Photo By Leon Roberts | Tim Dunn, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Operations Division deputy...... read more read more
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PADUCAH, Ky. (March 13, 2024) – Park Ranger Gabby Fontaine received the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division’s Water Safety Award during a workshop here March 5, 2024, for her outstanding work promoting water and boating safety at Old Hickory Lake during the 2023 recreation season.
Tim Dunn, USACE Nashville District Operations Division deputy chief, presented the award to Fontaine on behalf of Maj. Gen. Mark Quander, commanding general, and lauded her role in educating the public through education, interpretive programs, and distributing information to visitors, school groups, and nearby communities.
“Gabby’s incredible effort to bring water safety to the forefront with communities and families is extremely important and commendable,” Dunn said. “The Nashville District is proud of her and so impressed by how much she put into keeping the public safe.”
The commanding general noted in the award citation how Fontaine’s leadership and personal efforts ensured that visitors received a positive water safety message. He wrote that she exemplified the Corps’ commitment to educating visitors on the importance of being safe in and around the water.
“Her initiative and commitment to the Corps’ Water Safety Program and partnerships with local communities reflect positively on the Nashville District,” Quander added.
In fiscal year 2023 Fontaine achieved more than 7,400 water safety contacts, and conducted 15 water safety programs. She worked closely with Bledsoe Creek State Park to support their Junior Ranger Program and after-school program.
Fontaine said she is driven with spreading the water safety message with communities and partner groups and helped engage the public when the lake staff supported educational booths at several marinas and Tennessee State Fair.
“I was able to get the water safety message out at those events by including several free water safety giveaways to draw people into our booth,” Fontaine said. “My experience engaging with the public was a very positive one. Most people seemed to have an inquisitive attitude towards what we do and enjoyed learning more about water safety.”
She said water safety is and should always be a top priority to inform and educate visitors to Corps lakes. She is pleased that her efforts are being recognized because these visitors need to know the risks and how to take precautions to stay safe.
“I made it my goal to try and spread awareness to as many different people as possible around Old Hickory Lake,” she added.
At Old Hickory Lake, she spent significant time setting up water safety booths to promote wearing life jackets at several marinas. In addition, she joined other park rangers at the Tennessee State Fair to pass out water safety materials and interact with the public.
“Gabby used her time on the weekends to set up a booth at Old Hickory’s busiest beaches to directly reach those recreating on the project and assisted with conducting boat patrols to encourage visitor safety and safe boating practices,” said Dylon Anderson, Old Hickory Lake resource manager.
Anderson said that Fontaine made a huge difference with all of the water safety contacts that she accomplished and the people she influenced to recreate safely.
Fontaine served as a park ranger intern at Old Hickory Lake. She graduated from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, in December 2023 with a bachelor of science degree in wildlife fisheries with a concentration on wildlife. She recently transferred into a permanent position as a park ranger at Cheatham Lake in Tennessee.
Tadd Potter, Cheatham Lake resource manager, said Fontaine’s responsibilities as a natural resource specialist includes working with the Recreation Use Fee Program, Water Safety Program, Visitation Estimating Reporting System, Interpretive Services, and Volunteer Program.
He said although water safety is a shared responsibility by the whole staff, Fontaine is now the designated lead of the Water Safety Program, which means she is responsible for ensuring the staff spreads awareness about drowning prevention and educates others about being safe in and around water.
“Gabby will schedule and plan water safety programs for local schools, annual events such as the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention, and project public tours,” Potter said. “She will maintain the Life Jacket Loaner Board at the beach, prepare Facebook messages, conduct routine patrols, and continue educating boaters who use our access ramps.”
Potter said Fontaine’s recognition for her work at Old Hickory Lake and promoting the Corps’ water safety mission, as a student trainee, is a major accomplishment.
“I’m very proud to have Gabby as part of our team and am confident that she will bring that same energy to Cheatham Lake. It’s employees like Gabby that helps make our program a success,” Potter said.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest Nashville District employment and contracting opportunities at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2024 15:42 |
| Story ID: | 466105 |
| Location: | PADUCAH, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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