As summer activities start to wind down and the school year looms large, many park districts face a familiar challenge: maintaining safe aquatic operations when staff begins preparing for the start of the school year.
 
"Balancing public expectations with safe staffing levels can be challenging," says Kyle Saros, PDRMA Risk Management Consultant. “While it may be tempting to keep every attraction or facility open to meet public demand, safety should always drive your operational decisions. Experience shows the beginning and end of aquatic season often see the greatest number of accidents, making it especially important to maintain proper supervision and avoid stretching staff too thin. When in doubt, it's always better to adjust operations than compromise lifeguard coverage...

A fire in your agency’s park or golf maintenance facility may be rare, but if it happens, the consequences can be devastating. Nationally, fire departments respond to an estimated 211,500 vehicle fires each year, resulting in approximately $1.9B in property damage annually. Garage fires often destroy buildings, fleets, specialized mowing equipment, tools, parts inventories and other critical assets — bringing agency operations to a halt for weeks or even months. Special Hazards in Your Garage Combustible materials — Maintenance facilities present unique fire hazards. Fuels, propane, paints, aerosols, oily rags and other combustible materials can quickly turn a small equipment fire into a catastrophic building loss...

Has your agency developed or discovered an innovative safety solution, implemented a cost-effective risk reduction initiative...

A strong safety culture isn't built in a day — it's developed through ongoing learning, practical skills and a commitment to protecting staff, patrons and facilities...