Safety rodeo: lassos fun-loving sailors, civilians.

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Service members from northeast Florida and south Georgia converged on NAS Jacksonville May 12, to take part in the fourth recreational-safety rodeo at the base-commissary parking lot. The event showcased the latest safety information related to motorcycles, bicycling, ATVs, boating, personal watercraft, scuba diving, and other recreational activities.

The rodeo kicked off with a group motorcycle ride, led by NAS Jax Police Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) Motor Unit from the Target parking lot, down Roosevelt Boulevard to the main gate, and through the base. Event organizer Connie Policastro, a motorcycle-safety instructor at the NAS Jax safety office, welcomed more than 60 riders from NAS Jax; NSB Kings Bay, Ga.; and NS Mayport.

"May is motorcycle awareness month, and today's event shows the commitment of our Sailors, DoD civilians and retirees to enjoying accident-free riding every day," said Policastro.

The riders demonstrated low-speed, tight-turn maneuvers that most people think are impossible with large motorcycles. As the group arrived in the commissary parking lot, NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Jack Scorby Jr. welcomed them by talking about the critical need for recreational safety awareness.

The rodeo was a safety stand-down, in which Sailors signed in for their safety passport and visited information booths.

Besides the motorcycle-riding-skills demonstrations, events included a simulated motorcycle-accident response by the Jacksonville Navy Metro Fire and Emergency Services, as well as a Jaws of Life[R] extraction. Representatives also were available from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles FLOWmobile, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, No-Zone Truck, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol.

By Clark Pierce, Editor, JaxAirNews

Source Citation
Pierce, Clark. "Safety rodeo: lassos fun-loving sailors, civilians." Sea&Shore Winter 2009: 19. Military and Intelligence Database. Web. 15 Jan. 2010. .

Gale Document Number:A214999321