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Safety and Security

  • Published
  • By Col. Alan L. Hunt, Jr.
  • 375th Airlift Wing
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, - 07/13/06 --  When I arrived here, I wanted everyone to understand that my two top priorities were safety and security. Safety and security does not just apply to the men and women who work on Scott Air Force Base, but extends to the members of our families, as well as those of the feline or canine persuasion. I don’t know about you, but my Scottish terrier, Chewie, is as important to me, as my two daughters, and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to him. 

In the last few weeks there has been an alarming trend that has caused me some concern: people leaving pets in vehicles unattended. In the absence of an installation policy regarding leaving animals unattended in a motor vehicle, our security forces personnel must adhere to the Illinois state law which states “no owner or person shall confine any animal in a motor vehicle in such a manner that places it in a life or health threatening situation to prolonged period of extreme heat or cold without proper ventilation or other protection.” 

Leaving a pet alone in a vehicle has a number of potential risks. In direct sunlight, it only takes a few minutes for the internal heat to increase forty degrees above the outside air temperature, and a dog’s body heat will act like a heater in the enclosed space. At this point the dog is unable to dissipate heat from his body, leading to heat stroke, a potentially fatal condition. The law doesn’t say that you can’t leave an animal unattended in a vehicle, just keep in mind that you’ll need to crack the window enough to ensure reasonable circulation for the animal. Do not however, crack the window so much that passersby could stick their hands in the vehicle and agitate the animal, creating another potentially harmful situation. 

In order to protect the health and safety of any animal left in a vehicle, I am counting on you to contact the 375th Security Forces Squadron’s law enforcement desk to investigate any incident where an animal’s health or safety may be jeopardized. Following notification, our 375th SFS personnel have the authority to enter the motor vehicle and take the animal into custody, after making a reasonable effort to locate the owner or another person responsible for the animal, as explained by Illinois state law. 

Along the same vein, and equally important are the guidelines for leaving children unattended in a motor vehicle. This specific topic is addressed in the Scott Air Force Base Installation Security Instruction (SAFBI 31-101). The section on age restrictions indicates that “children must be 16 years old to remain in any vehicle with the motor running” and “11 years old to be left unattended in any house, building, structure or vehicle that is not running.” It’s a common sense issue that is frequently overlooked. 

The risk of heat stroke is equally dangerous for children. Also to consider, is leaving a child alone even for a brief moment, increases the risk injuries sustained from playing with the power-operated windows, to the more extreme risk of abduction, all of which are preventable when we use common sense and good judgment. 

Now, you may be asking yourself what in the world does leaving pets and children unattended in vehicles have to do with my top priorities, safety and security? For every instance that an unattended animal or child is reported to the 375th SFS, a patrol is dispatched to investigate the report. That patrol, which could be identifying potential intruders attempting to gain unauthorized access to the base or its facilities, is now unavailable, possibly compromising our perimeter security and the safety of you and your family. So I need your help. Think ahead before departing on your errands. Take into account the rising temperatures of the season before you take your pet with you on an errand to the Base Exchange, Commissary or Shoppette, and leave him in the car. 

Consider how long your errand will take, and what prolonged exposure to the elements will do to your pet. How safe is your child alone in the car and does he or she meet the age requirements as established by the SAFBI 31-101? The bottom line is do the probable risks outweigh the convenience? The answer may not be the one you’re looking for or the easiest one to come by, but it is undoubtedly the right one for the safety of your children and pets, as well as for the security of the people you live and work with.