Keeping bikers safe is goal of Keesler courses Published March 11, 2009 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- Keesler is ready to offer motorcycle safety courses on base again for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. Jerry Gardner, 81st Training Support Squadron, is one of five trained motorcycle safety instructors on base. Monday, he was striping a section of the parking lot adjacent to Dolan Hall for the basic course, March 24-25, and the experienced rider course, March 26. Plans are to hold the classes on a monthly basis. "It will be great to have courses on base again," Mr. Gardner said. "After Katrina, the temporary base exchange was built on the parking lot where we used to have our courses, so we held our training at the Seabee Base in Gulfport." The basic rider course is for cycling novices. Loaner motorcycles have been provided for the class by Suzuki City of Biloxi. The one-day course for experienced riders is offered for bikers to hone their skills or get familiarized with a new motorcycle. Instructors attend regional training by the Motorcycle Safety Federation and incorporate its materials into the courses. Resumption of the base's motorcycle safety courses comes as the Air Force's safety director at the Pentagon, Maj. Gen. Frederick Roggero, is working to get the message out about the spike in ground and aviation mishaps during the spring months, which he refers to as the Spring Spike. During March and April of the previous two years, the Air Force had 16 Class A and B motorcycle mishaps which resulted in death or permanent total disability. "The spike in motorcycle fatalities can mainly be attributed to motorcyclists not being prepared for the riding season and vehicle operators not looking out for motorcyclists," General Roggero said. "This Spring Spike is second only to the 101 Critical Days of Summer as a threat to our Airmen. We've developed a full range of tools to highlight the risks and provide mitigation solutions (to be provided to base safety offices.) To sign up for motorcycle safety courses, contact your unit motorcycle safety representative.