Being a native Floridian, summer has always held a special place in my heart. Warm temperatures, trips to the beach, fishing with friends or just a relaxing day on the boat with my family filled my days as a child. However, as I write this, the Gulf Coast faces the unknown, yet potential devastating, effects from the BP oil spill. Summer for me has taken on a whole new meaning.

Tar balls are hitting the shores from Texas to Key West, but the worst is probably yet to come. States that rely on the immense fishing and tourism industries afforded by bordering the Gulf may feel the effects for several months…even years. How will our fragile shorelines and marine life weather the storm? Living in Tampa Bay, I will no doubt see the impact of the spill firsthand. Yet I hold out hope that by the time you read this, my concerns have proven excessive and the damage has been minimized.

As reports surface about possible safety violations at various BP oil rigs and the debate about whether the accident was preventable races on, I have renewed purpose for this magazine, The Safety Report. The Injury Board has never been more dedicated to ensuring that all readers are supplied with the best information possible on safety and preventable injuries. We can only hope that readers hold close the valuable advice the following pages emanate and walk away with a new mindset toward safety.

Please support the Gulf Coast this summer and stay safe!