USACE Galveston District park ranger earns National Water Safety Congress Award

Published Dec. 31, 2012

GALVESTON, Texas (Dec. 31, 2012) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District’s Kristine Brown, natural resources specialist and park ranger, earned the 2013 National Water Safety Congress Award of Merit for her outstanding contributions to water safety during 2012.

The National Water Safety Congress is a non-governmental, nationally recognized organization dedicated to serving the general public by promoting recreational water and boating safety in the United States.

Brown was instrumental in the development and execution of the USACE Galveston District’s 2012 Water Safety Program - an aggressive community outreach and public information campaign to reduce water-related fatalities, promote public safety and educate those who use Corps facilities along the Texas Coast.

“We’re very proud of Kristine’s achievements in helping to reduce drowning fatalities,” said Col. Christopher Sallese, USACE Galveston District’s commanding officer. “She worked diligently to partner with nationally recognized water-safety organizations to maximize outreach efforts and educate Texas visitors and residents about drowning prevention.”

Throughout 2012, Brown partnered with 23 national, state and local organizations to support water safety initiatives; facilitated eight community outreach events; collaborated in the production of eight radio public service announcements that were broadcast to an audience of 36,000 and coordinated with community leaders to have April 1, 2012, recognized as USACE Galveston District’s Water Safety Program Kick-off Day.

“Kris’s efforts encouraged community participation and brought awareness of this growing problem that unnecessarily claims the lives of thousands of Americans annually,” Sallese said.

The USACE Galveston District’s 2012 Water Safety Program was recognized as a USACE “National Best Practice” and received the top award in the U.S. Army’s Keith L. Ware and USACE Herbert A. Kassner awards competitions.

To learn more about the Award of Merit, visit the National Water Safety Congress at http://www.watersafetycongress.org/awards.shtml. For more news and information, visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.


Release no. 12-071