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Anniston Army Depot, AlabamaVolume 32, Number 30012 May 14, 2020
U.S. Postage PaidPresort Standard
Anniston, AL 36201Permit No. 326
Address ServiceRequestedTracks
Wildfire preventionWildfires and grilling
are two of the fire hazards encountered during the summer.See article on page 6.
Inside Tracks
Cloth face coveringsLearn the differences
between types of masks and the rules for wearing cloth face masks at work.See articles on page 5.
GAP updateView an update of the
metrics used in ANAD’s Group Award Program.See information on page 5.
NOTES• COVID-19 resources• Social media links• iWatch reminder• Cafeteria menus• And more
See information on page 7.
Can your work be complet-ed in an efficient and effective manner or are heroic measures required?
Do you experience delays inhibiting your ability to meet production requirements?
Do safety hazards exist in your work area?
I bet there are things in your work area which, if given the opportunity, you would change and make better.
I believe that because I think the person doing the job has the best ideas to improve the work area and how to best accomplish the job.
Incorporating these ideas into Anniston Army Depot’s continuous process improve-ment initiative is one of the key ingredients for success.
Here at the depot, our CPI efforts are commonly referred to as Lean. Regardless of what we call it, our efforts and focus are being reinvigorated.
Our approach centers on value streams.
Earlier this year, we chose the Paladin component value stream to kick off our reinvigo-ration. In March, a value stream analysis was conducted, lay-ing out the entire process from vehicle disassembly until the completed vehicle is returned to DLA.
The result was a road map for improvements over the next 12-18 months.
Without a road map, drive-by improvements usually hap-pen. In drive-by improvements, only a small piece of the process is improved, without consider-
ation to the impact of the whole value stream.
Many times, these small im-provements have a negative im-pact on the overall process.
Our CPI staff has been busy collecting data for the improve-ments to the Paladin component process.
You may have seen employ-ees collecting time observa-tions. Gathering of the time ob-servation data sometimes makes the watched employees nervous.
It is sometimes associated with time studies to reduce time
standards or the time allotted to complete the work. Our time ob-servations document the work being performed and the time it takes.
We are creatures of habit. We do work the way we were taught and, in many cases, ac-cept the inefficiencies without realizing it.
Time observers are trained to identify the wasted efforts. Once the waste is identified, the team, including the people do-ing the work, determine how to best eliminate the waste.
This is what we mean when we say, “work smarter, not hard-er.” This is one of the benefits of an efficient work cell.
The target benefits from the Paladin component process im-provements are:
• Reduce schedule changes by 50 percent to an average of 1.8 changes per month.
• Improve the percentage of kits provided to vehicle assem-bly with zero shortages to 75 percent.
• Reduce man-hour stan-dards by 15 percent.
• Reduce quality deficien-cies by 75 percent.
I encourage each of you to provide ideas for improvements in your work area to your super-visor or contact a member of the Lean team at Ext. 6781.
In other words, if you see an opportunity to make things better or easier, say something. Better yet, I encourage you to volunteer to serve on Lean events.
I’m sure each of you track the Group Award Program per-formance and take note of the key metrics determining the payout. CPI savings is one of those key metrics. So, even if CPI didn’t make your work area more efficient, you still have a very good reason to participate in our CPI initiatives.
When CPI events are con-ducted in your work area, please provide your ideas.
When given the opportunity, participate in CPI event whether it’s a Rapid Improvement Event, Value Stream Analysis or a Problem Solving and Corrective Action Team.
When we work together, we make things better.
CPI focuses on Paladin value streamby Patti Sparks
ANAD CPI Division
U.S. Army Photo by Jennifer Bacchus
Tamara Smoot records the time needed for an employee in the turret assembly area to move parts to a work site. The Continuous Process Im-provement Division is currently focused on the Paladin component value stream.
This Army newspaper is an authorized publica-tion for members of the DOD. Contents of TRACKS are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Department of the
Army. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Anniston Army Depot PAO.
Printed by Consolidated Publishing, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Govern-ment, under exclusive written contract with Annis-ton Army Depot.
The editorial office is located in the Abrams Build-
ing, Room 358, telephone 256-235-6281. TRACKS in-vites comments and contributions from its readers. Address email to: [email protected] and mail to: Editor, TRACKS, TAAN-SCO, 7 Frankford Avenue, Anniston, AL 36201-4199. DEADLINE days are Thursdays pre-ceding date of publication. Circulation: 3,500.
Postmaster: Send address changes to TRACKS, PO Box 2285, Anniston, AL 36202.
Commanding Officer....................Col. Marvin WalkerPublic Affairs Officer...........................Clester BurdellEditor..............................................Jennifer BacchusPhotographer....................................Mark Cleghorn
Tracks
TRACKS2 May 14, 2020
Cranes are a marvel of engineer-ing. But, overhead crane accidents cause around 175 severe injuries and nearly 45 fatalities every year, according to the Bu-reau of Labor Statistics.
Overhead cranes are an essential com-ponent of our day-to-day operations here at Anniston Army Depot, as we rely on them to lift and transport materials and components.
Operating a crane takes extensive training and employees must follow stan-dards to ensure the crane, the operator and those in the surrounding area are safe.
Crane safety is an important compo-nent of overall workplace safety. Done correctly, it can mean the difference be-tween mission success, production delays, personnel injury or life and death, in many cases.
All workplace safety is important; but crane safety, in particular, is critical, be-cause of how devastating accidents related to cranes can be.
Crane operators, and those working around them, should learn the most com-mon crane hazards for the type of crane they operate.
Analysis of overhead crane accidents reveals many common safety hazards each workplace using overhead lift systems should be aware of, to keep employees safe.
Understanding the hazards associ-ated with cranes, and being aware of these risks, will help ensure everyone is watch-ing out for them and taking steps to avoid them whenever possible.
Following are some hazards all em-ployees involved in lifting operations should take into account, because of how frequently they can occur and how serious accidents can be:
• Pre-Use Operational Inspection - Making sure that the crane, rigging, rig-ging hardware and attachment points are in proper working order before lifting is essential. If anything is not working cor-rectly, it can cause serious accidents and
injuries to those in the area. Please refer to the Crane Daily Pre-Use Inspection Checklist for a list of items which must be inspected and be in a satisfactory condi-tion prior to operating any crane or hoist.
• Crane/Rigging Movement (pinch points) - Cranes often need to twist, ad-just and move to get the load and rigging where it needs to go. This can create pinch or crush points where someone could be seriously injured. Know where your feet and hands are at all times. Operators must communicate with the signal person to en-sure all personnel are clear of pinch points.
• Improper Lifting Techniques/Damaged Rigging – Choosing the proper size of rigging, the proper hitch and work-ing within the proper load angle factors will reduce the chance of overloading or causing damage to the rigging. Do not use damaged or out-of-service rigging.
• Dropped Loads - If a crane drops its load, whatever is under it will be crushed
and the object dropped could be damaged, putting a delay in the production process. No one should work directly under a crane load for any reason, even with PPE. Keep-ing non-essential personnel clear of the suspended load at all times will reduce the chance of injury if the load shifts, swings or drops unintentionally.
• Materials Falling - Every load a crane lifts needs to be properly secured and free of loose parts and tools. Even when a load is secure, there is always a risk of something falling off. Employees below the crane should avoid working in the area and be aware of the suspended load while it is moving.
• Crane Overloading - Cranes can lift an astounding amount of weight, but there are limits. Crane operators and those who load the crane need to know precisely how much weight it can handle and exact-ly how much weight they have added or are lifting at any given time. Overloading
a crane can cause it to tip over, cause struc-tural damage or cause a loss of load, which all can have devastating consequences.
• Side Pull - This is one of the most common mistakes made with overhead cranes. Hoists and cranes are designed to lift straight up and lower straight down only. Side pulls cause a number of dan-gerous conditions.
First, the wire rope often comes out of its grooves and “scrubs” against the remaining rope or drum, resulting in dam-aged rope. Sometimes the rope actually jumps the drum and tangles itself around the shaft, resulting in stress to the rope.
In addition, side pulls cause stress in unintended ways even worse than rope problems. In a somewhat oversimplified example, a bridge beam, taller than it is wide, is lifted with a side pull. Pulling at a 45-degree angle would put equal lateral and vertical stresses on the crane, poten-tially causing bridge beam failure, even with weight only half of the rated capac-ity.
Supervisors, leads, safety monitors and all lifting personnel should be aware of, and take into account, the above infor-mation to prevent misuse, mishandling, and unsafe lifting practices.
All personnel onsite have the right to give a “Stop” signal to the operator if they see something unsafe or dangerous.
These hazards are not all-inclusive of the hazards associated with cranes.
It is the responsibility of supervisors to ensure crane operators retain certifica-tion, follow all safe work practices and correct unsafe lifting habits.
Look at it this way: certification is like having a driver’s license for a car. Just be-cause you have a driver’s license, doesn’t mean you are a good driver.
It all comes down to having a culture and mindset of safety. The most important reason for any crane safety program is saving lives and ensuring that every lift is successful.
When operators take time to ensure every lift is made without error, the ef-ficiency of your lift team becomes the greatest component of your productivity.
Crane safety: Pre-operational inspections and safe operating practicesby Shawn Ankerich
ANAD Safety Office
U.S. Army Photo by Jennifer Bacchus
Ervin Hall lifts a component using an overhead crane at Anniston Army Depot. All crane opera-tors must be certified and follow proper lifting procedures when operating hoists or cranes.
TRACKS 3May 14, 2020
Accountability vital to success for employees, ANAD
Have you ever heard the expression, “Are you working hard or hardly working?”
This is usually said in a joking manner and gets a laugh or two. Unfortunately, there are some who prefer to “hardly work” or to work the system.
In a sense, this phrase speaks to account-ability in the work place.
In order to have a successful and efficient work environment, we must have account-ability in the workplace, from both supervi-sors and subordinates. Every employee in an organization is accountable for the success of that organization.
Accountability in the workplace includes such things as:
• Completing the tasks you are assigned• Being responsible for performing the
duties of your position• Being present on duty during your as-
signed shift in order to perform your assigned duties.
That may sound a lot like responsibility. Well, responsibility is a part of accountabil-ity.
Employees are responsible for doing cer-tain things during their duty day; however, they are not, necessarily, held accountable.
If employees in an organization, both su-pervisors and subordinates, are held account-able, it is likely the organization will be suc-cessful.
You may say you can’t make people be accountable. Employees can be held account-able for their actions, and working environ-ments can be structured to foster accountabil-ity.
One way to build an accountable organi-zation is to ensure employees have support, including the resources, knowledge and as-sistance needed to perform their job duties and clarity on the roles of responsibility in the organization.
Employees want to know their voices will be heard and their concerns addressed by management in a timely manner.
Being accountable means being able to explain why we did what we did. It also means taking responsibility for the outcome.
If a heavy mobile equipment mechanic’s work is backed up/held up, the next person may be waiting, meaning they cannot pro-duce the product in a timely manner.
The mechanic will be held accountable. He may be expected to explain what hap-pened and make necessary adjustments so the work can flow smoothly out of his work area to the next stage in the operation. He may also be asked to find solutions to make the process work smoother.
If a product is not up to quality expecta-tions, an employee should be held account-able for the lack of quality.
The annual appraisal/performance evalu-ation is one way of measuring accountability.
The objectives set at the beginning of the rating period define the expected goals/out-comes.
How well the employee performs in rela-tion to those goals determines the extent to which the mission succeeds. Thus, to an ex-tent, accountability.
When employees take accountability for their actions, they are more likely to exceed expectations because they take “ownership” of the process and put their heart, mind and soul into the process.
In the workplace, employee behavior and performance, both positive and negative, should have consequences.
Good behavior and good performance should warrant positive consequences. On the other hand, bad behavior (misconduct) or poor performance should produce negative consequences.
Workplace rules, and the consequences for not following them, should be known and understood by all employees.
If an employee does not follow the rules, appropriate action should be taken to correct the behavior. That may require the supervi-sor to impose informal or formal disciplinary measures. In the end, we all should be held accountable for our actions.
Next time someone asks you what you’re doing while you are at work, think about this quote: “You either make yourself account-able or you will be made accountable by your circumstances.” (Author unknown)
As a final point, you should not dread go-ing to work and working nine hours a day. It should be something you like, if not love.
When we are accountable and are held ac-countable, our workdays are more productive and enjoyable/satisfying. Let’s make a com-mitment to being accountable and encour-age others to do the same. After all, to quote President Truman, for each of us, “the buck stops here.”
You’ve probably heard this phrase. It was coined by a British civil servant in late 1939 in the Min-istry of Information and developed as a morale boosting poster to be used if Britain was invaded by Germany.
Although the poster was nev-er used, “Keep Calm and Carry On” has surfaced and been used many times in popular culture.
I happen to be a fan of the simple message and the Legal Office has ad-opted it and its sentiment.
Judging from current events in some of our offices and shops, it ap-pears we as a depot need to adopt it as well.
We all know how extraordinarily on edge everyone in the world, the nation, our local community and our workplace has been, concerning CO-VID-19 and the potential for expo-sure to it.
With that underlying concern, words and actions which might have gone unchallenged or unnoticed are causing tempers to flare and jobs to be put in jeopardy; not to mention the physical and emotional cost to the participants, the people around them, and the detriment to shop pro-ductivity.
All of this detracts from our mis-sion – support to the war fighters.
Commander’s Policy Statement #5 on Workplace Violence Preven-tion states all depot employees have the right to work in an environment free from physical violence, threats and intimidation.
Anniston Army Depot is com-mitted to provide its employees a safe, healthy and secure work envi-ronment. The presence of weapons, violence and threats is inconsistent with that commitment.
As those actions have an adverse impact on productivity, good order and discipline, ANAD has a zero tol-erance for this type of conduct.
Zero tolerance means some type of disciplinary action will be taken, ranging from informal counseling to removal. Most importantly, no action violating the policy will be ignored.
Acts of violence and threats of
violence include, but are not limited to:
• Verbal (threats, harassment, abuse or intimidation)
• Nonverbal (gestures and in-timidation)
• Written communication (notes and e-mail)
• Physical (hitting, pushing, shoving, kicking, touching and as-sault, including incidents of horse-play)
• Other (arson, sabotage, vandal-ism and stalking).
Take note that horseplay is in-cluded in the definition of “acts of violence.”
The bottom line is this: The depot is not going to tolerate violence in any form at any time for any reason.
The stakes are too high, the work-force is too valuable and the work is too important.
Additionally, for each employee, if you engage in violence, you could very well be putting your livelihood in jeopardy.
You could also be putting your life or someone else’s life in jeop-ardy.
Before you take an action you may well regret for the rest of your life, take a deep breath and Keep Calm and Carry On.
For additional information, con-tact the depot’s Legal Office at 256-235-6518.
Keep Calm, Carry Onby Susan Bennett
ANAD Legal Office
from Staff ReportsAnniston CPAC Office
TRACKS4 May 14, 2020
One of the biggest issues of being isolated from our typical social settings, whether with co-workers or large family gatherings, is that it trig-gers negative self-talks – one of the biggest cul-prits for depression and anxiety.
Being more aware of our emotional and men-tal state helps safeguard our mental wellness dur-ing social distancing.
This awareness, known as mindfulness, is one way to manage the stress social distancing pro-duces.
Mindfulness is maintaining a moment-by-mo-ment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surroundings.
Mindfulness has physiological, psychological and emotional benefits. It not only helps calm our emotional reactivity, but also serves as a coping mechanism by slowing down the thinking process.
Daily practice of mindfulness increases self-awareness by understanding our own emotions and physical state.
Research by James Carmody from the Univer-sity of Massachusetts and Ruth Baer from the Uni-versity of Kentucky showed additional benefits of mindfulness include:
• Lower cortisol levels (which lead to less stress)
• Boosts in the immune system• Significant changes in the brain, leading to
better memory, higher attention skills and better emotional regulation
By practicing mindfulness, you can be more productive and have more time in your daily schedule.
It can decrease anxiety and depression for peo-ple who are susceptible to those issues.
Through mindfulness, negative emotions and stress can be reduced and positive emotions, such as self-compassion, increase.
According to Ronald Siegel and Paul Fulton of Harvard, practicing self-compassion allows us to help others, while increasing relationship sat-isfaction.
There are many way to practice mindfulness and some are as simple as daily household chores.
What it requires is deliberately paying atten-tion to thoughts and sensations without judgment.
Here are some examples of how to practice mindfulness during social distancing:
• Body Sensation. Notice simple body sensa-tions, such as an itch or tingling (without judg-ment) and let them pass. Observe your state of
mind, emotion and practice gentleness by being non-judgmental.
• Urge surfing. Savor every bit of every mo-ment and allow yourself to excuse the urges. Fo-cus on the present moment and replace any nega-tive thought by saying, “It is okay to be here in the moment.”
• Self-soothing techniques. Listen to soothing music or even engage in hugging. Take a moment to dance with yourself and/or family members. This produces oxytocin that naturally reduces anxiety. Another self-soothing technique is to fo-cus quietly on your natural breathing or on a word, or mantra, you repeat silently.
• Activating the sensory by organizing some-thing at home. Getting organized is a simple way to reduce our stress levels and improve the quality of our life. Notice signs, sounds, smells, tastes and touches. Name them without judgment, feel them and then let them go.
• Set small daily goals. Breaking down goals into smaller ones helps us be more specific to what the aim is and keep the mind activated. This heightens our ability to focus.
• Let loose and laugh. Laughing releases en-dorphins (part of the happy chemicals) and brings more oxygen and energy into the body while im-proving the immune system. Notice each part of your body in motion, from head to toe.
If you are having trouble coping during so-cial distancing, please reach out to your Anniston Army Depot Employee Assistance Program for additional help or resources.
Boyd Scoggins: [email protected] Bruno: [email protected]
Mindfulness practice during social distancing
by Juanita BrunoANAD Employee Assistance Program
Courtesy photo
Being aware of our own emotional and mental state can help to combat negative feelings and depression.
The outbreak of coronavi-rus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people.
Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children.
Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about and your community stronger.
Stress during an in-fectious disease out-break can include:
• F e a r a n d worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones.
• Changes in sleep or eating patterns.
• D i f f i c u l t y sleeping or concen-trating.
• Worsening of chronic health prob-lems.
• Worsen ing of mental health condi-tions.
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
Everyone reacts differently to stress-ful situations.
How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the commu-nity you live in.
People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:
• Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19
• Children and teens• People who are helping
with the response to COVID-19, like doctors, other health care providers and first responders
• People who have mental health conditions, including problems with substance use
Take care of yourself and your community.
Taking care of yourself, your friends and your family can help you cope with stress.
Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger.Ways to cope with stress
Take breaks from watch-ing, reading, or listening to
news stories, including social media. Hear-ing about the pan-demic repeatedly can be upsetting.
Take care of your body, includ-
ing:• T a k i n g d e e p
breaths, stretching or meditating.
• Trying to eat healthy, well-bal-anced meals.
• E x e r c i s i n g regularly and getting
plenty of sleep.• Avoiding alcohol
and drugs.Make time to
unwind. Try to do some other activi-ties you enjoy.
Connect with others. Talk with peo-
ple you trust about your concerns and how you are feel-ing.Need help?
If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, de-pression or anxiety; or feel like you want to harm yourself or others:
• Call 911.• Contact the Disaster Dis-
tress Helpline at 800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746.
• Contact the National Do-mestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224.
Outbreaks can be stressfulfrom Staff Reports
CDC.gov
TRACKS 5May 14, 2020
Productive Yield:Direct Productive Yield:Greater than 1,600 – $2501,579-1,600 – $187.501,557-1,578 – $1251,534-1,556 – $62.50Less than 1,534 – $0Current hours – 1,601Current payout – $250
Indirect Productive Yield:Equal to or greater than 1,702 – $2501,683-1,701 – $187.501,663-1,682 – $1251,642-1,662 – $62.50Less than 1,642 – $0Current hours – 1,665Current payout – $125
Performance to Promise:98-100 – $50094-97 – $37590-93 – $250Less than 90 – $0Current percentage – 99Current payout – $500
Net Operating Result:NOR loss less than -$22.4M – $500.00NOR loss between -$22.4M and -$37M – $375.00NOR loss between -$37M and -$51.5M – $250.00NOR loss between -$51.5M and -$66M –$125.00NOR loss is greater than -$66M – $0Current loss – $10.42MCurrent payout – $500
Continuous Process Improvement100 percent of goal - $50080 percent of goal - $37560 percent of goal - $25040 percent of goal - $125Less than 40 percent of goal - $0Current percentage – 13Current payout – $0
CURRENT TOTAL: $1,375
GAP updatefrom DRM
For eligible personnel to receive the maximum FY20 GAP payout, all metrics must be met. Everyone must do their part each day to achieve these goals, which are attainable and impor-tant in executing ANAD’s mission.
Guidelines on the use of cloth face masks
The Secretary of Defense and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended the use of face masks by in-dividuals who are unable to maintain six feet of social distance.
Anniston Army Depot has obtained face masks for use by employees.
Employees will be required to wear face masks when six feet minimum social distancing is not feasible or where other cir-cumstances require use, such as with high risk individuals.
Please implement the following guidance to ensure safety of all employees.
Face masks must be maintained in a sanitary manner and used appropriately.
Cloth face coverings should:• Fit snugly, but comfortably against the side of the face• Be secured with ties, straps or ear loops• Be positioned to cover both the nose and mouth• Allow for breathing without restriction. If difficulty of
breathing occurs, stop using the mask and notify your supervisor.Face masks should be laundered and machine dried routinely.Face masks should be changed when saturated from conden-
sation build up from breathing or after you believe your mask has become contaminated.
Masks allow for frequent washing by employees in standard washing machines with household laundry detergent.
Properly store face masks in sanitary clean containers, such as a Ziploc or paper bags. Do not lay face masks on workplace surfaces.
Never store dirty masks with clean masks.Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose
and mouth when removing their cloth face mask and wash hands immediately after removing.
Face masks are not substitutes for required respiratory pro-tection and should not be used in areas where respirators are re-quired.
Employees should continue to use depot issued respirators in these areas.
Face masks are not a substitute for other infection control methods, such as washing hands and social distancing.
Employees may choose to wear their own personal mask if preferred; however, proper use, maintenance and storage, as dis-cussed above, should be followed.
For additional information, speak with your supervisor or contact the Safety Office at Ext. 7541.
from Staff ReportsANAD Safety Office
U.S. Army Photo by Mark Cleghorn
Face masks used by employees should cover both the nose and the mouth, as shown in this photo.
Important information from the CDC about cloth face coverings
How cloth face coverings workCloth face coverings prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading respiratory droplets
when talking, sneezing, or coughing. If everyone wears a cloth face covering when out in public, such as going to the grocery store, the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 can be reduced for the community. Since people can spread the virus before symptoms start, or even if people never have symptoms, wearing a cloth face covering can protect others around you. Face coverings worn by others protect you from getting the virus from people carrying the virus.
How cloth face coverings are different from other types of masksCloth face coverings are not the same as the medical face masks, surgi-
cal masks, or respirators (such as N95 respirators) worn by healthcare per-sonnel, first responders, and workers in other industries. These masks and respirators are personal protective equipment. Medical PPE should be used by healthcare personnel and first responders for their protection. Healthcare personnel and first responders should not wear cloth face coverings instead of PPE when respirators or face masks are indicated.
For more information, go to:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-faq.html
TRACKS6 May 14, 2020
As the weather warms up, we should remember to practice wildfire safety and grilling safety.
Protect your home from wildfiresEvery year, wildfires burn across the United States and
a growing number of people are living where wildfires are a real risk.
In 2018, more than 58,000 fires burned nearly nine million acres across the U.S.
More than 25,000 structures were destroyed, including 18,137 residences and 229 commercial structures.
California accounted for the highest number of struc-tures lost in one state, due to the number of significant fires, including the Mendocino Complex, Carr, Camp and Woolsey fires.
Below are recommendations from the National Fire Protection Association to help protect your home against wildfires:
• Keep the corner areas of a building clear of com-bustible materials, due to the higher probability of having direct flame touching the surrounding ground.
• Keep gutters free of debris and use metal gutters.• Install hard surfaces, such as a concrete walkway, or
use noncombustible mulch products, such as rock.• Keep the lawn well irrigated and use low-growing
herbaceous (non-woody) plants. Shrubs and trees are not recommended in a 5-foot zone directly beside the home.
• Remove dead vegetation and implement a mainte-nance strategy to keep the 5-foot zone clear of dead plant materials.
• Mitigating home ignition zones shouldn’t stop at 5 feet from the building. It should be combined with the footprint of an attached deck and area that extends away from the building up to 100 feet or to the property line.
Additional resources are located at the NFPA’s website at the following addresses. The first is a wildfire prepara-tion page and the second is a free class on preparing your property for a wildland fire.
• https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire
• https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firewise-USA/Online-learning-oppor-tunities/Online-courses
May 2 was Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. This event is a time when the NFPA raises awareness of
wildfires and encourages individuals and communities to prepare for potential wildfires by clearing shrubs and trees away from homes and structures.
A toolkit is available on the NFPA website at: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/National-Wildfire-Community-Preparedness-Day.
Grilling safetyThree out of five households own a gas grill, accord-
ing to the NFPA’s latest “Home Grill Fires” report. This translates to many tasty meals, but it also means there’s an increased risk of home fires.
From 2009 to 2013, an annual average of 8,900 home fires involved grills, hibachis or barbecues. Nearly half of all injuries involving grills were due to thermal burns.
While nearly half of the people who grill do so year-round, July is the peak month for grilling fires, followed by May, June and August.
The NFPA offers tips for safe grilling practices.• Propane and charcoal barbecue grills should only be
used outdoors.• The grill should be placed well away from the home,
deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grates and any accompanying trays.
• Never leave your grill unattended.A grill safety tip sheet and additional information can
be found on the NFPA website at: https://www.nfpa.org.
Wildfires, grilling are two summer fire hazardsby Nathan Harper
ANAD Fire & Emer. Services
lost in 2017-2019100+
Livesin property loss 2017-201925 + Billion
Dollarsidentified at high or extreme risk of wildfire
4.5MillionHomes
across the U.S.burned in 2018
9 MillionAcres
from the National Fire Protection Association at NFPA.org
Courtesy photo
Between 2017 and 2019, more then 100 lives and $25 billion in property were lost to wildfires. The National Fire Protection As-sociation recommends clearing brush and taking steps to keep wildfires from your home.
WILDFIRE STATISTICS
TRACKS 7May 14, 2020
notes from around the Track
May 15Snack line
May 18Baked pork chopRoasted new potatoesButter beansGlazed carrotsCornbread
May 19MeatloafMashed potatoes and gravyGreen peasFried okraYeast roll
May 20Chicken or beef soft tacoSpanish riceMexican cornRefried beansTortilla salad
May 21Burgers and brats
May 26Hot dogsChili, relish, sauerkraut, cheesePotato saladBaked beansFrench fries or onion rings
May 27General Tso’s chickenPepper steakFried riceStir fried vegetablesEgg roll
May 28Fried catfishBaked fishBaked beansColeslawFrench friesHush puppies
May 29Snack line
June 1Hamburger steakPotatoes au gratinField peasFried okraYeast roll or cornbread
June 2Country fried steakMashed potatoes and gravyBlack-eyed peasCollard greensCornbread
June 3Chicken or beef soft tacoSpanish riceBlack beans and cornTortilla salad
June 4Fried chickenBaked chickenMac and cheese Pinto beans, Turnip greensCornbread
Cafeteria menu
For up-to-date information on COVID-19, including preventing the spread of disease, visit the following websites:
• cdc.gov• phc.amedd.army.mil
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FloodWith sadness, we report
ANAD has lost a member of the team.
John E. Flood died May 6, 2020.
A general clerk with the Di-rectorate of Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation, he had more than 14 years of civilian service at Anniston Army Depot.
In Loving Memory
May 20: Virtual Memorial Day Ceremony at 8 a.m. - to be broadcast live on Facebook
May 25: Memorial Day
May 28: TRACKS published.
June 12: Army birthday cake-cutting at the Nichols Dining Facility. The cake-cutting will be shown on Facebook.
DATES TO REMEMBER
TRACKS8 May 14, 2020
MAY IS MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS MONTH - LOOK TWICE AND SAVE A LIFE!
