Safety Page


	Safety Page Maj. Rich Stack is our Safety Officer C/Sgt Alex DeSoto is our Cadet Safety NCO Managing Risk to Operate: Making ORM Part of CAP's Culture While good CAP-wide initiatives come and go, ORM has been around for more than a decade but only recently adapted for CAP. Why has it been around so long? Because it's a simple, common-sense approach and a uniquely useful tool for achieving excellence while preventing mishaps. So why is it that the highest-ranking leaders in the CAP continue to espouse the virtues of ORM, and yet the youngest of our members and our junior leaders have trouble understanding the basic steps of the process? This is a navigation aid to help us change course and make ORM an integral part of CAP culture. It is a guide to changing our perceptions of what ORM is and what it is not. ORM is not about avoiding or eliminating all risk in what we do. We face risk every time we get into our cars, man an aircraft or attend an activity. These risks don't keep us from doing our jobs. A Navy Admiral once coined the phrase "Managing Risk to Operate," and made it clear that ORM is about getting the job done while keeping out members and equipment capable of doing it again tomorrow. This is why the ORM effort nation-wide is being reinvigorated and standardized.
	Where We Want To Be: We want everyone to understand risk management. We want them to know how to apply the principles and the process at the right level in their specific tasks and activities, on and off duty. We need every CAP member to understand that every injury to a member or damage to CAP equipment robs us of a vital part of our team. A critical step is changing people's perceptions of ORM. 2 The Sentinel, Civil Air Patrol's Safety Newsletter, July 2009 ORM is a tactic; not a safety program. It is a way to deal with the threats (hazards) we face every day. These threats are almost always under our control, and the deadliest ones are our own human errors. We use ORM all the time, we just don't recognize it. By taking advantage of the ingenuity of others, by following procedures, and by using the tools provided for us, we are managing risk. We all must learn to ask, "What's different today?" as a way to anticipate changes in "routine" task. In ORM terms, this question transitions us from planning (deliberate ORM) to action (time-critical ORM). It allows us to alter our plans and deal with unexpected hazards.The Way Ahead Ingraining ORM into our culture will require leaders to think and plan with the principles and concepts of ORM fully integrated. Leaders must teach ORM techniques to our newest members. Junior personnel must understand that they need to master a simple set of skills to effectively play their positions on the team, watch for changes, and communicate what they see to their teammates. Everyone must know and use ORM terms so everyone knows the process is in action. Col Lyle E. Letteer, CAP National Safety Officer All members need to take the ORM course and test at: Operational Risk Management A href="http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Learn_From_6650ADC4093A5.doc" target="_blank">Safety slideshow The Sentinel Newsletter