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Archive for February, 2015

Special Webcast: How Police Agencies Can Be Held Liable Without Proper Training

TargetSolutions is sponsoring a special webcast from Law Officer on March 4 at 11 a.m. (PST). Please click here to register for the event.

If you are responsible for managing your police agency’s training program, you’re not going to want miss this special webcast presentation: “Training: Limit Your Liability.”

Laura L. Scarry, a partner with DeAno & Scarry, will be breaking down the City of Canton v. Harris, which the U.S. Supreme Court used to clarify the standard under which cities and counties can be held liable for constitutional violations due to a failure to train or supervise employees.

On March 4 at 11 a.m. (PST), Scarry will also be providing examples of other cases from across the country that cover use of force and what agencies can do to protect themselves through effective police officer training.

Please click here to register for the webcast.

Learn more about TargetSolutions’ training for law enforcement.

 

The 10 Most Popular PPE Resources in Community Resources

TargetSolutions features thousands of items inside its file-sharing application Community Resources. Check out the top 10 resources related to Personal Protective Equipment.

The Community Resources application provides the ability to utilize presentations, videos, policies, and more shared by other organizations using TargetSolutions.

The powerful file-sharing tool features thousands of valuable items, including a long list of resources covering Personal Protective Equipment. Here are the top 10 PPE resources inside Community Resources

1) PPE for First Responders against Ebola Exposure Hazards
2) Guidance on Emergency Responder PPE for Response to CBRN Terrorism
3) Principles of Mass Decontamination
4) Structural PPE Inspection Sheet
5) Suggested PPE Use for Infection Control in Healthcare Settings
6) Personal Protective Equipment Basics
7) Turnout Gear: Testing, Certification, Maintenance Inspections, and How It Works
8) Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Donning
9) PPE Doffing Procedure
10) PPE Selection and Modification

These various resources, which can all be found using specific search terms provided in the slideshow, cover a multitude of topics and best practices pertaining to PPE for emergency responders. These resources can be easily assigned to users with TargetSolutions’ online fire training system.

For more information on Community Resources, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

How Fire Department Training Leaders Can Communicate More Effectively with Personnel

Communicating Effectively in Your Department
The fire service is always evolving, but good communication has always been vital to successful operations. It’s important for leaders to be specific in detailed with directions and train personnel to follow instructions to eliminate mistakes in the field.

Blog by Rich Miron of TargetSolutions

Are you communicating effectively with your team? That was the question laid out in January during Michael Daley and Ryan Pennington’s training session at Firehouse World in San Diego.

Daley of Monroe Township (New Jersey) and Pennington of Charleston Fire Department (West Virginia) teamed up to deliver a 90-minute session, Communication between the Front Seat and Jump Street. The topic originated during a casual conversation the two had one evening.

“These kids today, they just don’t understand,” Daley recalled saying. After talking it over, it was determined issues arise because of breakdowns in communication from the front seat, where Daley sits, to jump street, which is Pennington’s area.

It was an interesting topic, considering the theme of the conference: “Changing with the Fire Service.” Times are clearly changing, but communication has always been a critical component to success. Whether it was 50 years ago, 20 years ago, or today, it’s always critical for leaders to set clear expectations.

During the session, Daley conducted an interesting experiment with the room of firefighters. He gave each a piece of paper and asked everyone to follow a series of instructions. After completing the seemingly simple instructions, each firefighter delivered a different result.

“Nobody did anything wrong, you all followed the directions; the point is, everybody follows directions differently,” Daley said. “This is an example that everyone hears directions differently. That’s why we have to get everyone on the same page.”

But how do you do that is the question that leaders sitting in the front seat often struggles with, Daley said.

Here are two key steps leaders can take to improve communication in their organization:

Be More Detailed: If you’re not specific with instruction, there can be confusion that can lead to unexpected outcomes.

Increase Training Using Instructions: Make sure you receive feedback that instructions have been received and understood. “So many communication issues come from lack of training,” Daley said.

Daley outlined key traits of a leader with good communication skills: Stability, integrity, flexibility, sensitivity, and personal power.

“If you’re a leader, when you leave this profession, you’re going to ask yourself, ‘did I do everything I could?’ I want my firefighters to be better and smarter than I am.”

Michael Daley, Monroe Township (New Jersey)

Pennington then presented his perspective from “jump street,” aiming to explain how subordinate firefighters feel communication breakdowns arise. He outlined how critical it is for personnel to support the mission, respect their leaders, and function as a unit.

Good traits of a good follower are self-management, commitment, competence and courage, Pennington said.

Ten Popular EMS Continuing Education Courses from TargetSolutions’ Online Library

TargetSolutions offers more than 160 hours of EMS continuing education courses created to help emergency responders remain compliant. Courses feature cutting-edge interactions and are available to users to complete at their own pace.

Here is a list of 2014’s 10 most popular EMS courses based on client feedback:

Respiratory Emergencies Basic: Outlines signs of a patient with breathing difficulties. It identifies major causes of respiratory distress and provides a description of emergency care for a patient with breathing difficulties.

Poisoning and Overdose: Highlights how poisons enter the body, the emergency care of poisoning or overdose, and the administration of activated charcoal for patients with poisoning or overdose.

Back Injury Prevention: Focuses on the knowledge and skills you need to prevent a back injury.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Injuries Basic: Provides an overview of the anatomy of the spine and central nervous system and highlights the signs of spinal injury, assessment and medical care of patients with CNS injuries.

Abdominal Trauma Advanced: Covers both blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma injuries and equips EMS providers with knowledge to provide an accurate assessment for patients suffering either or both such injuries.

Non-Traumatic Chest Pain: Provides a review of assessment and care considerations unique to patients presenting with non-traumatic chest pain. Topics include the prevalence and significance of chest pain and the underlying conditions that can cause it.

Geriatric Emergencies Advanced: Highlights the most common physiological changes and how these changes impact your assessment and treatment of common medical conditions and traumatic injuries.

Toxicology and Substance Abuse Advanced: Reviews toxin exposure problems and discusses the various kind of toxicological emergencies commonly encountered along with assessment findings and patient management procedures.

Workplace Stress: Highlights some typical sources of stress, as well as methods of dealing with and reducing stress in your daily life.

Hazard Communication: Provides clear explanation for the need or hazard communication in the workplace. It also discusses ways to protect yourself from hazardous chemicals by following appropriate work practices and using the proper protective equipment.

“At TargetSolutions, we strive to continually improve our EMS library because we understand that quality, comprehensive training not only makes life easier, it actually saves lives.” 

Jeremy Lynch, Content Architect, TargetSolutions

If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ course catalog for emergency responders, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

Firefighter Training Webcast: Attack from the Burned Side

TargetSolutions is sponsoring a special webcast from Fire Engineering on Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. (PST). Please click here to register for the event.

As the fire service continues to evolve, new firefighting techniques come into play, some of which may question longstanding beliefs. One such case is new age confidence in attacking a fire from the burned side.

For years, firefighter training and operations have focused on attacking a fire from the unburned side. But this may not always be the most effective strategy. Scientific findings are helping firefighters advance their techniques and change some procedures to be more successful.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Fire Engineering will conduct a live and free webcast at 10 a.m. (PST) that will present different tasks and tactics for extinguishing fires that originate on the exterior and extend into the attic.

Sean Gray, a lieutenant with Cobb County (Ga.) Fire and Emergency Services will use case studies and practical experience while discussing fallacies that have led to firefighter injuries and deaths.

Please click here to register for the webcast.

Streamline Compliance by Completing Mandatory Training with TargetSolutions’ Mobile-Compatible System

Did you know you can complete online training courses while on-the-go with TargetSolutions? Users have the ability to log in to the industry’s leading online training management system and finish training and compliance tasks with their mobile phones and tablet computers.

TargetSolutions features more than 1,200 online training courses for employees that can be taken anytime, anywhere with mobile technology, including the iOS (Apple) and Android systems. Users just need access to the Internet to start recording training.

“We realize how important it is for clients to have the ability to complete training assignments when they are away from the station or office. One of the great advantages of TargetSolutions is that it is always accessible with an online connection. This kind of convenience is what helps organizations streamline compliance, operate more efficiently, and reduce expenses tied to costly in-person training sessions.”

Misty Pratt, Product Manager, TargetSolutions

With TargetSolutions, users can do the following on their mobile devices:

Complete online training courses and most custom activities
View current training assignments, history of completed assignments and upcoming events
Access assignments inside credentials
Search for training in the Self-Assign applications

If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ online training management system, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

Prevent Discrimination in the Workplace with TargetSolutions’ Online Training Course

TargetSolutions’ Workplace Diversity training course has been redesigned and now features new audio content throughout the 60-minute course. 

Using federal anti-discrimination laws as a regulatory reference, TargetSolutions’ Workplace Diversity training course was built to promote awareness and encourage tolerance in work environments.

This 60-minute course outlines effective strategies for organizations to implement to create a positive workplace. The newly redesigned course offers nine learning modules, updated audio, and a 10-question exam. It also describes appropriate steps to take if discrimination occurs.

If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ online training courses, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.