Corps Launches Social Media Water Safety Campaign

This summer the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District is launching a new safety on the water campaign using social media.

It’s called, the WEAR IT to Win It campaign. Corps spokesperson Tracy Robillard said it’s a contest to promote the use of life jackets.

“We want people to show us their photos of people wearing their life jackets on our Facebook and our Twitter page,” Robillard said. “And we’re going to award prizes every week. This is the first time we’ve done something like this using social media.”

The Wear It to Win It campaign will continue through Labor Day.

Every Wednesday, the Savannah District’s Corporate Communications Office will select a photo that was posted during the previous calendar week and award a prize.

Photos will be judged based on subject matter, focus, creativity and overall emphasis on water safety.  Robillard said the Corps is offering a number of different prizes each week.

“We’re giving away a total of seven nights of free camping and six picnic shelter reservations that also comes with a daily pass throughout the summer,” she said. “And then we’re also giving away a Type 4 Boat Throw Cushion and a Distress Whistle.”

Summer is not officially underway yet, and already there have been reports of drownings and boating accidents on Georgia’s waterways.

Robillard said it’s important to make sure if you’re on the water, you have your safety jackets with you.

Since 2009, there have been 35 fatalities on Georgia waters, 25 of them on Lake Hartwell.

Of all those fatalities, only one of the victims was wearing a life jacket–that event occurred in April 2011 at Russell Lake when a boater fell overboard in rough water.