Comprehensive Airmen Fitness: Airmen Against Drunk Driving Safe Ride card available Published Sept. 1, 2011 By Scott King 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- In an effort to stop Fairchild Airmen from drinking and driving, the Fairchild First Sergeant Council has started a program to ensure Airmen have a safe ride home when they don't have the cash or the means to pay for it or make it home on their own without driving. All members of Fairchild will be issued a card with the following taxi cab numbers to be used when a ride home is needed. The two companies that are participating in the program are: Spokane Cab at (509) 568-8000 and Stars and Stripes at (509) 244-0730. They volunteered their services through the base First Sergeant Council (a private organization); however Fairchild does not endorse these companies. The program has safety in mind for Fairchild Airmen. "I hope this program will prevent someone from making the wrong choice to get behind the wheel and drive after drinking," said Senior Master Sgt. James Fink, 336th Training Support Squadron first sergeant. "Hopefully, if utilized properly, this program can prevent the loss of a career or maybe even a life." The council established the following procedures to clarify the program for all base personnel: Members having no means to pay for the cab will identify to the driver at the time of pick-up that they are a member of Fairchild Air Force Base and present their Military ID to the driver; the driver will then write down the members first and last name and last four of the Airman's social security number and will verbally ask the member for their unit of assignment; those members utilizing this program will only be transported from their current location to their home or place of residence; at the drop off location, the taxi cab company will present a receipt to the member and remind them that the bill is to be paid within 20 days of the current date; finally if payment is not received by the date of collection, the taxi cab companies will contact Fink, who will ensure that the companies are reimbursed. "The life that you could save by utilizing this program could be your own," Fink said. "Be smart, do the right thing and take care of yourself and others, and in turn the mission will not suffer."