Heading into the summer months, VRSA staff continued engaging with members throughout the Commonwealth at conferences and training.
Risk Manager Forum
This June VRSA hosted a Risk Manager Forum attended by risk managers from the Cities of Charlottesville, Fairfax, Manassas, Suffolk, and Williamsburg, GRTC, Hanover, and York County, the Towns of Dumfries, Herndon, and Vienna, and the Western Virginia Water Authority.
During the forum, VRSA requested feedback on ways we can continue to support member risk management activities. Feedback on training needs and resources and ways to manage the retention of third-party certificates of insurance were discussed.
Additionally, the group discussed issues such as marijuana in the workplace, public safety driving safety, increasing the level of insurance requirements for contractors, and the development of a certification course for risk managers by VRSA.
VRSA looks forward to future engagements such as these.
Virginia Association of School Superintendents Conference
VRSA Senior Account Executives Nora Pierre and Lisa Schenk attended the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) Summer Conference.
Three of VRSA’s first five members were school divisions, and all three are still members today! More than 250,000 students in Virginia attend school divisions covered by VRSA.
Virginia Public Risk Management Association Spring Conference
VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock presented at the Virginia Public Risk Management Association Spring Conference on “Best Practices for Dealing with Aggressive Employees.”
Talking about aggressive employee behavior creates a culture of safety and respect in the workplace. When employees know that their employer is taking steps to address this issue, they are more likely to feel safe and respected at work. This discussion allows employers to identify trends and patterns that may indicate a deeper problem and to address them before they escalate.
Virginia Local Government Management Association Summer Conference
VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock attended the Virginia Local Government Management Association Summer Conference in Virginia Beach, meeting with Emporia City Manager William E. Johnson and participating in the Creative Management Approaches for Celebrating our Differences & Promoting Unity panel.
VRSA sponsored the panel, which featured representatives from VRSA members including the Town of Vienna and the City of Staunton, as part of our commitment to local government excellence.
VML Local Elected Officials Conference
VRSA Managing Director Marcus Hensel and Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock presented at the Virginia Municipal League (VML) Local Elected Officials Conference held in Glen Allen.
They discussed the importance of training and addressed commonly asked questions surrounding marijuana in the workplace, cybersecurity, and site inspections.
VRSA will again partner with VML this August for a training session in Chilhowie – VML & VRSA: Preparing for 2024 – General Assembly & Risk Mitigation. Presentations will include insights into the upcoming General Assembly session as well as tools to engage and educate new members on the critical role played by Virginia’s local governments. VRSA staff will also present on topics including risk mitigation and cybersecurity. Register here.
Town of South Hill – Confined Space Entry Training
VRSA Senior Safety Consultant Fonda Craig provided training to employees in the Town of South Hill on both the subjects of safe driving and confined space entry. After the classroom portion, employees were exposed to hands-on training to become more familiar with the confined space entry equipment, provided to the town through a VRSA Risk Management Grant.
Crater Criminal Justice Training Academy
Accident rates for emergency vehicles are about 2.5 times higher per vehicle mile than accident rates for other professional drivers. This spring VRSA Director of Education and Training Thomas Bullock presented a class on Emergency Vehicle Operation and Liability (EVOLv) to a law enforcement recruit class at the Crater Criminal Justice Training Academy.
“This training is meant to restore an awareness of the criminal and civil implications that are associated with the operation of emergency vehicles,” said Bullock. EVOLv training focuses on “driver” rather than “driving” training to influence driver attitudes and decision-making.
