Effective FY99
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the nation's leading provider of water-based recreation. Each year an estimated 250 million individuals visit one of our resource development projects.
The majority of our visitors engage in aquatic recreational pursuits such as swimming, boating, and fishing. As our nation's population increases, our visitation numbers will naturally increase. Unfortunately, accidents happen. Some accidents result in the death of a visitor. Drowning is the nation's second leading cause of accidental death.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to increase public awareness of boating and water safety through educational materials and products.
AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
Define target audiences (i.e.: K-8 school children, males between the ages of 20 to 60). Analyze nationwide boating/drowning statistics to identify target audiences. Partner with Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Education Foundation to conduct focus groups with adult men.
GOALS
- To increase life jacket wear.
- To increase effectiveness and minimize government cost for public awareness initiatives through partnering.
- Distribute boating and water safety educational materials and products as effectively as possible
CUSTOMER-BASED PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
- Increase the number and value of boating safety partnerships.
- Decrease the number of accidents and fatalities.
- Increase the ways in which educational boating and water safety materials and products are distributed.
5-YEAR ACTION PLAN
- Define products that the USACE would be interested in developing or implementing through full funding or partnership funding. Through a nominal group process, list all potential products, and use a group process (point system rating) to prioritize.
- Define products that have priority for development or implementation by the National Water Safety Committee (top items contained on the above list). Part of the process will involve matching products with target audiences listed above.
- Produce National Water Safety Program product catalog and distribute it internally December of every year.
- Update program partnering strategic plan on a regular basis.
STRATEGY
Coordinate the key water safety constituencies at the national level (U.S. Coast Guard, The Corps Foundation, Water Safety USA, Boating Associations, and manufacturers) that might be interested in working together to develop products and initiatives.
Develop a database of potential and existing partners with contact names, addresses, and phone numbers. The database will contain a brief description of the organization's mission and primary interest. The database will focus on national organizations and provide regional contacts if possible. The database would be furnished to districts to recruit partners for district-sponsored products.
A list of potential partners on the national level has been developed; however,
- it will be further developed. Districts may be surveyed to assist with providing names and addresses.
- Furnish the list of water safety products developed by the committee to districts. These products can be matched with organizations listed in the database to recruit partners.
- Develop a sample letter that can be used as a template for recruiting partners.
- Develop challenge cost-share agreements for the products sponsored by the National Water Safety Committee and furnish copies to the districts. These samples can be used by the districts as models to facilitate rapid approval with a minimum of legal review.
- Division committee representatives will be responsible for coordinating district-partnering initiatives. Key workers must keep division representatives apprised of their efforts in order for the National Water Safety Committee to operate effectively and avoid duplication of effort.
Partnerships should concentrate on producing products with a water safety message while allowing partners to showcase their product or organization.
