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Archive for September, 2017

Meet the Team: Get to Know Account Manager Christi Casares

Christi Casares

Christi Casares joined TargetSolutions’ Account Management team this past July.

Christi Casares joined TargetSolutions’ Account Management team back in July and has already advanced her personal abilities and skill sets while also establishing new friendships with fellow team members. Born and raised in a small Connecticut town, Christi arrived to sunny San Diego in 2000 where she is now raising her twin six-year-old daughters.

Christi has already proven to be a great asset to the TargetSolutions team thanks to her eight years of experience working at Websense. During that time, Christi held various positions, such as Channel Account Manager, and learned diverse skills that she applies to her Account Manager role at TargetSolutions on a daily basis.

When asked what she thought about working at TargetSolutions after a few months, Christi was overjoyed. “From my very first day, I felt like I was being welcomed into a family,” said Christi. “Everyone here has such great energy and I really feel at home.”

To learn more about Christi, check out this Q-and-A:

Favorite movie:

Grease! It was the first movie I saw in theaters.

Favorite band/artist:

Fleetwood Mac.

If you could go anywhere, where would you visit?

Paris, France.

Favorite flavor of ice cream:

Mint chocolate chip!

What is one of your favorite hobbies?

I love to decorate! Amazon is always my go-to for all holiday and interior décor!

Favorite sports team:

Boston Red Sox. My grandma was basically their first fan.

Cats or dogs?

Dogs!

Describe your idea of a perfect weekend:

Staying in an ocean front hotel in Laguna Beach with a good book.

What is your favorite type of weather?

Fall! I love the feeling of the crisp air.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pizza.

Any pets?

I have a puggle named Maggie.

Fun fact about yourself:

I know how to twirl a baton!

Optimized Multimedia Highlights Newly Restyled EMS and EMT Refresher Courses

Five EMT refresher courses have received multimedia overhauls to include video presentations, audio narration, and engaging images for an optimized learning experience. 

Following procedure for EMS personnel can make all the difference between success or tragedy. Understanding this important notion, TargetSolutions’ EMS Continuing Education course catalog is packed with over 160 hours of quality EMT refresher training that routinely receives upgrades to provide the most up-to-date and relevant curriculum available.

EMS Pediatric Assessment, EMS Burn Management Basic, EMS Cardiac Emergencies Advanced, EMS Managing Cardiac Arrest: During and After Resuscitation and EMS Common Infectious Pathogens all received complete content makeovers and are now delivered in new and engaging formats.

These five combined lessons amassed over 26,000 completions in 2016 and are available in video-based lessons for a more immersive learning experience. Users taking these courses are guided by audio narration and images to help retain crucial information.

As users go through each module, brief quizzes check for comprehension. Then, once a user completes a course, their knowledge is put to the test with a 10-question exam.

“We’ve completely restyled and updated our content for this bundle of EMS courses. The learning objectives in each course are comprehensive and helpful to both new first responders and veterans looking for an EMT refresher for their credentials.”

Bryan Fitzgerald, Content Manager, TargetSolutions

EMS Pediatric Assessment serves as a valuable tool to understand the principles of pediatric assessment and identifying characteristics of age-related vital signs for pediatric patients.

EMS Burn Management Basic highlights the different types of burn injuries and how to treaEMT Refreshert them to prevent further injury and reduce contamination.

EMS Cardiac Emergencies Advanced describes the signs, symptoms and emergency medical care for patients experiencing angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiac tamponade, hypertensive emergency, and cardiogenic shock.

EMS Managing Cardiac Arrest: During and After Resuscitation discusses treating patients suffering from cardiac arrest, including management techniques after resuscitation.

EMS Common Infectious Pathogens serves as an extension of EMS Infectious Disease Control to discuss infectious diseases encountered by healthcare workers and appropriate precautions to prevent disease transmission in the pre-hospital setting.

These highly utilized EMS courses improve decision-making in time sensitive situations and ensure compliance. Users taking these EMT refresher courses will become immersed in the training experience to perform life-saving procedures in the field.

For questions about these EMT refresher course updates or TargetSolutions’ EMS Course Catalog, contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

TargetSolutions’ NFPA 1410 Evolutions Training Series Honored with Prestigious Brandon Hall Award

TargetSolutions’ NFPA 1410 Evolutions training series has been honored with a Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Learning Award.

SAN DIEGO – TargetSolutions, the leading provider of e-Learning applications for the fire service, is proud to announce its NFPA 1410 Evolutions training series has been awarded the prestigious Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Learning Award, taking home Silver honors for the “Best Use of Video for Learning” category.

Commonly referred to as the “Academy Awards” by learning, talent and business executives, the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards Program debuted in 1994 as the first of its kind in the learning industry. Per Brandon Hall’s website, the Excellence Awards “recognize the best organizations that have successfully deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems, and tools that have achieved measurable results.”

Shot on location in St. Charles, Mo., and Land O’ Lakes, Fla., the production was aided with the full cooperation of the St. Charles Fire Department and Pasco County Fire Rescue to bring the series to life.

Vector Solutions, the parent company of TargetSolutions, assembled a team to storyboard the series, capture the drills on video, and then develop the 14-course training package that was formally released this past March. The final product is a series of stunning training courses driven by groundbreaking video demonstrations of the most commonly encountered fireground evolutions.

We asked some of the key players in the series’ development to reflect on the experience as well as what this award means:


NFPA 1410 EvolutionsPAUL COSTELLO, FF/EMT-P, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT

Paul Costello wrote and directed the NFPA 1410 Evolutions series while also serving as an onscreen instructor for each of the 14 installments. “From the project onset I felt this was a unique angle on training that hadn’t been successfully accomplished before. Our team’s work brought multiple dimensions of learning to the student that hadn’t ever been attempted in the industry. The end product is a learning platform that transcends jurisdictions and is also a primer for the seasoned officer as well as a tight how-to for the newer firefighter in the agency.”


NFPA 1410 EvolutionsBRYAN FITZGERALD, CONTENT MANAGER

Bryan Fitzgerald, who led the charge in developing these courses in post-production, praised the level of teamwork that was displayed to make this project a reality. “It’s excellent to see a project that required so much teamwork be recognized for this award. From the courses’ author, to the videographers who filmed the footage, to the editors and graphic designers who created the content, the developers from the Harbinger Group, everyone involved in this massive undertaking always held their work to the highest standards. This resulted in some of the most outstanding courses TargetSolutions has ever produced.”


NFPA 1410 EvolutionsGREG BALDWIN, MARKETING CONTENT SPECIALIST

Greg Baldwin was one of two videographers on location in St. Charles and is also credited with producing the TargetSolutions introductory fire logo in each of the 14 courses. “It’s humbling to see how our hard work is being recognized in the same category as globally known brands and companies. The field of competition really helps to put it all into perspective. Facebook took home a Bronze in the same category that the NFPA 1410 Evolutions took home a Silver.”

NFPA 1410 EvolutionsCHRIS ANDREWS, VIDEO PRODUCER

Chris Andrews was one of two videographers to capture the action on location and also edited the raw footage down to the bare essentials in post-production. “I feel like we had the perfect team out there and at the end of the day we put out a really good product that’s unmatched in the industry. It’s a great honor for our whole team to take home such a recognized and valuable award.”

NFPA 1410 EvolutionsJOHN HEINDEL, CONTENT DEVELOPER

John Heindel starred in post-production where he collected the edited catalog of video and images and developed a bulk of the courses in the series. “It’s encouraging to receive recognition for the NFPA 1410 course series, as it proves how effort, dedication, and teamwork lead to a successful product. These courses fuse evolution demonstrations with real-world scenarios, keeping today’s firefighters prepared, and it’s an honor to have participated in a project of such scope and magnitude.”

NFPA 1410 EvolutionsMICHAEL SCHREINER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CONTENT

Michael Schreiner helped organize and oversee the entire production. He was also on location to capture the beautiful overhead drone shots seen in the courses. “One of the major advantages of combining our companies is the integration of the strong competencies each company brings to the table. Our TargetSolutions and RedVector content teams brought video production expertise that was filmed in creative ways like the firefighter industry has never seen.  Leveraging the strengths of both teams, paired with the additional subject matter expertise and actors from the St. Charles Fire Department made for the perfect blend of content and innovative video production.”

For more information about our award-winning NFPA 1410 Evolutions training series, please contact TargetSolutions today at (800) 840-8046.

New Water Industry Aquifer Remediation Training Course Offers Groundwater Remediation Techniques


TargetSolutions’ all-new training course, Water Industry Aquifer Remediation, covers best industry practices for identifying aquifer contamination and applying effective groundwater remediation techniques.

Groundwater is an easily accessible and important source of potable water for communities. In fact, approximately 40% of the world’s drinking water is drawn from underground sources such as wells. While this is convenient, the accessibility of groundwater also leaves it susceptible to natural and man-made contaminants.

TargetSolutions’ brand-new course, Water Industry Aquifer Remediation, identifies the types of threats to safe groundwater sources and provides groundwater remediation techniques for effective cleanup. Authored by subject matter expert Alfredo Cely, P.E., MSEM, this course offers practical information and useful strategies thanks to his 14 years of professional experience in transportation, water resources, land development and aviation.

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  • List and describe the six main categories of groundwater contamination sources
  • Identify the three principal remediation goals for the restoration of groundwater aquifers to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the public
  • Define the three general strategies used for cleanup and remediation of groundwater aquifers

Aquifer Remediation is divided into three video-driven lessons. For a more immersive learning experience, students are guided by audio narration and engaging text and images. Once the course is completed, the learner’s knowledge of groundwater remediation techniques is put to the test with a 10-question exam.

“This course extensively covers everything water industry personnel need to know about common sources of pollution and groundwater remediation techniques to restore water quality in compromised underground water resources. The instructor-led, video-based training is perfect for any engineer, architect, planner or contractor looking for best industry practices.”

Bryan Fitzgerald, Content Manager, TargetSolutions

A clear understanding of groundwater contamination and proper aquifer remediation methods are essential to minimizing risk of exposure and protecting the public’s well-being.

For questions about TargetSolutions’ new Water Industry Aquifer Remediation training course or any lessons in our Water and Wastewater catalog, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048!

 

Meet the Team: Get to Know Client Services Representative Jillian Conrad

Jillian Conrad

Jillian Conrad joined TargetSolutions’ Client Services team this past April.

Jillian Conrad was welcomed to the TargetSolutions team as a Client Services Representative this past April. Native to the San Diego area, Jillian grew up appreciating the city’s blissful weather, tasty Mexican food and vast dog-friendly beaches.

Prior to joining TargetSolutions, Jillian served as a Claims Specialist where she balanced tasks such as reviewing claims and communicating with clients and insurance companies. Her multitasking abilities and communication skills make her the perfect fit for the Client Services team.

After working at TargetSolutions for a few months, Jillian was asked what she enjoyed the most about her job: “I love the people I work with. TargetSolutions’ atmosphere is so welcoming and everyone is friendly!”

Get to know more about Jillian’s interests with this recent Q-and-A:

Favorite Movie?

The Labyrinth

Favorite Band/Artist?

All Country

If you could go anywhere, where would you visit?

Hawaii or Ireland

Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Mint Chip

Cats or dogs?

Both. I love all animals.

Describe your idea of a perfect weekend:

Relaxing with my dogs by the beach.

What is your favorite type of weather?

The mix of sunny and sometimes gloomy weather San Diego has.

Favorite food?

Mexican

Any pets?

Yes. I have two rescue dogs! One is a fat chihuahua and the other is a greyhound mix.

Fun fact about yourself:

I love dancing. I do line dancing 2-3 times a week!

TargetSolutions Boosts Offerings with New Course Accreditations

TargetSolutions has amassed a treasure trove of new course accreditations in 2017 for firefighters, paramedics, and public works employees. 

SAN DIEGO – Behind-the-scenes at TargetSolutions, we’re always working diligently to bring you the newest, freshest content available. To accomplish this, our team feverishly garners accreditations for brand new courses and aims to deliver new content and training packages as frequently as possible.

“TargetSolutions is committed to continuously growing its content, especially in regards to premium training content,” said Jennifer Jones, TargetSolutions’ Director of Product & User Experience. “The Product, Content, and Accreditation teams work in conjunction to develop these courses and get them accredited in as many states as possible.”

Here is an accumulated list of TargetSolutions’ 2017 new course accreditations, with more on the way:

For the fire service, 22 new courses comprising 27 hours of training content have been accredited so far in 2017. This includes 14 hours from our award-winning NFPA 1410 Evolutions series. The following lessons are now available through TargetSolutions:  

  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 1
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 2
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 3
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 4
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 5
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 6
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 7
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 8
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 9
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 10
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 11
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 12
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 13
  • NFPA 1410 Evolution 14
  • NFPA 1041 Part 1
  • NFPA 1041 Part 2
  • NFPA 1041 Part 3
  • Fire Service Health and Safety Part II
  • NFPA 1 & 101 Module 1
  • NFPA 1 & 101 Module 2
  • NFPA 1 & 101 Module 3
  • NFPA 1 & 101 Module 4

Five new courses comprising of five hours of training content for public works employees have been accredited thus far in 2017:

  • Lead Contamination of Public Water Systems
  • Rehabilitation of Water Distribution Systems: Current Technologies
  • Rehabilitation of Water Distribution Systems: Selecting Rehab Methods
  • Rehabilitation of Water Distribution Systems: Designing Renewal Projects
  • Water Industry Aquifer Remediation

For EMS, two hours of brand new training content accumulated from two courses has been accredited in 2017:

  • EMS Pediatric Airway Management
  • EMS Child Abuse: EMS Roles & Responsibilities

About TargetSolutions

TargetSolutions delivers cutting-edge software applications, engaging online training courses, and world-class customer service. The company was founded in 1999 and today there are more than 4,000 organizations across the country using TargetSolutions’ innovative technology to solve their training challenges. For more information on TargetSolutions, check online at www.targetsolutions.com.

For any questions on our 2017 new course accreditations, please contact your account manager or give us a call at (800) 840-8048 today. 

Customer Feedback Leads to Usability Improvements, Platform Enhancements

enhancement request process for targetsolutions

TargetSolutions has released numerous enhancements in 2017 and more are on the way. Download this infographic to learn about the enhancement request process. 

TargetSolutions is striving to create the most user-friendly, intuitive training management system possible. That’s why customer feedback, delivered through the Enhancement Request form, is so valuable (download PDF to learn how the process works).

targetsolutions platform enhancementsSo far this year, TargetSolutions has knocked out nearly a dozen projects requested by customers. One of the most recent enhancements, the File Center Resource Wizard, improves usability by creating a bridge between three of the platform’s most powerful applications: the File Center, Activities Builder and Create New Assignments.

This new tool provides powerful functionality designed to reduce clicks, streamline processes, and improve feature interoperability.

Platform managers can now upload a file to the File Center, use the Resource Wizard to create an activity directly from the file upload tool, and either edit the activity in Activities Builder or assign it through Create New Assignment.

“This release was another step toward reducing clicks and streamlining processes,” said Senior Product Manager Misty Pratt. “With platform managers’ efficiency in mind, we’ve more closely aligned uploaded files, assignments, and activities with the new File Center Resource Wizard.”

Customer feedback is critical for continuously improving the platform. That’s why TargetSolutions employs an Enhancement Request process that allows the TargetSolutions team to capture details about specific applications, identify similar requests, and provide a foundation for decision-making on which features to build next.

TargetSolutions aims to release 4-8 enhancements per quarter, dependent on development scope and impact.  Several factors are considered when deciding which enhancements to build, including the number of requests for the feature, impact on client base, fit with current business model, and development impact.

“We value customer feedback and make every effort to use it to continually evolve our product. Through the Enhancement Request process, customers are able to help shape the future of TargetSolutions.”

Jennifer Jones, Director of Product & User Experience, TargetSolutions.

Listed below are the various projects requested by customers that were implemented in 2017 to boost overall efficiency:

California JAC Solution: Implemented the Reimbursement Status category that provides better visibility and prevents double-dipping.

Delete Self-Assigned Activity: Any assignment started through the Self Assign feature can be deleted from My Assignments.

Full SSL/TSL Solution: All clients will access the site through an SSL/TLS connection (meaning clients can access their site URL with https://).

Add Activity to Credential Topic from Activity Setting: New activity setting allows platform managers to add activities to credential topics when creating or editing activities.

File Center – Improved Search Functionality: A series of updates, including folder name searches, added search functionality to the enterprise tab of the child site, as well as the ability to view file breadcrumbs of search results.

Changed Downloaded File Names: Downloaded file name reflects the name of the file in TargetSolutions, rather than a string of letters.

Improved Enterprise/Child Representation for Files: Enterprise folders feature same permission structure that is available on child sites.

Mass Managing Activities: Eliminates cumbersome one-at-a-time updating for activities; allows platform managers to mass manage settings, mass archive, and mass delete.

Archiving Activities: Gives platform managers an alternative to deleting activities, allowing them to keep their activities organized without compromising completion reports.

Upload New File Versions: Allows platform managers to upload a new version of existing files in the File Center and automatically update any activities to which the file is attached without affecting previous completions of those activities.

Upgraded Events Manager: Usability tweaks and design overhaul including some added functionality.

Here are a couple of enhancements the TargetSolutions team is currently working on:

Activities Resource Component Upgrade: With a single resource component, you will be able to add multiple File Center files or files directly from your computer to activities. Instructional settings and e-signature options will be customizable per file. We will also be adding File Center search functionality to the component, as well as the ability to add files from your computer to File Center directly from the component.

Multiple Day Duration Component in Activities Builder: Adding this new component will allow a user to complete an activity one time and generate multiple completion records for multiple days. For instance, a user could opt to split a 40-hour course completion record equally over five days; a single submission creating five identical eight-hour completion records for the designated days.

enhancement request form

Click Here for Access to the Enhancement Request Form

For more information on TargetSolutions’ platform enhancements, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

TargetSolutions’ Top 6 Courses for National Preparedness Month 2017

To commemorate National Preparedness Month 2017, TargetSolutions has selected our Top 6 training courses to help organizations establish an emergency response plan. 

According to FEMA’s Citizen Preparedness Survey, less than one in three employed U.S. adults believe their workplace is proactive about emergency preparedness. As September is National Preparedness Month 2017, now is the time to develop an effective disaster response procedure to protect your organization.

Each week this month focuses on methods to build your emergency response plan:

Week 1 (September 1-9): Make a Plan for Yourself, Family and Friend

Week 2 (September 10-16): Plan to Help Your Neighbor and Community

Week 3 (September 17-23): Practice and Build Out Your Plans

Week 4 (September 24-30): Get Involved! Be a Part of Something Larger

To help organizations implement an emergency response plan, TargetSolutions has selected our Top 6 courses for National Preparedness Month 2017:

Building Evacuation and Emergencies provides building occupants with information about emergency response plans to ensure the safe, orderly and prompt evacuation of individuals.

Disaster Preparedness discusses how to plan for emergencies for all sectors of society – service providers, businesses, civic and volunteer groups, industry associations and neighborhood associations – and includes the responsibilities of law enforcement personnel in disaster preparedness and response.

Emergency Action Plan gives you a look at how to prepare an Emergency Action Plan for businesses and includes how to integrate required OSHA regulations into the plan.

Hazard Communication covers OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) National Preparedness Month 2017to ensure the communication of the dangers of the thousands of hazardous chemicals to workers and their employers. This includes a hazard communication program to get this information to their employees through labels on containers, SDSs, and training.

Emergency Response to Terrorism is an introductory guide for first responders who may be among the first to arrive at an incident of suspicious origin. It is intended to be a general introduction to the basic concepts for first-responder awareness at the scene of a potential terrorist incident.

NFPA 1021: Pre-Incident Planning recognizes that protecting a community from fires and other emergency incidents requires more than merely responding to the alarm. This course reviews the concept of pre-incident planning and discusses the primary elements of pre-incident planning, including gathering information (i.e., performing the property survey), recording that information, and using that information effectively.

While you can’t predict when disaster will strike, you can be ready for when it does. The goal of National Preparedness Month 2017 is to engage communities across the country to create emergency preparedness plans for the home, work, school, and places of worship. TargetSolutions’ comprehensive training catalog assists organizations in developing a disaster preparedness plan that reduces liability and potentially saves lives.

For questions about these training courses, or TargetSolutions’ online training catalog, please contact us today (800) 840-8048!

TargetSolutions Unveils Revamped Fleet Program Courses for Emergency Vehicle Operators

TargetSolutions has made rousing visual and engaging content updates to five selections in our Fleet Program specifically designed for emergency vehicle operators.

Five courses in our Fleet Program that are designed specifically with emergency vehicle operators in mind have been upgraded with exclusive visual and technical enhancements.  Presented in a video-driven, instructor-led format, these optimized courses feature exclusive video shot especially for this package with assistance from the Pleasant Grove Fire Department in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Students will be guided through these visually stunning lessons that include an assortment of video presentations, real-world video examples, and enticing multimedia to keep you focused and engaged.

As the calendar flipped to 2017, one of TargetSolutions’ goals was to modernize our versatile Fleet Program. This five-lesson bundle polishes off that New Year’s resolution by boosting the total number of 2017 Fleet Program course updates to twelve with more on the way.

“Our clients have been requesting these updates to our Fleet Program, and these upgrades in particular meet a growing need for engaging content for emergency vehicle operators. With TargetSolutions, your opinions are always heard.”

Bryan Fitzgerald, Content Manager, TargetSolutions

Courses in this bundle include:

Intersection Safety: Discusses the prevalence and impact of emergency vehicle-related collisions, injuries, and fatalities.

Distracted Driving: Examines the issue and offers solutions and prevention measures for avoiding accidents due to distracted driving.

Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance: Focuses on the responsibility of emergency vehicle operators to inspect their vehicles and maintain them in good working condition.

Emergency Vehicle Operations (Coming week of September 11th): Reviews the fundamentals of emergency vehicle driving using contemporary examples and statistics.

Legal Considerations for Emergency Vehicle Operators (Coming week of September 11th): Reviews legal aspects of emergency vehicle operations including appropriate vehicle procedures based upon federal, state, local, and organization regulations.

For more information on this course or any courses in our Fleet Program catalog, please contact TargetSolutions today at (800) 840-8048.