identify potential challenges and pit-falls

voice critical, pertinent questions

cite appropriate examples or data

list applicable products: manufacturer, specific product, and website or telephone information

provide practical ways to modify the protocol or activity to reduce the potential for injury or loss

suggest ways to mitigate loss that does occur

offer similar, safer alternative programming or activities to replace the more dangerous one

Risk Management Topics (RMTs), while similar to RMAs, are more comprehensive. They either provide more detail than their RMA counterpart or address a topic that cannot be satisfactorily summarized in the limited one-page format of an RMA.

Lessons in the News are drawn from current events. They cite a news article (either in a rewritten or redacted form so the involved organization is not easily identified) and use it as the basis of a lesson in what to do and not do in similar circumstances. These may relate triumph or tragedy in nearly any topic or activity but will either involve a YMCA or an organization with similar programming or operations.

Transportation Alerts, Abuse Alerts, and Aquatic Alerts are similar to Lessons but they are more focused in that they draw from a current event in the named arena. The events are restricted to items that

• have occurred in a YMCA
• relate a preventable tragedy
• have education value...i.e., are not provided just as news or for shock value but are presented to teach a lesson that may prevent similar occurrences