1 minute read
Innovative Loss Control Inspection Process
By Ron Burmood, Director of Member Services, SDPAA
A task that many entities struggle with is the completion of loss control inspections of sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and storm drains. It is a time-consuming process for public entities, which are already strapped for time and resources. However, these inspections are a necessary part of your risk management efforts and by doing them and correcting potential hazards, you may minimize your losses and your liability.
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While I was recently on a SDPAA Member visit to the City of Freeman, I visited with City Administrator, Carroll Vizecky, and he shared his loss control story with me.
Carroll stated that the city received a grant for a body camera to be utilized by the local police department. The police department decided to take this one step further and document city property. They mounted the camera to the side of the light bar on the top of the police vehicle. The police department officers then proceeded to drive two to three miles an hour along the right side of the streets throughout the city. In two and a half days they had the entire city sidewalk system documented on video. This information was then transferred to DVDs. I reviewed one of the videos and found the quality very impressive. The sidewalk areas were clearly visible as well as the curb, gutter, and storm drains. Boulevard trees and low lying branches were also visible. The video also had captions documenting street names.
By reviewing the detailed video, the city could identify problem areas and implement measures to correct those problems. In the event a claim arises, the city can refer back to the video and determine the condition of the area prior to the loss. This could help determine if there was a pre-existing problem or if something recently developed. The city intends to update their video inspections every two years.
This is an excellent example of a cost effective approach to self-inspection by the City of Freeman. We thank the City of Freeman for sharing this story with us and hope that it helps other entities with their loss control measures.
If you have questions or comments, please contact us at sdpaa@sdmunicipalleague.org or 800.658.3633.
