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81st SFS members attend ATV safety course

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Greg Biondo
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The day started with a safety briefing and a physical inspection of the All Terrain Vehicles that ten 81st Security Forces Squadron members would ride as they prepared to take part in the ATV Rider Course here Dec. 6.

The course presented by the ATV Safety Institute is designed to give riders the skills necessary to safely operate the vehicles and to react in an emergency situation.

"This is just a basic rider course to teach everybody the fundamentals of riding safely and responsibly," said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Moody, 81st Wing Staff Agency first sergeant and course instructor.

Starting, stopping, performing quick turns, swerving, emergency stopping and rolling over obstacles was all part of the curriculum and allowed the riders to experience first-hand what all of these scenarios feel like in order to get them more comfortable for a real-world situation.

"The course of instruction allows you to push yourself and determine the limits of the machine and your own individual abilities while riding in a controlled environment," said Senior Airman Stephen Nores, vehicle control NCO. "I've been riding ATVs since I was 11 years old, and I believe anyone who plans on riding any type of ATV should attend this training."

While the ATVs may seem like toys to some, they serve a larger operational purpose in the Air Force. Perimeter checks, security details, natural disasters and other deployment related purposes are just a small portion of the role these tools provide.

"A lot of the perimeter fence (on Keesler) is not accessible by regular vehicles, so it gives security forces the opportunity to get right up there on the fence line for a proper inspection," said Moody. "It's just another tool or resource where they can get out to where other vehicles can't and respond a little differently than their regular patrol vehicles."

For the Air Force, the course is intended to teach safe riding for operational purposes, but students understand the importance of utilizing the skills they've learned anytime they ride.

"Not everyone grows up riding ATVs, dirt bikes, or other types of recreational vehicles," said Nores. "The knowledge and skills obtained from this course could be the difference between a safe and enjoyable ride and one that ends in serious injury."
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