Bismarck, ND – The North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund (NDIRF) is proud to support safe playgrounds in North Dakota communities by providing scholarships for local government employees to attend the Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) course and certification program. The two-day course held March 21-23 in Bismarck is hosted by the North Dakota Recreation and Park Association (NDRPA) and Bismarck Parks and Recreation District. This year’s course was attended by 33 local government parks and recreation and school district employees.

The CPSI certification program is the most comprehensive training program on playground hazard identification and risk management methods offered nationwide. Program attendees learn how to identify hazards on public playgrounds and playground equipment, rank hazards according to injury potential, and establish a playground safety program (National Recreation and Park Association, 2023).

“The NDIRF’s sponsorship of the CPSI course provides local governments with further resources to help ensure their playgrounds continue to offer fun, healthy, and safe environments for their communities,” NDIRF CEO Brennan Quintus said. “We are proud to continue to support this training through our partnership with the NDRPA.”

The NDIRF has sponsored CPSI course scholarships for over the past 15 years.

“We appreciate NDIRF’s sponsorship and continued support of the course,” NDRPA Executive Director Shannon Schutt said. “We’ve had smaller park districts tell us how grateful they are for the scholarships because, without the scholarships, they would not be able to afford the course.”

Photo: CPSI course attendees at the 2023 CPSI course and certification program hosted by NDRPA March 21-23 in Bismarck, ND.