U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District holds ranger training workshop and conference

Photo By Manuela Moore | The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District park Ranger training workshop and conference February 21-22, at the Stoney Creek Conference Center in Broken Arrow Oklahoma. The two day event provided an opportunity for rangers from the Tulsa District to come together to learn, share ideas, and gain from the experience of others in their field.  

TULSA, OKLAHOMA, UNITED STATES

03.01.2019

Story by Stacey Reese 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District

The U.S. Army corps of Engineers, Tulsa District Rangers held a park Ranger training workshop and conference February 21-22, at the Stoney Creek Conference Center in Broken Arrow Oklahoma.
The two day event in February 2019, provided an opportunity for rangers from the Tulsa District to come together to learn, share ideas, and gain from the experience of others in their field.
Rangers are first responders, peacekeepers and educators who wear multiple hats with ever shifting focus that may present different challenges each day of the week. They are involved with water safety, conservation and recreation, natural and cultural resources, and agricultural leases. They also develop and implement new and innovative ways to perform their jobs on any given day.
“Being a ranger trainee, the ranger workshop is incredibly beneficial for me” Sarah Whorton, park ranger Hugo Lake said. “The ranger training that we go through offers a lot of quick and condensed classes, with the emphasis of learning the full extent of things on the job or on the fly. The workshop gives us a chance to practice and polish those skills. Perhaps most beneficial is the chance to gain knowledge from the many different area lakes and many varying levels of ranger experience in the room.”
USACE Park Rangers work closely with city, county, and state law enforcement. Officers from the Tulsa police department and Oklahoma highway patrol were also in attendance to offer their insight and perspective to rangers regarding things they see in their fields and how this relates to their relationship with the Corps.
Officers spoke on topics such as drugs and drowning, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between their agencies and the Corps to keep the public as well as each other safe.
With only four districts in the OHP Marine Enforcement Division, a good working relationship between the Corps and the Highway Patrol is imperative.
The conference concluded with words of encouragement from Col Christopher Hussin, Tulsa District Commander and Rex Ostrander, Tulsa District Chief of Operations. According to Carly Lynch, ranger Eufaula lake “This conference provides a great opportunity for conversations with upper management and allows us to get their view on what is going on within our district.”
There are currently 77 Park Rangers in Tulsa District which encompasses recreation projects in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. There are 38 projects in the district including locks and dams as well as 8 hydropower plants.

• Date Taken: 03.01.2019
• Date Posted: 03.01.2019 15:51
• Story ID: 312556
• Location: TULSA, OKLAHOMA, US