The city of Bremerton partnered with Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) Aug. 18-19 to host the 2010 West Sound Safety and Health Exposition at the Kitsap Conference Center and Bremerton Boardwalk.

Approximately 2,500 members of the community attended the free event, which was open to the public and featured activities for all ages.

While adults browsed exhibits and hands-on displays, children visited the Kids Zone, a fun and interactive site dedicated to children’s safety and health topics.

Highlights included a Navy Region Northwest dive exhibit and underwater tic-tac-toe game, a farmer’s market exhibit which emphasized the benefits of organic gardening and composting, and battle of the safety stars (a team competition for safety knowledge).

“This is great,” said attendee Sarah Budde. “I love learning new things, and the demonstration on back safety was very helpful, because I have a physically demanding job.”

USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Health Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Duneley Rochino, and Fitboss, Josh Burkhart were on hand to teach community members about back safety.

“I’m helping out at Naval Hospital Bremerton while Stennis is in the shipyard and the promotion department for the expo asked me if we would be interested in manning a booth to talk about back safety,” said Rochino. “Since I’m also the health officer aboard Stennis it was easy to say yes.”

Rochino and Burkhart gave informative discussions, hands-on demonstrations and a 30 minute presentation on the main stage, which focused on the transverse abdominus, the deepest layer of abdominal muscles.

“We want to teach people how to incorporate the proper exercises into their work-outs,” said Rochino.

After the presentation, Rochino and Burkhart answered questions and helped attendees perfect their form during exercises.

“I work in an office and this presentation taught me how to relieve back pain after sitting at a desk all day,” said attendee Jeannie Vaughn. 

The expo enabled participants to bring health and safety resources to the general public and allowed them to give back to the community.

“I feel like I’m paying back what I’ve been given,” said Rochino. American tax dollars are paying for my education and this way I get to give something back to the American people.”