National Water Safety Congress

2015 Award Recipients19th Annual International Boating & Water Safety

Summit

Brian Westfield, President, Michael Fields, Executive Director

Saving Lives on the

Water Since 1951

Region 1John Annino, Vice President

Ohio

Pennsylvania

New York

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Vermont

Maine

NewHampshire

Rhode IslandConnecticut

Delaware

Regional Award, Mark ChanskiState of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental

Protection

Implemented the social media

program for the Connecticut

Boating Division

During season he can be found

on the water in the state’s

Public Relations Vessel talking

boating safety and PFD wear

Mark has always been focused

and instrumental in the

promotion of boating safety and

his ideas have been adopted

and used by other states in

Region 1

Regional Award, Mark ChanskiState of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental

Protection

He developed a PFD rebate

program to introduce inflatable

PFD’s

He is the founder of the ‘BOATS’

(Because Our Acquaintances

Think Safety) – This program

partners with local merchants to

promote boating safety and offer

boaters discounts and training

on their various products

Letter of Commendation, Aquatic Safety Resources

Robert Ogoreuc

Emily Wujcik

Aquatic Safety Resources provided 300 K-1st grade students lessons in water safety and drowning prevention during an all day event

Students learned safer water, safer swimmers/boaters, and safer rescue

Students were able to do a simulated kayak ride

Students performed reach, throw, don’t go techniques

Each student was presented with water safety materials and items from the Consumer Product Safety Commission Pool Safely campaign along with the Swim for Life Foundation Activity book

Region 2John “Punkie” Punkiewicz, Vice President

North Dakota

South Dakota

Nevada

Kansas

Minnesota

Iowa

Illinois

Wisconsin

Indiana

Michigan

Regional Award, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Detroit District Water Safety Team, Grand Haven, MI The Detroit District Water Safety

Team is the Corps main team in the marketing of boating and water safety in the Great Lakes Region of the county including Lake Michigan and Lake Superior

Regional Award, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Detroit District Water Safety Team, Grand Haven, MI

● Participated in over 3o events distributing water safety materials

● Made a total of 118,715 total contacts throughout the year via schools, fairs, festivals, civic group meetings, interpretive programs, launch ramps, visitors centers

● Over the years the Team has

built

many strong partnerships (i.e.

USCG & USCG Auxiliaries, U.S.

Power Squadrons, School

Districts,

Sheriff’s Departments, Fishing

Clubs, YMCA’s, Television &

Press

Regional Award, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Detroit District Water Safety Team, Grand Haven, MI

● The Team have marketed Pier Safety throughout the region and have developed an award winning program “Rip Currents” and “Cold Water” safety are two of the focus areas of coverage throughout the region

Award of Merit, John BarthelDeputy, Hamlin County Sheriff’s Dept, Lake Poinsett, ND

● Rescued a father and son from Lake Poinsett after the two of them flipped their canoe after trying to reach for a football that fell in the lake. They were in the water for about 20 minutes

● Sheriff Barthel was in his home at the time of the

incident when a neighbor knocked on his door and told him people were in the water screaming for help

● Sheriff Barthel ran down a gravel road and into the water helping the two victims to shore

Award of Merit, Trish Van Pilsum

Investigative Reporter, MYFox9 KMSP-TV, Minneapolis, St Paul, MN

● Ms. Pilsum presented an investigative report on “Drowning is Silent” on Fox 9 TV in Minneapolis, St. Paul

● The report highlighted the importance of keeping an eye on one’s children at the pool/around water and also educated the viewers that drowning is a silent death by conducting an experiment

● As part of the investigation, Ms. Pilsum put three cameras on a swimming pool deck and three certified divers with cameras in the water. The experiment was to see whether a parent could tell if a child was drowning in a crowded pool. Several children volunteered (with parent permission) to play water polo

Ms. Pilsum has won numerous reporting awards including two national Edward R. Murrow Awards, two national Gracie Allen Grand Prize Awards and two dozen regional Emmy Awards

Award of Merit, Trish Van Pilsum

Investigative Reporter, MYFox9 KMSP-TV, Minneapolis, St Paul, MN

● Unsuspecting parents bringing their children to swimming lessons were invited poolside. “Right in front of you, a little boy just drowned,” Van Pilsum said to a parent. The experiment showed that parents didn’t notice the drowning because they didn’t know what to look for. Most expected head bobbing, arms up in the air, a struggle or some splashing

● Fox 9 also produced 3 public message posters to broaden the importance of supervision

Award of Merit, Peter Baumann

Deckhand, Department of Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Duluth, MN● Mr. Baumann stopped a college aged girl in a swimsuit from

jumping off the Duluth Piers into the freezing water. She had taken the “Cold Water Challenge for Cancer”

● While working, Mr. Baumann spotted the girl on top of the wall ready to jump. He yelled at her to stop and walked on the Piers to speak with her

● He educated the girl on “gasp response” (a shock of the cold water that can cause an involuntary gasp reflex that can cause victims to inhale water and drown). This information convinced her not to jump, most likely saving her life

Brett LudwigLock & Dam Operator, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Dresden Island Lock & Dam, Morris, IL

Nathan Klein Lock & Dam Operator, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Dresden Island Lock & Dam, Morris, IL

Robert Petruney Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Starved Rock Visitor Center, Utica, IL

Anthoney Kalabsa Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of EngineersStarved Rock Visitor Center, Rock Island, IL

Coal City Fire DepartmentCoal City, IL

Letter of Commendation,

Letter of Commendation, Brett Ludwig, Nathan Klein

Mr. Klein and Mr. Ludwig responded to a 911 radio call regarding a pleasure craft with four people on board that had lost power and was floating towards a dam

(Dresden Island Lock and Dam)

Brett Ludwig

Nathan Klein

Letter of Commendation,Robert Petruney, Anthoney Kalabsa, Coal City Fire

Department

Ranger Petruney and Ranger Kalabsa threw a ring buoy with an attached life jacket to a man on the bow of the pleasure craft and encouraged him to stay calm

Coal City Fire Department team removed the man from the bow vertically up the lock wall w/o incident

Three people jumped from the boat. Two were able to be rescued by another pleasure craft.

Unfortunately, one man went missing and was

found 3 days later

Robert Petruney

Cole City Fire Dept

Region 3Anna Stewart, Vice President

Tennessee

AlabamaMississippi

Kentucky

Georgia

Florida

South Carolina

North Carolina

West

Virginia

Virginia

District of Columbia

Maryland

Regional Award, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers Savannah District“Wear It to Win It” social media campaign was rolled out during June 1 – Sept 1, 2014 to promote water safety throughout the Savannah River Basin

Public was asked to submit photos of themselves and friends and family wearing a life jacket on the District’s Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #WEARIT

73 photos were submitted and prizes were awarded each week during the campaign.

55,800 “impressions” (how many times water safety messages were delivered to other people’s Facebook news and Twitter feeds)

Regional Award, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers

Savannah DistrictCampaign included in-house designed graphics such as a logo, flyer, and custom social media banners

Campaign was a District-wide effort involving close coordination between the Corporate Communications Office, Operations Division and the Hartwell and Thurmond Water Safety Team

Regional Award, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Savannah District

Specific posts to Savannah

District’s media for #WEARIT to

Win IT

Facebook:

Post Likes: 409

Post Total Reach: 22,866

Post Total Impressions: 44,431

New Page Likes: 103

Twitter:

Tweet Impressions: 11,433

New Followers: 117

Award of Merit, Christine M. Renzoni

Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tygert LakeNatural Resource Specialist Christine Renzoni is responsible for patrolling Tygert Lake, the 4th largest lake in West Virginia with an estimated yearly boating, fishing, and swimming visitation of 85,000 people

Park Ranger Renzoni partnered with the US Coast Guard and was able to conduct multiple vessel safety checks during the summer which resulted in 80 total contacts

She promoted water safety on the lake by handing out prizes to kids who had their life jacket on. She directly reached 1,357 children between May and September 2014

Award of Merit, Christine M. Renzoni

Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tygert LakePark Ranger Renzoni conducts water safety programs, does public outreach to schools, and attends community water safety events to educate the public about the importance of water safety and drowning prevention

Ranger Renzoni and Bobber pass out ducks at the opening of the Taylor County little League

Park Ranger Renzoni decorated Tygart Lakes’ visitor center with a water safety tree during the holiday season. Visiting children were allowed to take a water safety ornament off of the tree

Ranger Renzoni and Bobber show off Tygart Lake’s Water Safety Christmas

display

Award of Merit, Christina A. Fox

Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Stonewall Jackson Lake

Throughout peak season, Ranger Fox conducted 54 water safety boat patrols almost every weekend at Stonewall Jackson Lake, the 2nd largest lake in West Virginia. These checks provided opportunity for Ranger Fox to educate visitors about water safety

Since working at Stonewall Jackson Lake in West Virginia she reestablished and reenergized the Life Jacket Loaner program

Ranger Fox assisted the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) by providing water safety programming to participants ranging in ages of 5 to 18

Ranger Fox’s dedication to making the visiting public and surrounding community more educated about water safety has enhanced The U.S. Army Corp’s water safety mission

Award of Merit, Christina A. Fox

Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Stonewall Jackson Lake

During a two day regional Hunting

and Fishing Day (NHFD) at Stonewall

Jackson Lake, Ranger Fox conducted

over 100 water safety programs.

Bobber the Water Safety Dog got in on

the action and handed out subsequent

drowning prevention materials

In partnership with local county EMS

agencies, Ranger Fox coordinated a

safety effort on the lake to place

reflective signs as mile markers for

better visibility at night and better

navigational aids during daylight

hours. She assisted with creating a

map for boaters to use the new signs

Region 4 Keith Christopher, Vice President

New Mexico

Texas

OklahomaArkansas

Louisiana

Montana

Regional Award, Burger King

Mid America Hotel Corporation

● Placed water safety messages on customer receipts as well as on the back of food coupons

● Exterior digital “Life Jackets Save Lives” marquees were placed at eleven Burger King franchises in Southeast Missouri, Northeastern Arkansas, and Southern Illinois as well as marquees outside

of several Popeye’s Chicken locations

Marquee example

Regional Award, Burger King

Mid America Hotel Corporation

“BUCKLE UP & SAVE

LIVES BE SAFE IN THE

WATER: WEAR YOUR

LIFE JACKETS”

“WEAR IT, LIFE JACKETS/SEAT BELTS

SAVE LIVES”

● Approximately 990,000 customers were reached just with Burger King’s printed materials

Safety Messages:

Coupon example

Award of Merit, Madeline Brindley

Drowning Prevention Foundation, Community Director of Arkansas• Madeline’s father died of drowning trying to save a young boy when she was 6 years old

● She works to promote water safety and drowning prevention throughout Arkansas via her “Safe Splash: Water Safety and Drowning Prevention” platform

● She is actively involved with the Arkansas Corps of Engineers serving as a spokesperson

● She served as Miss Conway Outstanding Teen 2014

Award of Merit, Madeline Brindley

Drowning Prevention Foundation, Community Director of Arkansas● She published her own book: The Royals GO to the Beach: A Story About Water Safety – a book that has been distributed to over 3,000 youth. Due to her affiliation with various water safety advocacy groups Madeline has been able to provide families with free water safety educational materials

● Madeline has reached over 2,000 school-age children by speaking at schools, day cares, swim team venues, colleges, Rotary Club meetings

Award of Merit, Madeline Brindley

Drowning Prevention Foundation, Community Director of Arkansas

● Her image has appeared on water safety billboards throughout the state of Arkansas

● Through her advocacy efforts she has touched thousands. She is a true role model for fellow water safety advocates

Award of Merit, Joseph McLane

President, First Midwest Bank, Poplar Bluff, Missouri● First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff has been an avid supporter of Wappapello Lake’s Public Safety Awareness Campaign since 1998

● Safety messages are placed on its customer money envelopes at each of its eleven branches located in Southeast Missouri reaching 225,000 customers annually

● 3.6 million people have been recipients of this simple safety message since the partnership began in 1998

Award of Merit, Joseph McLanePresident, First Midwest Bank, Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Working with area partners, 20,000 Day Use

Fee envelopes were produced and

distributed

during 3 major summer & holiday weekends

at designated recreation areas at

Wappapello Lake

Letter of Commendation, Creg ClemonsU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Ouachita

● Has served the Corps of Engineers for the past 30 years and will be retiring at the end of April 2015

● Had over 16,000 water safety contacts during water safety programs in recreation areas around Lake Ouachita

● Conducts courtesy boating safety inspections at area boat ramps

● Ranger Clemons checks life jacket loaner boards to ensure that they are available and in good condition

Letter of Commendation, Millie Rodgers

Business Owner

● Donates bait for Wappapello Lake’s two big events – “Kid’s Fishing Derby” and Wappapello “Outdoor Opportunities for Disabled Sportsman”

● Ms. Rodgers placed a dual safety message on her customer receipts – Buckle Up! Seat Belts and Life Jackets Save Lives

Her business is located

on the main artery to

the recreation areas so

her water safety

message is seen by

thousands

Letter of Commendation, Ken Brindley Family

● Ken Brindley lost his life in 2003, saving another. His family partnered with the Army Corps Little Rock District’s Water Safety Team by attending college campus water safety promotions, boat and travel shows, providing visual artwork for the District’s water safety trailer and participating in a water safety billboard campaign that was the highest viewed in Arkansas

Letter of Commendation, Jerrod Harper Family

● 21 year old Jerrod Harper drowned in Greers Ferry Lake in 2011. His family volunteered to promote life jacket wear it signs in in his memory. They also allowed their photo to be placed on billboards located on highways in central Arkansas for thousands of drivers to see

Region 5Bruce Rowe, Vice President

California

NevadaUtah

Arizona

Region 6Bill Gossard, Vice President

Washington

Oregon

Montana

IdahoWyoming

Colorado

Alaska

Regional Award, Alaska Office of Boating Safety

State of Alaska● Produced a “Cold Water Survivors” instructional video for teens that reinforces the learning objectives of the “Kids Don’t Float” education program on the topic of cold water immersion and the importance of wearing life jackets

● The video has received huge accolades from

high

school students and adults. Educators across

the

country have requested copies for their training

programs

Jeffrey Johnson, Joe McCullough, Kelli Toth, Annie Grenier and Caitlin Marine

Regional Award, Alaska Office of Boating Safety

State of Alaska

● The video received an Emmy Award from the

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences,

Northwest Chapter at their 51st annual award

ceremony

Award of Merit, Ed LyonIdaho Department of Parks and Recreation

Idaho’s Boat Safety

Education

Trainer since 2009

● Works with marine law enforcement programs by assisting with new boat safety instructors, he represents the Idaho’s state boating program when attending seminars, boating and water safety events

● Mr. Lyon plays a key role in the annual marine law enforcement academy by providing pre-training logistics, on the water support and overall coordination

Recipient of the 2009 Boating Safety Professional of the Year Award

given by the Western States Boating Administrators Assn

Award of Merit, Ed LyonIdaho Department of Parks and Recreation

● Key contributor to the expansion of the agency’s life jacket loaner program in Eastern Idaho

● Has taught the state boating safety class to hundreds of local high school students ● Is a part-time marine deputy patrolling Bear Lake on the Idaho - Utah border. He has participated in numerous rescues, and due to his boating expertise he is responsible for approving all boat accident reports in the state before they are submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard

Award of Merit, Kelli TothAlaska Office of Boating Safety

● Education Specialist that spearheaded the development of a skills component to the Corps Kids Don’t Float (KDF) Education Program

● Participants gain hands-on experience applying boating safety concepts learned during the first two classes of the curriculum such as life jacket fit, why they should always be worn, use of communication devices, assisted and self-rescue techniques and cold water survival skills and stability exercises

Award of Merit, Kelli TothAlaska Office of Boating Safety

● Since 2013 the Alaska Office of Boating Safety has conducted over 63 pool sessions to almost 2,000 participants

● The Kids Don’t Float Program was originally designed for school-aged children. Due to its success, the program has been requested by adults throughout the state

● Kelli and her team have begun

development of the “ideal”

boating course which would include

(KDF) skills session, the state’s

NASBLA approved course and

the National Safe Boating

Council’s Marina Pro training

Award of Merit,

Kathy J. Williams, Marla H. Peters, Celeste ChungWashington Department of Health and Children’s Hospital

Celeste Chung

Kathy J. Williams

Marla H. Peters

● Ms. Williams, the Injury Prevention Specialist for the Washington State Health Department, secured grant funding to provide team training for Ms. Chung, a Program Coordinator for Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Ms. Peters, a Program Evaluator for Washington State Health Department - to develop and execute a formal policy evaluation plan

● The award winners took the learned information

and worked closely with Washington State Staff: Boating Law Administrator, Marine Law Enforcement Coordinator, and Association of Prosecuting Attorneys to develop a comprehensive evaluation plan specifically for Washington’s Boating Under the Influence (BUI) law

Award of Merit,

Kathy J. Williams, Marla H. Peters, Celeste ChungWashington Department of Health and Seattle Children’s Hospital

● The plan will result in a great deal of

data

about the efficacy of the existing law,

and

the barriers of its enforcement that

obstruct the actual prevention

component

of boating under the influence

● The plan will yield recommendations to

improve the law by having the

necessary

data to make changes

Award of Merit, Todd BakerClark County Sheriff Office

● Instrumental in implementing the Washington State Parks Adventures in Boating (AIB) class by partnering with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary

● Driving force behind the local “Wear it Washington/Ready, Set, Inflate” campaign. Through his efforts Washington Sate Parks was awarded funds for a “Wear it Washington” wrap for a boat and cargo trailer

Helped Washington State Parks test and refine a new prevention planning template that was developed specifically for local Marine LawEnforcement agencies to use to guide their Recreational BoatingSafety programs

Award of Merit, Todd BakerClark County Sheriff Office

● Helped promote, organize and teach Washington State Park’s monthly About Boating Safety (ABS) course as well as help a local Flotilla start their own ABS class

● Sheriff Baker helped Washington State Parks develop and then execute an accident reporting refresher course that was taught to all marine law enforcement agencies in Washington

● Sheriff Baker teaches personal water craft (PWC) operations and close quarters boat handling to Washington State’s Basic Marine Law Enforcement Academy participants

Letter of Commendation, G.L. Hamilton

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Works very hard to increase water safety awareness to

the people of Flathead Valley

Each spring he coordinates water safety education classes with area teachers

In 2014, he instructed 54 water safety/hypothermia classes that were attended by 164 adults and 2,127 students ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade

As the water watch

coordinator he has

built a network of

people throughout

the region to be his

eyes and ears for

the Montana, Fish

Wildlife & Parks

department

He hands out water

safety information

to hundreds of

people that attend

Expos, Boat Shows

and Community

Safety Fairs

In 2014 he contacted 1294 vessels on Region One waters. He issued 100 citations, 12 written warnings and 516 verbal warnings for various water safety violations. He gave out 465 free ice cream certificates to reward children for wearing their PFD’s

Letter of Commendation, Raymond WilliamsChair, Washington State Boating Program Advisory Council

● As Chair of Washington Sate Parks and Recreation Boating Program Advisory Council, he helped develop and approve a 3 year strategic plan that will guide the Recreational Boating Safety Program’s direction

● Taken an active hand in helping State Parks advance its mission of promoting boating safety by personally helping distribute literature at public and community events

Letter of Commendation, Respect Our River Campaign

Casper, Evansville and Mills WY ● Brought to fruition due to the drowning death of Alex Cressy, 11, in August

2014. He tried to rescue another young boy in the North Platte River at the Casper Whitewater Park

● A committee of 30 concerned citizens and local gov’t representatives met to discuss how to raise awareness of river safety and encourage the use of life jackets and other safety equipment

Official kick off is April 2015

They have already presented

water safety educational

programs to junior high school

students on potential river

risks and how to wear life

jackets and use rescue devices

Raised funds to go toward

public service announcements and buying of

life jackets and other items to

give away

Obtained donations to build 5 life jacket loaner racks to be placed along the North Platte River in Casper along with 20 throw rings and storage boxes to be used in rescue situations

Casper Fire Chief Kenny King

Campaign Chair

National Water Safety CongressSaving Lives on the Water Since 1951

CONGRATULATIONS AWARD WINNERS!

&

THANK YOU

Attendees for the effort you put forth in saving lives!