I recently read the results of a 2010 risk management survey posed to parks and recreation professionals, asking if they were aware of risk exposure conditions in their agencies’ programs, facilities, parks, land areas, playgrounds, and pools. The percentages of “yes’s” and “no’s” varied somewhat by category, but what was surprisingly consistent were the number of respondents who were “unsure.” On average, 50 percent of all respondents had no idea whether their agency had risk exposure in each of the categories polled.
In my experience, staff want to proactively manage the risks of their operations, but they don’t know how. Risk management, like many other core competencies needed by a parks and recreation professional, is a discipline in itself, and a host of resources is available to help develop this competency if you know where to look. Here are a few resources I have found to be helpful:
Publications
Textbooks, edited compilations by experts in the field, and articles are a good way to start—since they offer an academic introduction to basic risk management concepts and theory. Some of my favorites include the following:
Texts
• Management of Park and Recreation Agencies (Revised Second Edition), 2005. Edited by Betty van der Smissen, Merry Moiseichik, and Vern J. Hartenburg. (Chapter 19 focuses on risk management.)
• Risk Management for Public Entities, 1999. Edited by George Head and Kwok-Sze Richard Wong.
• Risk Management for Park, Recreation and Leisure Services, 2003. By J.A. Peterson and B.B. Hronek.
Articles
(An internet search of the article title and the author should bring these right up)
• "Risk Management for the Recreation Professional," 1993. By Rachel Corbett.
• "Managing Risk in Recreation Programs, Facilities and Services, 2008." By Nancy B. White.
Experts
Professionals specializing in the field of risk management can provide expert assistance to help you apply concepts and theory to your organization and your operations. They may be familiar with general risk management best practices, regulation-driven requirements, and the risk management process. Specialists include risk managers, insurance agents, legal experts, and safety specialists. If you work for a large organization, each of these positions may be held by a different individual; for smaller organizations, one person (or an outside consultant) may perform all of these functions. In either case, these professionals are in a position to help you develop and implement risk assessments, inspections, audits, staff training, or other risk control recommendations. If you are dealing with outside consultants, ask what services they might be willing to offer free of charge to develop their business with your agency.
Organizations
In addition to individual specialists, organizations devoted to risk management offer a range of helpful publications, training options, resource libraries, and membership services. Some risk management organizations require membership to access their resources, while others offer useful information to the general public. If you are investigating a particular issue, the staffs of these organizations can be quite helpful in providing expert insight and pointing you in the direction of additional resources.
Some good examples are:
• Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency. CIRSA has great publications for purchase including Special Events Handbook, Community Center Handbook, Hazard Awareness, and Loss Control Manual.
• Park District Risk Management Agency (Illinois). PDRMA manages risks and promotes wellness for more than 150 Illinois Park Districts, Special Recreation Associations, Forest Preserve Districts, and Conservation Districts. Extensive training and education resources for members.
• Public Risk Managers Association. PRIMA has one of the most extensive online libraries of documents that I have ever seen. Their “cybrary” is open only to members, but if your risk manager or attorney has a membership, you and your colleagues should log in and take full advantage of those member resources.
• Municipal Services and Research Center of Washington. The MSRC website has an entire, publicly accessible section dedicated to parks and recreation resources.
Forums and Networks
Forums and networks offer excellent platforms for conversations and questions related to risk management. Networks on NRPA Connect can connect you to thousands of other parks and recreation professionals across the country. Chances are pretty good that if you have a risk management concern, someone else out there has the same one, or has perhaps dealt with a similar situation before. Don’t re-create the wheel—ask your peers!
Continuing Education
Education and training are also excellent resources when it comes to risk management. Local colleges and universities, as well as schools sponsored by government agencies and associations, may offer risk management courses. Look for workshops, webinars, or eLearning opportunities offered by your state parks and recreation agency, NRPA, or other organizations mentioned in this article. Education and training are critical to staying abreast of current trends and best practices.
Experiment with these resources. One type of resource may complement your learning style well, while another may prove better for addressing a specific risk management issue. Still another type of resource may provide you with the best materials for training your staff. Acquiring competency with risk management does take time, but it doesn’t have to be a mystery.
Kathy Capps is the Grants and Risk Manager for the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department in North Carolina. She will be presenting a half-day pre-conference workshop on Risk Management for Parks and Recreation Professionals at the 2012 NRPA Congress and Expo in Anaheim.