Looking Back to Ensure You Move Forward

For this year’s Risk Management Review (RMR), you’ll be looking back at your agency’s 2025 performance as you move through 2026, improving safety practices and correcting identified hazards. If your agency did not receive a Green rating last year, you’ll address the areas identified on the 2025 Essentials of Risk Management Form (ERMF) to achieve a Green rating this year. If your agency received a Green rating, you’ll want to maintain your performance levels throughout 2026.

In order of priority, correct areas that received Orange or Red ratings on the 2025 ERMF. “Those are the most significant safety, operational or compliance concerns your agency should address first,” explains Tim Lenac, PDRMA’s Risk Management Services Supervisor. “Your goal is to improve those areas to at least a Yellow rating, if not higher. And if your agency received Blue or Yellow ratings, we encourage you to continue to improve those ratings whenever possible.”

In addition to improving ERMF deficiencies, agencies must meet the benchmarks of all agreed-upon Action Items identified during their RMR Kickoff meetings. “These action steps often include facility safety corrections, policy updates, employee training initiatives or operational improvements with specific completion deadlines,” says Lenac. “Regularly review these commitments throughout the year to ensure your agency meets the deadlines.”

SMART Goals are also an important part of the 2026 RMR. Agencies need to complete all SMART Goal action steps by their agreed-upon target dates. And once you complete a SMART Goal, you must identify and develop a new SMART Goal within 90 days to remain eligible for RMR incentives.

Financial incentives for 2026 are tied directly to participation and improvement efforts, and members must complete all required activities to qualify for this portion of the incentive. Twenty-five percent of the available incentive is tied to activities such as:

• Completing the Kickoff process by April 1, 2026.
• Completing all SMART Goal action steps by assigned deadlines.
• Developing a new SMART Goal within 90 days of completing the current one.
• Completing all other agreed-upon activities on time.

The remaining 75 percent of the incentive is based on correcting outstanding ERMF items. Agencies with an overall Green rating receive 100 percent of the available incentive, while Blue-rated members receive 85 percent. However, Blue-rated agencies can increase their incentive by correcting identified deficiencies. Correcting all Orange and Red items results in 90 percent eligibility, while correcting all deficiencies can raise eligibility to 100 percent.

Members rated Yellow on the 2025 ERMF receive 70 percent of the incentive but can improve eligibility by addressing Orange and Red concerns. Correcting all deficiencies raises the incentive to 100 percent.

Agencies rated Orange or Red must repeat the ERMF in 2026. Their final incentive eligibility depends on their updated rating. Achieving Green earns 100 percent, Blue earns 85 percent, and Yellow earns 70 percent. Failure to achieve at least a Yellow rating may result in probation and possible committee or board action.

By staying proactive, meeting deadlines and correcting safety hazards promptly, agencies can strengthen operations, reduce their risk exposure and qualify for the maximum RMR incentive.