Staff spent the summer and early fall continuing to reach out and connect with Virginia’s local public entities, including cities, counties, towns, school divisions, and authorities – from the smallest to the largest. This includes engagements such as conferences, trainings, and more. Read all about their activities below!
Virginia Municipal League
Staff attended the Virginia Municipal League Annual Conference in Norfolk. Local Government Relations Managers Peter Stephenson and Brian Thrower moderated the Virginia Mayor’s Institute, where Managing Director Marcus Hensel presented on public officials liability.
Additionally, Public Safety Specialist Gary Dillon presented on Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events. This was a continuation of his well-received presentation at last year’s conference on Council Security and Safety in response to increased concern and conversations around safety in public meetings and buildings.
Throughout the conference, staff met with members, including Covington City Manager Allen Dressler; Town of Warrenton Mayor Carter Nevill; Hillsville Town Manager LeAnna Surratt; and Town of Vienna, VA Government Town Manager Mercury Payton. Check out a slideshow of their time at the conference below.
City of Waynesboro
Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton conducted OSHA 10 training for City of Waynesboro public works and water treatment staff.
Southampton County Public Schools
Senior Safety Consultant Fonda Craig presented at the Pupil Transportation Department’s in-service training, where she discussed unsafe driving behaviors that contribute to most incidents. In the photo below, participants give the “thumbs up” to managing risk and staying focused while behind the wheel.
DriveSmart Virginia
Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton moderated a session at the DRIVE SMART Virginia Distracted Driving Summit entitled: Building A Culture of Safety: Practical Approaches to Reducing Distracted Driving. Presenters included Jeffrey Cabral and Daniel Feagins with Badger Infrastructure Solutions, and Guy R. Butts II with TRC Engineers.
Playground Safety
Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton provided playground safety training for 17 member staff from Albemarle and Louisa Counties, the City of Charlottesville, Chesapeake City Public Schools, and the Town of Chase City. The training provides an overview of the recommended actions to establish an organization’s “Standard of Care.”
City of Salem
Senior Account Executive Lisa Schenk joined Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton to attend the City of Salem’s Employee Health and Wellness Fair this September. The event is designed to provide employees with direct access to benefit providers, resources, and support.
Below 100 training for the City of Williamsburg
Chief Sean Dunn with the City of Williamsburg Police Department invited VRSA Public Safety Specialist Gary Dillon to provide Below 100 training to staff. The program is dedicated to reducing preventable line-of-duty deaths through training focused on officer safety, situational awareness, and decision-making under stress.
“Partnerships with local police departments, such as Williamsburg, are what make it possible to bring this critical training to law enforcement professionals across Virginia,” said Dillon.
City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA)
Extra, extra! Read all about it! VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock made the front page of the City of Roanoke RRHA newsletter for providing drug-free workplace training to their management team.
Town of Mt. Jackson
Safety Consultant Christine Gillison conducted a site inspection for the Town of Mt. Jackson’s public works department. Gillison toured the wastewater treatment plant and pump house, providing recommendations to help prevent and reduce losses, as well as OSHA citations. Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) has increased the number of unannounced inspections throughout the state, particularly for water and wastewater authorities. For assistance with a site inspection, contact your safety consultant today.
Virginia Association of Zoning Officials (VAZO)
Public Safety Specialist Gary Dillon presented on de-escalation and workplace violence to attendees of the VAZO Fall Education and Training Conference.
Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA)
Senior Safety Consultant Fonda Craig and Safety Consultant Christine Gillison provided OSHA-30 General Industry training to staff at UOSA in mid-July.
In August, Gillison returned to UOSA to provide reasonable suspicion training. The training provides information on the risks of drug and alcohol use by employees, the skills to recognize use of drugs and alcohol, the skills to confront an employee who may be using drugs or alcohol, and the procedures for documenting reasonable suspicion cases.
Virginia Municipal League Southwest Virginia Mayor’s Roundtable
Local Government Relations Manager Brian Thrower and Senior Account Executive Lisa Schenk attended the Virginia Municipal League (VML) Southwest Virginia Mayor’s Roundtable in Rocky Mount this summer. The gathering brought local officials together to discuss issues facing their communities.
Virginia Rural Water Association
Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton sent this picture of his setup shortly before presenting at the Virginia Rural Water Association Fall Expo in Fishersville. Shelton presented on trenching and respirable crystalline silica.
