148th Fighter Wing maintains top safety rating Published Aug. 9, 2011 DULUTH, Minn. -- The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) announced that the 148th Fighter Wing has maintained its Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star status after the April 25-28, 2011 evaluation, and is the first Air Force unit to not only achieve VPP Star status, but the first Air Force unit to maintain that status three years after earning it initially. "I'm proud for the wing-it validates our programs, and shows that we are a world class safety organization," said Senior Master Sgt. Todd A. Zinmer, 148th Fighter Wing Safety and Occupational Health Manger. "VPP has had a positive effect on the unit's safety culture. They (OSHA) say it's harder to maintain the Star status than it is to earn it the first time, but with the strong safety culture within the organization, it has become the new norm, and we're improving on that." The VPP inspection is different from other safety inspections in that it utilizes one-on-one interviews with key members of the organization being inspected to gain an in depth view of how that particular safety program functions. 148th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Frank H. Stokes' philosophy on safety is proactive rather than reactive. "Let's not focus on the last accident-let's focus on preventing the next one," said Col. Stokes. According to Col. Stokes, maintaining VPP Star status is another achievement that further improves the reputation of the 148th. More information on VPP can be found at: http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/all_about_vpp.html