[Stcroix] Safety Briefing May 2025 and NCR1

[Daniel Malneritch]

Below is an article from CAP's safety newsletter. Attached is a slide from
the North Central Region. Remember that as the saying goes: Preparation
Prevents Poor Performance. So it's important to plan for safety and assess
risks prior to running an activity.

Additionally from the MN Wing Director of Safety:
"We have also recently had a few instances of damaged aircraft that no one
has reported.
Please stress to all the pilots that they should do thorough pre-flight
inspections and note any damage, especially to the tail tie-down rings."

Thank you for your attention,

*Capt Daniel Malneritch*

Safety Officer

St. Croix Composite Squadron

*Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary*

(M) 678-978-8617

GoCivilAirPatrol.com <https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/>

*Volunteers serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping
futures.*



How to Stay Vigilant in Preparedness

By: 1st Lt. Kuang Ku, IA-041



Semper Vigilans – Always vigilant is the motto of Civil Air Patrol.
However, it is often easier said than done. Our organization’s success
depends on each member, flight, and squadron to prepare themselves to be
ready when our community, state, and nation call upon us. So why are we
unprepared for the next meeting, inspection, or mission? The answers are
just as complex as the problem itself. So, let’s break down this issue and
offer some practical solutions.


The biggest challenge for staying prepared is complacency. As we settle
into a routine, it becomes quite easy to skip over the details and mark the
check box on the checklist. We start wondering whether the skills and
equipment we maintain are useful, asking questions like “When was the last
time we used it?” or “Does this matter”? This type of attitude can have
devastating effects as we will not be able to perform our duties when the
moment comes when we are called upon to use the skills and equipment that
we have been entrusted with. Civil Air Patrol has instituted processes that
require us to check our skills and equipment through SUI and SQTR
recertification to counter the complacency mindset. On a personal level, we
can also weave these tasks into our regular routines to allow us to use our
skills and equipment to stay current and ensure we are prepared for the
next mission.


We often find ourselves less prepared because we have too much to do. The
term for this situation is “task saturation.” Even though different people
have various levels of handling

multiple tasks simultaneously, everyone has a breaking point. The way to
resolve this situation is first to recognize that we are being overwhelmed
and either limit our scope of work or ask for help. To prevent frequent
cases of task saturation, we should not commit more than 80% of our
available time and resources to any given task. This allows us to flex our
time when unforeseen circumstances arise. There is also no shame in
requesting help when we feel overwhelmed. This will ensure that we can meet
our goals and not burn out ourselves.


Lastly, we should have a healthy view of our failures. If we are found to
be less than prepared for a situation, we should see it as an opportunity
to gain experience instead of a mark of dishonor. To do this, we must
reflect on how and why we were less than prepared for that situation.
Creating practical action items will help us be better prepared the next
time.


Preparedness is more of a journey than it is a destination. To that end,
we must view preparedness as an ongoing process to be maintained instead of
a badge or award to be attained. This attitude is reflected in our motto of
consistent execution – Semper Vigilans.


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