
What does crew safety have to do with sex?
Actually, quite a lot…
Let me explain.
Everybody says they’re doing it…
Just like sex in high-school, crew safety is all the rage.
Everyone likes to pretend they’re doing it.
Buzzwords and rumors abound…
Stories about safety stand downs, “just to be safe” out of service time, and aircraft staying on the ground.
But nobody shares safety specifics or details. Hmmm…
Most importantly, nobody wants to admit that they don’t really know what they are doing (or gasp!) Have never done it themselves.
Hardly anyone is really doing it…
Everybody’s talking about it, but that doesn’t mean everybody’s actually doing it.
The truth is that many of the exploits that you hear about are fueled by vivid imagination, rather than experience; only a very small portion of the talkers are actually doing the things that they describe.
And that’s okay…
Maybe you aren’t ready.
Most aren’t doing it very well…
Like sex in high school, crew safety is something at which even those who are doing it don’t have much experience, and their actions are often controlled by impulses and urges, rather than skilled intent.
Take a quiz and see if you’re making any of the most typical crew safety mistakes.
It’s important that they can and with no fear of retribution. If you aren’t using an anonymous reporting system, consider it.
It’s hard to do. Sometimes it feels like admitting mistakes to a competitor, because sometimes that’s exactly what you’re doing.
But doing the right thing….is sometimes a funny thing. It has this way of rewarding you in ways you sometimes don’t even realize. Try it, you’ll be making our industry better, and it will ultimately benefit you.
If not, you should consider it. It makes you safer and it builds trust within your organization. If the first time you try it, surprisingly nobody has any mistakes to share publicly…
Well, you know you have some work to do in building trust.
Do you feel like experimenting?
Try implementing one of our suggestions at your station, center or flight program. Remember, skill, experience and trust all take time.
Try it. You’ll be safer. EMS will be safer. And your people will thank you for it. Over time, they may even learn to trust you.
Clear skies and tailwinds,
Fly-write
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