Press Release
☷Park ranger awarded for outstanding work promoting water safety
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Mar 15,2024
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During a workshop in Paducah , Kentucky on March 5 , 2024 , Park Ranger Gabby Fontaine was honored with the U . S . Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division’s Water Safety Award for her exceptional work promoting water and boating safety at Old Hickory Lake in 2023 . Tim Dunn , the deputy chief of the USACE Nashville District Operations Division , presented the award on behalf of Maj . Gen . Mark Quander , praising Fontaine for her dedication to educating visitors , school groups , and local communities on water safety . Fontaine ' s efforts in reaching out to the public through various educational programs and partnerships were commended , with a focus on her positive impact on spreading the water safety message . Fontaine ' s commitment to ensuring the safety of visitors at Corps lakes was highlighted , as she engaged with over 7 , 400 individuals on water safety and conducted 15 programs in fiscal year 2023 . She expressed her satisfaction in being able to educate the public and appreciated the recognition for her efforts in promoting water safety . Fontaine emphasized the importance of prioritizing water safety to prevent accidents and ensure the well - being of visitors to the lakes . “My goal is to bring this to the attention of as many different people as possible around Old Hickory Lake , ” she added . At Old Hickory Lake , she spent a lot of time setting up water safety stands to encourage the use of life jackets at several marinas . Additionally , she joined other park rangers at the Tennessee State Fair to distribute water conservation materials and interact with the public . “Gabby used her time on weekends to set up a stand on Old Hickory ' s busiest beaches to directly reach those recreating on the project and helped conduct boat patrols to ensure visitor safety and safe boating practices to promote , ” said Dylon Anderson , resource for Old Hickory Lake manager . Anderson said Fontaine made a big difference with all the water safety connections she made and the people she influenced to recreate safely . Fontaine worked as a park ranger intern at Old Hickory Lake . In December 2023 , she graduated from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville , Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Fisheries with a concentration in Wildlife . She recently took on 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 resources specialist include working with the Recreation Use Fee Program , Water Safety Program , Visitation Estimating Reporting System , Interpreter Services and Volunteer Program . He said that although water safety is the shared responsibility of all employees , Fontaine is now the designated leader of the water safety program , meaning she is responsible for ensuring that employees raise awareness about drowning prevention and others about safety educate in and around the water . “Gabby will plan and schedule water safety programs for local schools , annual events such as the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention and plan public tours , ” Potter said . “She will maintain the rental vest board on the beach , prepare Facebook messages , conduct routine patrols and continue to train boaters who use our access ramps . ” Potter said Fontaine ' s recognition for her work on Old Hickory Lake and furthering the Corps ' water safety mission as an intern is one great achievement . “I am very proud to have Gabby on our team and am confident she will bring the same energy to Cheatham Lake . It is employees like Gabby who contribute to the success of our program , ” Potter said . The public can access news , updates and information from the U . S . Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district 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 employment and contract opportunities in the Nashville District at https://www . linkedin . Check out the Nashville District of the U . S . Army Corps of Engineers at com/company/u - s - army - corps - of - engineers - nashville - district .
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