Beware! Black bears visit Hurlburt Published July 17, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Angela Shepherd 1st SOW Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Black bear sightings at Hurlburt Field have increased this summer. One even took a stroll across the base runway recently. While the co-existence of bears and the Air Force in Florida is not exactly a new phenomenon, this increase in sightings has prompted base officials to remind everyone that there is a right way and a wrong way to deal with bears. "Fortunately the bears aren't being too bothersome in housing this year, and that's because the families in housing have a high awareness level of how to keep the bears away," said Philip Pruitt, Hurlburt Field's natural resources manager. "However, there have been several bears seen around other areas of the base. I receive, on average, one to two bear sighting phone calls a day," he added. There are certain things that can be done during a bear sighting or encounter to minimize the risk of attack. The following tips are courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the base's environmental office. During a bear sighting: - Remain calm - Do not approach the bear - Do not feed or attempt to feed the bear - Make some noise to alert the bear to your presence, but do not startle it - Do not run from the bear - If the bear will not leave the area, get inside a car or a building - If the bear climbs a tree, contact security forces at 884-7777 or the environmental office 884-4651 During a close encounter with a bear: - Remain standing upright - Avoid direct eye contact - Back up slowly - Speak in a calm, assertive, assuring voice - Make sure the bear has an escape route - Again, do not run from the bear While it is almost impossible to prevent bears from venturing into a residential or business area, there are things that can be done to keep them in the woods. The best precaution is storing certain items in a secured area. These items include pet food, garbage cans, bird feeders, barbecue grills, pets, and trees and shrubs that bear fruit and nuts. Basically, anything that would attract a cat, a dog or a raccoon will attract a bear. Other than posing a threat to people, the bears need to be kept in the woods for their own protection. "Bears that leave the safety of the forest and venture into town are in real danger of being struck and killed by vehicles as they cross roadways," Mr. Pruitt said. "Everyone should do their part to keep the bears in the woods and off the base by exercising good housekeeping procedures." For more information, visit http://myfwc.com/bear/.