The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), along with Kansas City Chiefs running back Thomas Jones, kicked off its annual “Stay Out – Stay Alive” public safety campaign on May 6.

Jones, the son of coal miners from southwestern Virginia, is the national spokesman for “Stay Out – Stay Alive,” which was established in 1999 to warn outdoor enthusiasts — especially children — about the dangers of exploring and playing on mine property. Each year, dozens of people are injured or killed in recreational accidents at active and abandoned mines around the country.

Jones took part in a media conference call with MSHA Assistant Secretary Joseph A. Main and then visited a Crofton, Md., elementary school to address students.