Charter
Water Safety Products
Advisory Committee

PURPOSE: The Corps National Water Safety Products Advisory Committee shall provide support for the HQUSACE Water Safety Products Program. The intent of the USACE Water Safety Program is to identify life-threatening concerns associated with water-based recreation and increase public awareness of safe practices through educational media. The Water Safety Program also serves to improve the Corps image, promote good will, and further basic understanding of the agency and national safety concerns.

BACKGROUND: The Corps' centralized water safety products program has been supported on a nationwide basis since 1986. Intended to provide a unified approach to safety promotion at Corps lakes and waterways, the centralized program benefits the Corps by providing effective, professionally produced educational products at significantly reduced costs. The program's success is evidenced by a steady decline in reported water-related fatalities and accidents at Corps-managed areas. In 1994, the HQUSACE National Water Safety Products Advisory Committee was formed to provide field-level input into product development and to serve as a source of grassroots-level information for the program managers.

Goals and Objectives of the HQUSACE National Water Safety Products Advisory Committee are as follows:

Objectives:

1. Serve as an advisory group for the Corps' nationwide water safety program

Goal: The water safety products committee shall perform as an advisory group for the Corps' water safety program. The group shall be tasked with focusing on the overall needs of the water safety program and provide input to the water safety program manager. Through careful analysis of consolidated statistics and regional concerns, the committee shall recommend water safety promotional themes that target current issues and appropriate audiences. Recommendations shall include water safety items, themes and target groups, and shall reflect the group's consensus of national, not regional, concerns. The committee shall also make recommendations for the production of specific products, such as book covers and activity sheets that meet current Corps procurement standards. The committee shall provide draft written content for items such as water safety brochures, posters, etc. The intent of the group will not be to design products, but to suggest theme and content. To assure that the water safety products advisory committee adheres to these standards, final approval of products, text, style, and national significance will be the responsibility of the water safety program manager.

2. Provide regional representation for contribution to the Corps' national water safety program.

Goal: Individual members will be responsible for studying their regional water-related activities and accident statistics and making recommendations reflecting the water safety promotional needs of their region. The committee members will serve as a central contact within respective Divisions for field elements, such as natural resources, safety, and public affairs offices, to share ideas and comments pertaining to the water safety products program. Members will be responsible for consolidating the field's comments in order to contribute information that reasonably reflects the concerns of their region.

3. Provide feedback to water safety products program manager within realistic timeframes to enable timely production/distribution of water safety items.

Goal: Work with the HQUSACE National Operation Center (NOC) for Water Safety to assure that product recommendations and theme proposals are presented in a timely manner. The committee shall be responsible for updating, annually, the Natural Resources Management Program database to assure that correct mailing/shipping information is available. The group shall further assist the distribution process through the development and maintenance of a water safety products order database based on annual orders.

4. Serve as a central resource for water safety program ideas, exhibits, etc.

Goal: Committee shall develop a water safety program resource manual, for use by field rangers in school, campground, and similar educational outreach programs. This manual shall contain program tips, games, and a list of resources (such as films, exhibits, etc.) that are available. The committee shall be tasked with updating the Media Guide Manual, currently distributed under the Water Safety Products Program, and may choose to combine its content with the Water Safety Program resources manual.

5. Coordinate all activities and products through the appropriate channels of review, as determined by the program managers.

Goal: Committee members shall report decisions and recommendations through proper offices and/or committees as determined by the NOC manager. Proposals will reflect current trends in production styles; nationwide water safety concerns, and will stay within the appropriated funds authorized for the program.

6. The committee shall solicit program and product ideas from field elements, as well as provide assistance on localized water safety program efforts.

7. The committee shall consider and pursue partnering opportunities with agencies involved in water safety educational efforts. Partnerships should promote interagency cooperation and support of the objectives of the program.

SELECTION AND TERM OF SERVICE: Committee members shall be selected through a nomination process conducted by appropriate Division offices. Consideration for Division representatives shall be limited to Natural Resources employees at project and district levels. Appropriate HQ level offices will select public affairs and safety office representatives. Division representation terms will be limited to 3 (three) years, unless otherwise approved by the representative's supervisors and including district and division Natural Resources offices.

MEETINGS: The committee will meet no less than annually to discuss current issues related to the HQUSACE National Water Safety Products Program. The NOC manager will determine the meeting time and place.