Recently, the National Parks Service celebrated its 100th anniversary, which is amazing. However, not all news is as exciting – the National Parks Service faces a multibillion-dollar maintenance backlog.
“Long-delayed projects range from replacing water works at the Grand Canyon to making sure the Jefferson Memorial doesn't sink into the Tidal Basin to improving roads at Yosemite National Park.
The bill for deferred work is nearly $12 billion nationwide — a $440 million increase over last year. About half the total is for roadwork. The remainder is for buildings, campgrounds, trails and infrastructure such as water systems and waste water treatment.”
As a maintenance department manager, you know that maintenance backlogs are serious business. Once the backlogs start, it quickly becomes out of control to the point where it seems an almost overwhelming task to catch up on.
One way to help stay on top of preventative maintenance and maintenance backlogs is with CMMS, which stands for Computerized Maintenance Management Software. This software program allows you to keep up with maintenance tasks more easily and so much more.
You are able to schedule maintenance tasks and preventative maintenance far in advance so that no one has to do a last minute type of task. You are also able to keep up with reports at the touch of a button and from any place that has an Internet connection.
The National Parks Service surely has some kind of CMMS program in place, one would think. While their backlog may be due to budget constraints, some of the issues may come from not being able to schedule the jobs when they need to be done or slacking in preventative maintenance.
“Most of the nation's 409 park sites have a piece of the maintenance backlog.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park faces $232.3 million in deferred maintenance. Those needs include rehabilitating the water and waste water systems at Cades Cove and the Sugarlands Visitor Center; rehabilitating park headquarters and other major buildings, and upgrading campgrounds and trails.
The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Tennessee and Kentucky has almost $30 million in deferred maintenance, while at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia, the maintenance backlog adds up to $14.9 million.
Alcatraz, the former federal prison in California, has crumbling walls and deteriorating windows. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky needs to have dirt trails replaced for safety. And a historic hotel at Montana's Glacier National Park needs a new fire sprinkler system and other work.”
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Don't let your own facility's maintenance tasks get behind schedule until the point that they become overwhelming. Invest in a CMMS program and make your job easier.