CENTERING SAFETY A holistic approach to park and recreation safety management By Kolby Burkhardt, M.S., CSP P ark and recreation professionals make it happen; they provide our communities with improved quality of life, offer educational opportunities and maintain our green spaces. However, this isn't accomplished without some level of risk. In fact, serious injuries and fatalities occur every year to agency employees. In 2023, an Ohio park and recreation employee was seriously injured after being struck by a trailer while mowing grass at a sports field (tinyurl.com/5xmdbehw). In 2022, a Texas park and recreation employee received a fatal shock while installing lights at a city park (tinyurl.com/ hw29m8s6). These incidents provide a stark reminder for park and recreation professionals that the essential services we provide aren't without some risk. Our focus goes beyond day-to-day operations and extends to the department, and each subsequent division, thus creating a holistic view on managing safety. PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | MARCH 2 0 2 4 | Parks & Recreation 41http://tinyurl.com/5xmdbehw http://tinyurl.com/hw29m8s6 http://tinyurl.com/hw29m8s6