ACA Educators Receive Prestigious Higgins & Langley Awards

The Higgins & Langley Memorial and Education Fund announced the 2014 Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards, which honor outstanding achievement in the technical rescue discipline of swiftwater and flood rescue. Awards go to swiftwater and flood rescue experts worldwide in several significant categories, including the Outstanding Achievement Award, Program Development Award, Special Commendation Award, and Swiftwater Rescue Incident Award. 

ACA Level 5: Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Instructor Trainer Educators, Robin Pope and Sam Fowlkes, both received Special Commendation Awards, recognizing their extraordinary efforts in organizing and hosting the first American Canoe Association River Rescue and Safety Conference in October, 2013. The intensive, three-day, on-river training featured a series of workshops presented by some of the most respected names in Swiftwater Rescue, including Slim Ray, Les Bechdel, Charlie Walbridge, Aaron Peeler, Mike Mather, Walter Fenton, and Jim Coffey. Participants included more than 100 recreational paddlers, certified paddlesport instructors, and emergency responders from 22 states and three foreign countries. 

In addition to founding the Swiftwater Rescue Conference, Robin and Sam both volunteer countless hours serving on the ACA's Swiftwater Rescue Committee, Safety Education & Instruction Council, and Board of Directors. 

They will receive their awards on Friday, June 6, 2014, at 7:30 PM, at the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) conference in Woodcliff Lake, NJ.

Congratulations, Sam and Robin!