Fredericksburg Based USPA Reports Upsurge in Skydiving

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) reports the sport of skydiving saw record growth and improved safety in 2012, according to a press release on PR Newswire.

More than a half million people took the leap for the first time in 2012, USPA officials said. [Editor's Note: That number includes me.  It was awesome!]

"The sport's record growth reflects this improved safety, as well as the indescribable life-altering experience of jumping out of a plane," Ed Scott, USPA Executive Director, said.

According to USPA:

• First-timers and licensed skydivers together made more than 3.1 million jumps in 2012.
• In 2012, 19 people died in the U.S. while skydiving, or 0.006 fatalities per 1,000 jumps.
• Tandem skydiving had less than 0.003 student fatalities per 1,000 tandem jumps over the past decade.
• According to the National Safety Council, a person is much more likely to be killed getting struck by lightning or stung by a bee.

USPA continues to make the sport safer by developing additional training programs and conducting its annual Safety Day -- scheduled for March 9 this year -- where drop zones across the country hold safety seminars and refresher training, USPA officials said.

USPA offices are located at 5401 Southpoint Centre Blvd. in Fredericksburg.

Tell us in the comments section about you skydiving experience!

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