How can you keep gear and equipment well maintained?

Keeping transport well maintained and gear and equipment in good working order is essential to operational safety. Unreliable and poorly maintained equipment poses a big safety risk.

It can be useful to create a list of all the vehicles, equipment, and gear your program uses. On the list, make sure to include up-to-date schedules and budgets for regular servicing, maintenance or replacement of your gear and equipment.

Build accountability into your program with policies on who is responsible if gear and equipment is lost or damaged. Staff should also be clear on their personal responsibility - this way they’ll be more likely to take better care of your program's gear and equipment.

Even with the best-laid plans, policies and maintenance schedules in place, the unexpected can (and will) happen. Be sure to have contingency funds and back up plans in place so you don’t need to forgo a whole season of important activity if there is an equipment failure.