TWRA, National Boating Association Host Pair of Training Seminars

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, along with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) hosted a pair of training seminars recently at Stones River Hunter Education Center. Along with TWRA personnel, participants came from more than 10 states and included representatives from NASBLA.

Among the instructional sessions were the Boating Under the Influence Train the Trainer Course to designed to provide officers with the comprehensive knowledge and technical skills necessary to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities and to foster a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol use on the water and train in state officers in the future.

“Having our officers trained to deliver these gold standard training courses in state is a huge part of our agency accreditation with NASBLA, said Capt.  Matt Majors, TWRA Boating Investigator. "The safety and professionalism of our officers on patrol each day is our goal.  These courses will help keep our waterways safe and improve the way we train our wildlife officers and managers in the future.”

TWRA also hosted the NASBLA Inland Boat Operator, Marine Patrol Fundamentals Train the Trainer Course. This course is a mixture of introductory and boat handling training for the single officer patrol vessel.  This training will be delivered by TWRA instructors to all new cadets during their FTO training.  

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Chattanooga area boating officer David Holt administers a BUI field sobriety test as part of the training seminar at Stone Rivers Hunter Education Center. Also pictured are Knoxville area boating officer Jeff Roberson and Norris Lake area officer Brendan Marlow and officers from Nebraska and Idaho.

Officers gathered for training on the final day at Percy Priest Lake for the NASBLA Inland Boat Operator, Marine Patrol Fundamentals Train the Trainer Course.