Resource protection, visitor safety, and employee safety: How prepared is the National Park Service?

Depper, Gina; Vigil, Demica; Powell, Robert; Wright, Brett

National parks in the 21st century confront many challenges. In such a climate, the ability of National Park Service (NPS) Division of Visitor and Resource Protection staff to perform specific duties related to resource protection, visitor safety, and employee safety is integral to meeting the NPS mission. It is important that employees be well trained to perform these responsibilities. For this reason the NPS Office of Learning and Development collaborated with Clemson University to assess Visitor and Resource Protection employees’ perceptions of the importance and their preparedness to perform a comprehensive list of job competencies. This article reports the most critical training needs of three competency categories: natural and cultural resource protection, visitor safety, and employee safety. Training needs in resource protection included specialized law enforcement skills, gathering and synthesizing data, and collaboration and partnerships. Training needs in visitor safety focused on specialized investigative skills and the ability to synthesize data. Training needs identified with respect to employee safety involved the ability to apply Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. These findings as well as future training strategies are discussed. This article also reports on how NPS programs are responding to the survey through policy actions, priorities, and planning. By taking these actions in training and education, the National Park Service can support the role of the Visitor and Resource Protection Division in upholding the NPS mission for the future.

Resource protection, visitor safety, and employee safety: How prepared is the National Park Service?

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