Dustyn Borghi | TargetSolutions

August 18, 2014

TargetSolutions Provides a Comprehensive Tool for Tracking, Reporting EMS Continuing Education

Did you know you can document both EMS continuing education and live training sessions for EMS recertification – all in one combined report with TargetSolutions? In addition to delivering, tracking, and recording EMS training, you can print out customized certificates after everything is completed.

TargetSolutions’ Activities Builder application provides the ability to document and record live EMS CEUs by creating electronic tracking forms called custom activities. Once training is completed, platform managers can add the custom activity to a corresponding credential, created with the powerful Manage Credentials tool, and fill in the necessary department name and CEU provider number.

This allows platform managers to pull a Credential Summary Report, which details the department’s EMS continuing education hours for EMS recertification. Additionally, basic-level users have the ability to pull this same report by themselves.

Departments can also distribute their own custom certificates, featuring watermarks, department patch or logo, CEU provider number, and digital signature, or any other necessary information, with TargetSolutions. The system auto-populates this information, as well as the name of the individual user and their corresponding EMS license number and completion date.

If you’re interested in learning more about TargetSolutions’ EMS recertification solution, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

August 14, 2014

California’s Fire Departments Can Track JAC Training with TargetSolutions’ Powerful Online Fire Training System

Company Blog

With around 150 departments participating and nearly 6,000 active apprentices, the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (CFFJAC) is recognized as a model firefighter training reimbursement program. Departments participating in CFFJAC can track completed training using TargetSolutions’ online fire training system.

TargetSolutions’ JAC reporting solution offers the ability to automatically track JAC training codes for completed training and easily report monthly training records to CFFJAC.

“Utilizing TargetSolutions’ JAC application ensures departments accurately record all training hours for reimbursable dollars,” said TargetSolutions Account Manager Kegan Konrady. “This paired with the JAC monthly submission report allows a one-stop shop in reporting to JAC, creating a more thorough and efficient process.”

WATCH TARGETSOLUTIONS’ RECORDED WEBINAR: Track JAC Training with TargetSolutions

TargetSolutions recently hosted a webinar on best practices for tracking JAC. Please click here to view the webinar.

The webinar outlines how departments using TargetSolutions can access a JAC code builder under Reportable Components that allows them to easily assign custom JAC codes to custom activities. TargetSolutions courses also have a JAC code attached to them, which is automatically updated when a course is completed. The webinar details these steps, as well as how departments can pull data for JAC Monthly Submission reports to send to CFFJAC.

If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ JAC Reporting capabilities, please view this fact sheet. And if you would like information on any of TargetSolutions’ other recordkeeping solutions for fire department ISO training, EMS recertification, or anything else, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

August 13, 2014

How Fatigue Impacts Your Emergency Responders’ Situational Awareness

Featured Contributors

Blog by Dr. Richard B. Gasaway, CFO, EFO, Fire Chief (ret.)

Numerous research studies have demonstrated fatigue and sleep deprivation can impact your situational awareness in disturbing ways. Some responders think that by taking a “safety nap” their mental clarity will be sustained. In a small way, it may help, as any rest is better than no rest. However, you cannot rely, chronically, on small increments of sleep to provide the benefits that a full sleep cycle provides, which is about eight hours for the average person.

Fatigue Can Impact Situational Awareness

Research shows responders working long hours need opportunities to rest their brains to operate most effectively.

Naps can be powerfully restorative, but do not resolve issues with systemic fatigue and sleep deprivation. Rest is a critical component to brain function and when there is not an adequate resting period or disrupted sleep cycles the impact is real and measurable.

Some scientists have described the behavior of research participants suffering from sleep deprivation as displaying similar cognitive and motor skills as a person who is intoxicated. When you think about the critical nature of first responder situational awareness and its role in decision making, you quickly realize fatigue can have catastrophic consequences.

The work schedule of public safety providers is not conducive to adequate rest. Twenty-four hour shifts in organizations that are busy service providers can present some real challenges to situational awareness, decision making, critical thinking and problem solving abilities. I have talked, informally, with many EMS providers who have fully admitted to me the quality of their patient care, as well as the speed and accuracy of their decision making, diminishes after working long shifts. In some agencies, providers work 48 consecutive hours and they do so in busy agencies where the call volume prohibits adequate resting periods.

Many responders believe if they feel physically rested they are, concurrently, mentally rested. In reality, when the physical body is resting, the brain is not resting at all. In fact, the brain is surprisingly active while the body rests, suggesting the body rests so the brain may have access to the extra glucose (energy) to do its heavy lifting.

And what is the brain doing while you sleep? Findings in neuroscience suggest the brain is sorting through all the data and experiences from the previous waking period, storing and cataloging the events for future use. After the storing and cataloging is complete, the brain clears the proverbial slate for the next waking period where new experiences can be gathered and the process starts all over again.

While you are sleeping, your brain can also continue to work on problems that may have perplexed you during your previous waking period. This has led to the sage advice that when you have to make an important decision, you should first sleep on it. There is scientific evidence to support this notion. Research participants given complex problems before they go to sleep often produce more accurate solutions after a good night’s sleep. Conversely, participants who have their sleep patterns interrupted, produce lower test scores. Thus, fatigue and sleep deprivation cannot only impact short-term performance and memory, it can also impact long-term memory and recall.

Responders who work long hours should be provided with opportunities to rest their brains. It’s not a matter of being lazy as some elected or appointed administrators may critically suggest. It’s a matter of personal safety and improving brain function, critical thinking, problem solving, situational awareness and decision making.

About the Author

Dr. Gasaway is widely considered one of the nation’s leading authorities on situational awareness and the human factors that complicate first responder decision making. In addition to his 30-plus year career in the fire service, including 22 years as a fire chief, Dr. Gasaway has a second passion: Uncovering and applying research in brain science for the benefit of first responders. His website, Situational Awareness Matters (www.SAMatters.com) welcomes 50,000 visitors a month from 156 countries. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

August 7, 2014

TargetSolutions Prepares to Show Its Online Fire Training System at Fire-Rescue International in Dallas

Company Blog

Excitement is building at departments and businesses everywhere as the fire service’s largest conference, Fire-Rescue International, creeps closer and closer. If you’re heading to Dallas for the special event scheduled Aug. 15-16, you know the feeling.

TargetSolutions, the industry’s leader in online fire training and records management, will be presenting at No. 5508 in the expo hall. The opportunity to meet with members of the fire service, including hundreds of clients who attend the event, and show the system’s most engaging online fire training courses and innovative fire department software applications, is something TargetSolutions relishes each year.

“FRI is a premier event for the fire service,” said TargetSolutions Executive Vice President Thom Woodward. “We find it very valuable to be an exhibitor. The FRI Expo Hall allows our prospects and clients to experience what’s new from TargetSolutions. We present live demos, are available to talk one-on-one, and collect information about needs and interests.”

In addition to presenting the most robust online training catalog, with more than 250 hours of fire and EMS recertification training, TargetSolutions will present the 2014 Training Officer Recognition Award, alongside the IAFC’s Volunteer & Combination Officers Section.

The prestigious honor, delivered jointly by VCOS and TargetSolutions to acknowledge exemplary conduct befitting of a training officer, will be awarded to Captain Chip Everett of Oshtemo Township Fire Department (Mich.), during the VCOS annual section meeting on Aug. 14.

If you have any questions about TargetSolutions, please stop by the booth or give us a call at (800) 840-8048.

TargetSolutions will be presenting its online fire training system at Fire-Rescue International in Dallas. If you have any questions about the platform, please stop by booth No. 5508 and we’ll make sure you get the information you need.

August 5, 2014

Educate Your School District’s Personnel on How to Treat, Prevent Student Concussions

Company Blog

With student athletes suffering concussions more frequently than ever before, it is imperative school officials, including coaches and teachers, recognize signs and symptoms of a concussion. This video highlights TargetSolutions’ online training course, “Student Concussions,” which aims to educate personnel on how to treat harmful brain injuries and prevent student concussions.

“Student Concussions” is featured in TargetSolutions’ course catalog for school districts. The self-paced online safety training course has 10 learning modules and a multiple choice exam. It covers what constitutes a concussion, myths and symptoms about concussions, signs of a concussion, when to call 911, and much more.

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

August 4, 2014

Copy Credential Enhancement Simplifies Process for Updating, Reassigning Credentials

Company Blog

Copy Credential function will allow platform managers to copy their own credentials, as well as TargetSolutions’ Certified Credentials, and all associated information from inside the Manage Credentials application. It’s important to note that when a “Certified Credential” is copied, the copied version is no longer certified.

Customizing training and delivering it with ease are essential elements to effective training management. That’s why TargetSolutions’ soon to be released enhancement will be popular with platform managers.

The all-new Copy Credential function that will be released soon, will enable organizations to copy existing credentials, duplicate or edit components inside them, update alert notifications, and then reassign to select users. If you’ve ever wanted to make changes to a credential, but didn’t want to recreate it from scratch – whether it’s an ISO Training Tracker, a firefighter task book, a new-hire orientation package, or any other credential – you will be excited by this capability.

“This allows platform managers to copy, update, and reassign custom and certified credentials,” said Software Engineer Manager Dustyn Borghi. “It’s a really powerful time-saving tool. This provides more power to be able to control credentials how you want.”

Copy Credential Function’s Impact on TargetSolutions’ Fire Department ISO Training Tracker

Product Manager Misty Pratt anticipates the Copy Credential tool being deployed frequently by clients using TargetSolutions’ one-of-a-kind ISO Training Tracker.

“Some sites use yearly ISO credentials and Credential Summary reports to gather progress data,” Pratt said. “To use these reports and still be able to see the data for a previous year, they were not able to utilize the auto-renew capabilities for their users in order to ‘reset’ and begin a new cycle. They needed to recreate new identical credentials each year. Now they can do this on their own, without any assistance from TargetSolutions’ Client Services.”

Pratt also mentioned how fire department training task books, or job-specific learning tracks, are often organized into credentials, and how many of the credentials contain common elements. Platform managers can now copy over the bulk of the content, but make adjustments to requirements based on target audience.

TargetSolutions Is Always Listening to Clients to Improve the Platform

This enhancement originated with client feedback, Pratt said. Daniel Phillips, a captain with Plymouth Community Fire Department in Michigan, requested the update.

“I have yearly training built into credentials for fire training that is required each year by law,” Phillips said. “I would like for it to automatically update each year into a new credential. It would be easier on me and I wouldn’t have to redo it each time and hope I’m doing it accurately.”

Said Pratt: “We’re excited to be able to make the platform more efficient. That’s what we’re always looking to do. I think this enhancement will help our clients.”

August 1, 2014

Educate Employees on Back Safety with This Month’s Top Video Inside Community Resources

Company Blog

Considering how many different bones and muscles are connected to the human back, you understand why it is one of the body’s most susceptible areas to injury. And when these injuries happen, productive employees may miss valuable time that can hurt your organization’s bottom line.

If you would like to educate employees on back injury prevention, TargetSolutions offers several valuable resources. In addition to an online training course that educates employees on improving back safety – as well as a pre-built, customizable assessment that helps identify risks – this month’s top video inside Community Resources addresses this important issue.

“Back Safety” is a 20-minute video that teaches viewers necessary precautions for protecting their backs. After viewing this informative video, employees will learn how the back works, various types of back pains, and tips for preventing injuries through proper lifting techniques and ergonomics.

With back pain leading to 34 percent of lost workdays, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is critical your organization trains employees on ergonomics.

To view this video inside Community Resources, please log in to your organization’s TargetSolutions site and search “Back Safety” under the Community Resources tab. If you have any questions, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

The video, which was posted in January of 2014 by the City of Roseville, Calif., and is currently being used by four different organizations, makes a key point that caring for the back is a 24/7 job that lasts a lifetime. Back injuries can result from various activities including improper heavy lifting and repetitive movements.

July 30, 2014

IAFC’s VCOS and TargetSolutions Announce Winner of 2014 Training Officer Recognition Award; Special Ceremony Scheduled for Fire-Rescue International

Company News

SAN DIEGO — Every year TargetSolutions attends Fire-Rescue International, it is special. The annual conference, scheduled Aug. 13-16 in Dallas, is one of the most important and well-attended events on the fire service’s calendar.

This year’s conference will be especially memorable for the 2014 Training Officer Recognition Award ceremony, which is presented jointly by the IAFC’s Volunteer & Combination Officers Section and TargetSolutions, the industry’s leader in online training and records management.

Capt. Chip Everett Oshtemo Township Fire Department

Captain Chip Everett of Oshtemo Township Fire Department in Michigan edged out a large group of worthy candidates who were nominated for the special honor. Everett will accept the award, created to acknowledge exemplary conduct befitting a training officer, at a special ceremony during the VCOS annual section meeting on Aug. 14.

When Everett first learned he was being recognized for the training he delivers as his department’s training and safety officer, he was taken aback.

“I was really surprised and very humbled, I didn’t even know I had been nominated,” said Everett, whose combination department employs six full-time and 30 on-call members responsible for answering around 2,000 calls each year.

“It is always nice to be recognized for the work you do and the time you put in. But at the same time, I don’t know about having the focus on me, necessarily. We have a really solid group in our county and we do a lot of joint training. It’s not just one person, it’s a broader effort.”

That might be true, but Oshtemo Deputy Chief Rick Griffin believes Everett’s impact on the department and the Kalamazoo County Training Committee has been monumental. In his nomination form, Griffin cited numerous areas where Everett has gone above and beyond, including his work to help standardize training throughout the county, working with the NIST committee, attending the National Fire Academy and train-the-trainer classes to improve his delivery techniques, and many other contributions to the department’s training program.

“Chip continues to develop new ways to provide training,” Griffin said. “One of the recent additions to our department training is a ‘road rally.’ This not only allows our drivers to pick the best route to addresses, but gives the crews tasks to complete at each address. The team with the best time to complete all tasks gets rewarded with dinner. This has helped build teamwork and camaraderie. … His tireless effort to make sure we are one of the leaders in our county makes him the go-to-guy for not only our department, but for members of all of our county’s departments.”

The opportunity to work with the VCOS and honor Everett is a special opportunity for TargetSolutions, according to Executive Vice President Thom Woodward. The fact it’s all going to happen at this year’s biggest conference makes it even more significant.

TargetSolutions will be presenting its online system at booth No. 5508 in FRI’s Expo Hall. This is a great opportunity for attendees to learn more about the industry’s most comprehensive online training management solution.

“FRI is a premier event for the fire service,” Woodward said. “We find it very valuable to be an exhibitor. The FRI Expo Hall allows our prospects and clients to experience what’s new from TargetSolutions. We present live demos, are available to talk one-on-one and collect information about needs and interests. It’s also the venue where we have the privilege of recognizing the Training Officer of the Year, an IAFC/VCOS award TargetSolutions sponsors. Stop by our booth. We look forward to seeing you there!”

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 2,000 organizations across the country using TargetSolutions’ innovative technology to solve their training challenges.

About IAFC Volunteer & Combination Officers Section

VCOS provides chiefs and chief officers who manage volunteers within a volunteer or combination fire, rescue or EMS delivery system with information, education, services and representation to enhance their professionalism.

July 23, 2014

Recent Enhancement Simplifies Process for Updating Multiple Users’ Profile Information

Company Blog

User experience is at the forefront of every decision TargetSolutions makes. Even minor system enhancements are thoughtfully considered to ensure maximum benefit for users and platform managers alike. This is exemplified with a recent UX enhancement that seems minor in nature, but makes editing information inside Manage Users more efficient.

Platform managers can now right-click on a user’s name, after selecting it inside Manage Users, and select “open in a new tab” to edit that person’s profile in a new window. By enabling this cross-browser functionality, TargetSolutions has simplified the process for updating multiple users’ profile information. Now, changing numerous users’ employee IDs, ranks, etc., at the same time, is streamlined.

Manage Users gives platform managers the ability to edit, view and update their users’ profile information. The tool is easy-to-use and designed to give platform managers as much control of the system as possible. If you have any questions about the capabilities of Manage Users inside TargetSolutions’ computer-based training system, or this recent UX enhancement, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

Platform managers can modify and edit details related to employees’ status, shift, job classification, supervisor access, credentials, etc. They can also create groups within their organization through this tool.

July 17, 2014

TargetSolutions Provides Alcoa Fire Department with Powerful System for Tracking, Reporting ISO Training

Company Blog

Alcoa Fire Department in Tennessee may be a smaller-sized department, but it deals with the same larger issues other departments face. Questions such as, how are we going to keep personnel compliant? How are we going to make sure assignments are completed on time? How are we going to report training for our next ISO review? Those are the types of issues Deputy Fire Chief Jim Whaley was looking to answer.

As an early adopter to online technology, Alcoa began tracking training with a competing records management system back in 1998. The department still uses that system for incident reporting, but in 2011, Whaley’s team was ready for a more comprehensive tool built specifically for the nuances of tracking fire department training. It turned to TargetSolutions and hasn’t looked back.

Here are some of the ways Alcoa is effectively using TargetSolutions:

ISO Reporting: Alcoa customized TargetSolutions’ pre-built fire department ISO solution and delivered it to employees to cover training for driver, officer, hazmat, company and facilities requirements. Facing a review in May of 2014, Alcoa was able to compile completed training hours, generate detailed records, and report them exactly how ISO requested during the review.

“The TargetSolutions layout is right in line with the form needed for ISO audits. This made it easy to access everything they were looking for.”

Jim Whaley, Deputy Fire Chief with Alcoa Fire Department (Tenn.)

Generate Reports: Beyond ISO training, TargetSolutions has provided Alcoa with the ability to generate comprehensive reports on everything that is tracked — including overdue assignments, incomplete assignments, etc. — in an easy to digest manner.

“TargetSolutions’ reporting system provides us with a tool to determine how many assignments are overdue and how many are incomplete, so we can keep track of what is going on with training in the department,” Whaley said.

Alert Notifications: For all departments, big or small, it’s not easy managing expirations of licenses, certifications and credentials. However, TargetSolutions’ recordkeeping system features unique alerts to keep users and platform managers on top of deadlines. Whaley is thrilled with how TargetSolutions keeps stakeholders informed of personnel’s compliance.

“The course completion e-mails that notify us when employees have completed certain assignments are helpful,” Whaley said. “Notifications are also sent when deadlines for licenses and credentials are approaching to ensure we don’t let them go unnoticed.”

Custom Activities: With TargetSolutions’ Activities Builder, departments are able to deliver and document SOPs, policies, pre-training, or anything else it needs.

“Our department utilizes the application to schedule courses for individuals to review and complete the necessary pre-training for offsite training sessions,” Whaley said. “Another aspect we’ve found beneficial is if there’s a memo, SOG, or policy that we want to go out, we give it in an assignment and then require validation to know if there is anyone that didn’t read the policy.”

Thanks to a new approval in the state, Alcoa may look into using TargetSolutions for the Tennessee Educational Incentive Program. Departments are now able to use online training for 20 of the required 40 hours to meet their obligation. For now, however, Whaley is thrilled with the ability to track vital training.

“Thanks to the hard work of several members of our staff we have the system set up and the department is able to track training effectively,” Whaley said.

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