Bluestone Dam Water Safety Volunteer Position

Short Description: Seeking single or couple (preferred) to manage Life Jacket Loaner and Vessel Inspection Station.

Detailed Description: Bluestone Lake is a beautiful 2,100 acre lake in south eastern West Virginia caused as a result of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) flood damage reduction project Bluestone Dam. Bluestone Dam impounds the New River just a couple miles upstream from Hinton, WV. This position has been made possible by through partnership of the US Army Corps of Engineers Bluestone Dam and Bluestone State Park. The primary objective of this position is to increase visitor safety and awareness through the USACE Water Safety Program, Life Jacket Loaner program, and Vessel Inspection program. Our goal is to reach more people and provide a better service to the public while creating a smarter and safer environment for the nearly half a million people who visit Bluestone annually. This Life Jacket Loaner program location will be a new addition to Bluestone Lake and will allow us to get our message to more visitors. The program allows people who may have forgotten their life jacket or who weren’t originally planning on getting in the water a free option to enjoy the lake that day. Our Vessel Inspection program is in place to ensure the watercraft headed out on the lake meet the standards established by the US Coast Guard for safety; things like: ensuring the correct number of lifejackets are on board and serviceable, there is a throw-able device on board, a fire extinguisher, etc…The station conducting these programs is to be manned from 3:30pm to 7:30pm Friday, 12:00pm to 7:30pm on Saturday and 12:00pm to 4:00pm (7:30pm on holiday weekends) on Sunday and on Holidays that do not fall into those days. In addition to working with the US Army Corps of Engineers on these programs, selectees will work 10 hours (combined if a couple) per week to be completed with Bluestone State Park.. This work will include tasks ranging from helping pick up trash in campgrounds to assisting the park Naturalist with their programs. These hours may be accomplished congruently, contact Ranger John Drossart for more information.

Point of contact:

John Drossart
Natural Resources Ranger

304-466-1234