[Case Brief] Orange County Council, Scouting America
Managing Remote and Urban Infrastructure with Limited Resources
When COVID-19 hit, Orange County Council Scouting America faced significant staffing reductions. Lead Ranger Justin Scott found himself overseeing properties ranging from a 1,300-acre summer camp with 40+ buildings to multiple urban facilities spread across Orange County—with camp-specific infrastructure like diesel fire pumps, docks, ziplines, and pools that require specialized maintenance expertise beyond typical commercial properties.
The Challenge
- Limited Capital Planning: Meaningful forecasting was extremely limited for major expenses, relying instead on guesswork despite aging facilities approaching expensive replacements
- Reactive Maintenance: Using only basic maintenance management software, they couldn’t predict failures or plan strategically
- Resource Constraints: Post-COVID staffing levels meant doing more with less, while still maintaining facilities for thousands of scouts and community members
The Solution
Going from Reactive to Proactive FM with AkitaBox
- Real-time Asset Intelligence: Instant access to equipment details, serial numbers, and specifications enables faster decision-making and remote problem-solving
- Integrated Asset & Maintenance Management: Unlike their previous system, AkitaBox combined asset lifecycle management with maintenance management in one platform
- Capital Forecasting Tools: Built-in lifecycle analysis and cost estimation capabilities transform their guesswork into defensible budget requests
- FCA Report Generation: Built-in templates will streamline their required facility condition assessments for BSA National
“We had a piece of equipment two and a half hours away that failed and needed a new part. Since we had it in AkitaBox, I was able to locally source a part that I knew would fit and send it up early, before our specialty subcontractor was able to come out and help.”
Justin Scott • Lead Ranger, Orange County Council, Scouting America
The Results
While implementing with a phased approach with their small staff, Orange County Council has already:
- Begun building a foundation so that anyone coming in “completely blind” to the facilities can pick up the required knowledge quickly
- Populated major systems such as roofing data across facilities to forecast replacement costs and timelines
- Started transitioning from surprise failures to planned replacements
- Begun building the foundation for data-driven capital budget requests and clearer communication with the Board of Directors stakeholders
Looking Ahead
Orange County Council continues expanding their use of AkitaBox, with plans to:
- Complete asset inventory across all properties
- Generate comprehensive capital planning reports with supporting data
- Implement the service request portal for improved response times
- Use maintenance data to extend asset lifecycles and optimize budgets
For organizations managing multiple facilities with limited resources, Orange County Council’s journey demonstrates how the right technology can transform facility management from reactive firefighting to strategic asset stewardship.
