Thursday, Mar 5, 2009
In collaboration with the Student Conservation Association (SCA), the Division of Risk Management is launching a first-ever risk management student internship program. The objective of this pilot project is to design a sustainable program that will support park efforts to prevent drowning, fall injuries, hypothermia, dehydration, carbon monoxide poisoning, animal bites or attacks, and trauma from crashes in cars, boats, bikes, and other forms of transportation, among many other injuries that occur in parks.
The program will provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate level students to apply skills in risk management, injury prevention, and health behavior and education to enhance NPS injury prevention and control efforts to mitigate unintentional injuries to park visitors within the National Park Service, and in some cases to assist in the response to park incidents. The goals of this project are to:
- Build a cadre of future leaders and park staff who apply and further develop skills/understanding of wilderness risk management techniques.
- Increase capacity of current park staff to undertake risk management and injury prevention initiatives.
- Provide resources to strengthen parksâ risk management programs.
- Provide safety outreach and education to park visitors.
This year, the NPS and SCA will select up to 15 parks to participate in the pilot phase of this program. Risk Management and SCA will work with each park to identify the particular need in that park and to find an intern with the necessary skills to meet that need. During the pilot phase of this project, the Division of Risk Management will cover the cost of a comprehensive week-long training for all interns. To participate in the program, the park will need to provide housing, transportation costs, and a stipend for each intern.
Click on the link below for more detailed information about the program. To be considered for participation, interested parks should contact Dr. Sara Newman, Director, Public Risk Management Program at 202-513-7225 or (sara_newman@nps.gov). We will accept nominations to participate in this pilot through Monday, March 16th.
|
Ruby: 1.8.7, Rails: 1.1.6