I am the out-going Chief of Safety at Hurlburt Field, FL and as I'm closing up loose ends, I wanted to follow up with you about our BASH program.  Last year, Maj Gen McFann and Mr Johnson had dropped by and were quite interested in our program. I forwarded Mr Johnson the article we wrote for AFSOC's safety journal (FOCUS) but realized that I had never talked with your office. I have attached last year's article written for the magazine as well as some slides from the article showing the reduction in costs associated with bird strikes. Our contract started in Nov 2004 and the first year maintenance costs associated to bird strikes was reduced from $450K to about $40K--a 90% reduction!  Second year trend is right on track with that figure.  I have been sold on the capabilities of teaming up a biologist and the border collie.

 

Our contract is through Birdstrike Control Program run by Dr Nicholas Carter. Over the course of the last year, we have not had to use lethal means to eradicate any wildlife and our expenses for pyrotechnics have plummeted to near zero. Only during heavy migrations are pyrotechnics required.  Being that our airfield manager lost his hand to a pyrotechnic mishap 10 years ago, we truly welcome that statistic. I have talked with my counterparts at other bases using USDA who utilize their "license to kill" as a good-deal program. They have stacks of deer piled up in photos and think it's a good thing. My impression has always been if that found its way to the press, the Air Force would have a PR-nightmare on its hands.

I emphasize biologist because that is where I get the bang for the buck. Sure, the border collie is great and he does a fantastic job on the base, but the biologist provides me, as the Chief of Safety, with the info I need to advise & educate the Wing and Ops Group commanders. For example, upon returning from a HUREVAC after Hurricane Dennis, our first two returning aircraft each took a nasty bird strike. We called out our Wildlife Control Officer (WCO) and she gave me an immediate assessment of the situation. These were hurricane-displaced seagulls (hundreds of them) and explained to me their feeding/flying habits as morning-type birds. I took that information to the OG/CC and advised him to refrain from landings until after lunch.  He concurred and we had zero bird strikes on the remaining 35 recoveries. Incidentally, the contractor had 6 feet of water in her house from the hurricane yet still concentrated her efforts on the airfield for the next 48 hours and did not quit until we were down to 3 seagulls left on the airfield. Trust me, we surely appreciate her dedication (in fact, AFSOC/SE awarded her an Outstanding Achievement in Safety for her many actions and contributions in FY 05).

Additionally, the WCO makes herself available for other animal issues outside of the contract. She has assisted CE in ridding base housing of a bear problem, removed (in coordination with Florida Fish & Wildlife) alligators from our infield, and most recently, advised the on-scene commander during a search & recovery of a drowned boater. Our golf course lake has numerous gators and snakes and she provided the technical expertise to ensure the rescue divers and searchers were kept safe.

v/r, Frank

Frank J. Kuska, Lt Col, USAF
16 SOW Chief of Safety
DSN 579-5243; Comm 850-884-5243
"Safety is not the equivalent of risk-free" - U.S. Supreme Court, 1972