GALVESTON,
Texas (Feb. 19, 2016) – The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Galveston District was recognized with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Herbert
A. Kassner Public Affairs Competition Award, Community Relations category, for
its Addicks and Barker Dam Safety Program.
The
public announcement of the USACE Dam Safety Program’s reclassification of the
Addicks and Barker dams presented staff with the challenge of communicating the findings to inform 1.2
million residents in the nation’s fourth largest city of risks associated with
living downstream of the dams, the $4,432,245 short-term interim risk reduction
measures in store and the $75-100 million long-term construction plan to
reinforce the nearly 70-year-old structures while maintaining the Corps’
reputation and relevancy as an organization that makes public safety a top
priority and adds value to the nation.
“The
Galveston District staff conducted an aggressive community relations
campaign from 2009-2015 to aid the district, division, Corps and
Army in achieving its goals to increase awareness of our nation’s aging
infrastructure; convey to the public that the dams we own and operate are safe and convey that the risks to the
public are minimized,” said Col. Richard Pannell, USACE Galveston District
commander. “The six-year, multi-platform campaign
successfully leveraged partnerships with key influencers to provide creative,
low-cost and no-cost solutions to maximize outreach efforts and manage
communication needs to a potential audience of more than one million.”
The
annual journalism contest received 172
total entries.
The
Kassner Awards recognize military and civilian employee print and broadcast
practitioners for journalistic excellence in furthering the objectives of the
Corps' communication program. All first place winners will advance to compete
in the Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Competition (an Army-wide journalism
competition program). First place winners of the Keith L. Ware competition
compete in the Thomas Jefferson Journalism competition, which is the Department
of Defense's highest accolade for military journalists and broadcasters.
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. 16-003