Park rangers, lock operators and maintenance mechanics from across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District attended a multi-day motorboat operator training at Crooked Creek Lake in Ford City, Pennsylvania, June 13, 2024. The 24-hour course included training on watercraft safety, a swim test, inflatable life jacket certification, boat launching, obstacle courses, and a written exam. The training is designed for district employees who would frequently operate motorboat on the waters or assist boaters at federal locks and lakes. The training was packed with information and hands-on training, with topics including: required boat safety equipment, emergency procedures, fire suppression, trailering, boat inspections, docking and other practical boating skills. The obstacle courses included a serpentine, a transition slalom, an emergency stop, and a star, all marked by water buoys. Participants also needed to complete a 100-yard swim while wearing a life jacket, a self-rescue by boarding a motorboat from the water, and respond to a rescue sequence with person-overboard drills using various rescue techniques. The district hosts the motorboat training twice a year, once at Crooked Creek Lake and again at Shenango River Lake. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)