April 11, 2023
Brian Corrigan
Hello, American Rental Association (ARA) Region Three members. I hope your business is off and running to a strong spring rental season. No matter how busy we get, there is one thing we absolutely must keep our eyes on: equipment theft. It’s a problem that seems to be getting worse for many as crooks get more emboldened. Fortunately, ARA has some resources to help us with the risk:
- Preventing and Handling Theft — This newly-released video is part of ARA’s Prioritize Safety monthly video series and provides information on how to prevent and manage theft within the equipment and event rental industry. This and other entries in the Prioritize Safety series are two-minute, animated videos that address a variety of safety topics for rental businesses. Each video is accompanied with two questions to test the knowledge of the viewer. These equipment- and event-specific videos can be viewed in RentalU, ARA’s online learning platform.
- Manage Your Risks: Equipment — This downloadable document, also available through RentalU, details proper security measures to have in place to protect your inventory from theft and other criminal activity.
- NER partnership — By partnering with the National Equipment Register (NER), ARA members can register up to 1,000 pieces of mobile, off-road equipment with NER’s HELPTech database for free. Learn more about it here.
Now for something a little more pleasant.
Rental equipment and volunteers in action at a Community Impact Program project
Among other important observances, the month of April contains “Community Spirit Days.” It’s a time for small businesses and citizens to give back to their communities by supporting local charities. We can do that any time of the year, of course, but this is a good opportunity to shed light on the good work being done through the Community Impact Program.
The Community Impact Program is a joint initiative of the ARA Foundation and The Toro Company Foundation and is designed to improve the communities where rental members work and live. It involves the foundations partnering with local nonprofit organizations to coordinate community service projects, with an emphasis on assisting underserved populations.
The purpose of the program is twofold: to allow those in the rental industry an opportunity to give back to their community as well as build public awareness and demonstrate the advantages of rental.
I’m pleased to announce that a Community Impact Program project is happening in our region this month in Knoxville, Tenn., that you are invited to take part in. Volunteers and equipment are needed on April 19 and 20 at Legacy Parks to develop a new park called Angora Frog Farm. Learn more about this project and sign up here.
By the way, April is also Volunteer Appreciation Month. ARA’s success is due largely in part to the work of members who volunteer their time to help drive the industry forward. If you’re interested in learning more about ways to get involved, you can find more information here. From my experience, I can tell you that it is extremely fulfilling.
Our ARA of Georgia chapter is looking forward to a fun time during the weekend of May 5 and 6 with our Cinco de Mayo Weekend Bash. Rental store tours, a tequila tasting, a food truck, live music and an Atlanta Braves vs. Baltimore Orioles baseball game are all on the agenda. Our board of directors is thrilled to present an opportunity like this for ARA members across the state to be a part of.
I encourage you to take part in the events your own ARA state chapters host throughout the year. Attending is just about the best way to gain knowledge you can use in your rental business and make friends and contacts from other rental businesses that can help you both personally and professionally.
Best wishes for a safe and prosperous month.
Brian Corrigan, ARA of Georgia president
Macon Tent Rentals
Macon, Ga.
478-746-8269
bcorrigan@macontentrentals.com
