For an enhanced digital experience, read this story in the ezine.
As stewards of our public spaces, you play a crucial role in ensuring parks and recreational spaces are safe and enjoyable for all visitors. However, managing public spaces and interactions with those who use them is complex and challenging. This May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine contains great content on this theme of stewarding safe spaces, and there are two components that I’d like to emphasize here.
The first is that May is Water Safety Month, which provides an annual opportunity to engage both ourselves and the public in the vital importance of water safety. Water-related amenities and activities are a significant part of many park and recreation programs, and yet recruiting and retaining sufficient personnel to manage these spaces have proven to be increasingly challenging.
Wrapping recruitment messaging into communications around Water Safety Month can help boost interest in both water safety itself, as well as in the roles that help to support a water-safe or “water-well” community. Agencies that have adopted a community-level focus on water safety educate the public on the potential dangers, as well as the solutions, including swimming skills, proper use of flotation devices and trained safety personnel.
Park and recreation professionals have a unique opportunity to promote safety-conscious behavior through community outreach and engagement. And, by working with local schools, community organizations and other groups, you can both raise awareness about water safety and create recruitment opportunities for the roles that are essential to supporting water-safe facilities and communities overall. Of course, it would be oversimplifying to say that safety is just about education, and instructing staff on water safety and proper lifeguarding techniques is only one piece of the training puzzle.
In truth, park and recreation professionals are navigating the challenges of being front-line staff working directly with the public, which can present an array of risks and challenges. That is why situational awareness, de-escalation and self-defense training are critical skills for park and recreation professionals to possess. In this issue, my colleague Lindsay Collins contributes a piece on self-defense practices, the takeaways of which are relevant for all park and recreation staff.
Being a professional who approaches safety holistically means maintaining safety at all levels — self, surroundings, spaces and settings. It means ensuring that you maintain situational awareness — staying alert and observant of your surroundings, identifying potential threats and assessing risks. It means recognizing potential conflicts before they escalate and practicing de-escalation tactics to diffuse potentially volatile situations through effective communication and conflict-resolution techniques. It also means ensuring that you are protective of your own safety while working to prevent violence and making sure your community remains secure.
There is a concept in boating that goes like this: “one hand for you and one for the boat.” The idea is that by keeping one metaphorical hand for your safety and security, you can use the other to take care of what needs to get done. Situational awareness, de-escalation and self-defense training can serve as that personal safety and security focus. They can help mitigate risks and equip you with the tools necessary to address them effectively. By investing in these skills, you not only increase your own safety, but also better ensure your visitors have a positive and enjoyable experience in your parks and recreation areas.
As park and recreation professionals, you have a unique responsibility to maintain public safety while patrons enjoy the facilities and programs that you manage. You also have a responsibility to yourselves and your teammates to ensure your own safety. I encourage you to seek out ongoing training opportunities in this area. Your safety, the safety of your colleagues and the safety of your visitors depend on it.
Kristine Stratton is NRPA's President and CEO.