Technology with a Purpose
TargetSolutionsTargetSolutions
Menu
Home / Blogs /

All posts in Company Blog

November 5, 2014

Under Construction: The Fire Department Training Program

Company Blog
TargetSolutions sponsored a special webcast presentation on Nov. 4 that delivered valuable insight for fire department leaders on how to build and maintain training systems.
It is critical for fire departments to evaluate their training programs on an ongoing basis. That point was driven home by Des Plaines (Ill.) Fire Department’s Division Chief Forest Reeder on Nov. 4 during a special webcast presentation, “Under Construction: The Fire Department Training Program.”
“Training programs always have to be a work in progress,” Reeder said during the hour-long event delivered by Fire Engineering with sponsorship from TargetSolutions. “It almost has to be written in pencil. It needs to adapt to different things that happen during calls, and different things that come down the pipe in terms of SOPs and procedures.”
A proper training program can be defined as one that doesn’t offer just enough training for members to perform adequately, but quality training that ensures they can’t get it wrong, said Reeder, who has been in the fire service since 1978 and is the Fire Officer I and II coordinator of Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.
Reeder also spoke to the importance of incorporating technology in today’s training and mentioned that every moment is a learning opportunity that should not be taken for granted.
“Make sure training allows members to be a little bit better, a little bit faster, a little bit safer, and a little bit smarter,” he said.
If you would like more information about this webcast, or TargetSolutions’ training system, please contact us at (800) 840-8048. 
November 4, 2014

Educate Employees on How to Protect Themselves from Infectious Diseases by Properly Donning, Doffing PPE

Company Blog
Community Resources features dozens of valuable items on how to manage PPE. This month’s top resource is a video from Wake County EMS, “Donning and Doffing of Biohazard PPE.”

At a time when the Ebola virus is still making news on a daily basis, it is critical first responders are educated on best practices for donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE). TargetSolutions has provided a link in Community Resources to a 7 minute, 27 second video from Wake County EMS (N.C.) that is highly educational for first responders faced with known or suspected infectious diseases.

Wake County’s video, “Donning and Doffing of Biohazard PPE,” has been selected as TargetSolutions’ Resource of the Month for November. It outlines proper technique for putting on PPE, followed by appropriate steps for removing PPE. The video offers two key points for the removal of infected equipment: Accept help from other assisting responders on the scene and always use slow, methodical movements.
Several accompanying items from Wake County EMS have been uploaded into Community Resources, including procedure guides for doffing and donning PPE. The guides provide step-by-step, detailed instructions to ensure compliance and avoid contamination.
There is also an Infectious Disease Response Plan from Wake County EMS that identifies key steps during EMS response to a patient who is suspected of having an infectious disease, like Ebola.
With TargetSolutions, organizations can deliver these items to employees and track completions. If you would like to view these and other valuable resources, please log in to your organization’s TargetSolutions site and search “Wake County PPE” under the Community Resources tab. If you have any questions about accessing these resources, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.
October 27, 2014

A Healthy Workforce Is a Productive Workforce with TargetSolutions’ Wellness Program

Company Blog

 

Organizations can implement TargetSolutions’ pre-made Wellness Program to promote a healthier lifestyle for employees.
Did you know maintaining a healthy workforce is an important component to your organization’s productivity? Reducing obesity, decreasing smoking, and eliminating health issues can improve deficiencies and cut unnecessary costs.
According to a report by the Institute for HealthCare Consumerism, at least one-fourth of health care costs incurred by working adults could be attributed to changeable health risks, such as tobacco, diet, and lack of exercise.
The same report states that an analysis of 42 published studies on worksite health promotion programs shows for every $1 spent on health programs, organizations realize $5.93 in savings. This is the result of an average of 28 percent reduction in sick days, 26 percent reduction in health costs, and 30 percent reduction in workers’ compensation and disability management claims.
TargetSolutions features pre-built electronic activities for tracking weight-loss programs and managing weekly health challenges. The platform allows an organization to track results and participation. With the implementation of TargetSolutions’ pre-made Wellness Program, organizations can promote a healthier lifestyle for employees.
If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ pre-made Wellness Program, please contact us at (800) 840-8048. 
October 7, 2014

Process Simplified for Uploading Articulate Presentations Into File Center

Company Blog
If you would like to deliver training presentations created with the latest technology from Articulate, you’re going to be happy to hear TargetSolutions fully supports Articulate’s e-Learning software.
TargetSolutions has always been compatible with Articulate, but in the past, platform managers had to upload presentations built with Presenter ’13 and Storyline using TargetSolutions’ large-file upload site. This caused delays that will no longer exist, according to Product Manager Misty Pratt.
TargetSolutions enables organizations to schedule, deliver and track any custom presentation or course that is SCORM 1.2 compliant.
“We wanted to make the process simpler and more seamless for platform managers who want to assign Articulate presentations,” said Pratt. “Now, you can easily upload a presentation into the File Center and assign it to users with Activities Builder.”
The File Center’s upload tool allows clients to upload any web-published presentation created with an Articulate product, including Articulate Presenter ’13, Storyline 1, and Storyline 2. In addition to Articulate presentations, organizations can upload and deliver any presentation or course that is SCORM 1.2 compliant, regardless of the program used for creation, Pratt said.
“TargetSolutions features applications for delivering any type of training presentation or compliance task,” Pratt said. “With TargetSolutions, you can take advantage of third-party content creation tools and then deliver and track those items. By giving platform managers the ability to upload Articulate presentations without the interruption of the large-file site, the process is easier for everyone.”
If you have any questions about this upgrade, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.
October 7, 2014

Protect Your Organization by Raising Awareness About HIV, AIDS

Company Blog
TargetSolutions’ HIV/AIDS Awareness course is a self-paced online course that takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. The course contains review exercises, case studies, and a multiple choice exam.
October is AIDS Awareness Month and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 35 million people are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In fact, each year around 2.7 million people become infected with HIV and 2 million more die from AIDS.
The endemic is a serious public health problem for our society. TargetSolutions features a nine-lesson course that provides vital information to educate personnel on ways to protect themselves from this life-threatening disease, as well as other bloodborne pathogens.
If you have any questions about this course, or TargetSolutions’ online safety training catalog, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.
October 6, 2014

Infographic: How TargetSolutions’ Online Training Addresses Workplace Claims

Company Blog

Is your organization at risk of employees being injured while on the job? Do workers’ compensation and medical costs make a huge dent in your bottom line? Does productivity slip when injuries or illnesses strike?

TargetSolutions features hundreds of online safety training courses built to help organizations educate employees, reduce liability, decrease claims and save money. Check out this new infographic, “How TargetSolutions’ Online Training Addresses Workplace Claims,” to learn the risks and how the industry’s ultimate online training management system helps.

Organizations spend more than $170 billion each year on costs associated with workplace injuries and illnesses. TargetSolutions features engaging online safety training courses to educate employees and reduce costly incidents from happening. Please click here to download and print this infographic, “How TargetSolutions’ Online Training Addresses Workplace Claims.”

October 2, 2014

How to Educate Personnel on the Dangers of the Ebola Virus with TargetSolutions

Company Blog
TargetSolutions offers several help documents on the Ebola virus inside Community Resources. You can easily assign these items with TargetSolutions’ powerful delivery system.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed earlier this week the first patient diagnosed with the Ebola virus in the United States. With the potential for the virus to spread, emergency responders need to be educated on best practices for handling potential cases of the disease.
The CDC reports nearly 3,400 deaths to Ebola since 1976. A patient is being treated in Texas is the first person diagnosed with the virus in the U.S., according to health officials.

TargetSolutions’ Community Resources, which serves as the online system’s shared repository for videos, documents, and much more, provides valuable items that address best practices for emergency responders, including web articles, checklists, and infographics on the Ebola virus.

Here are a few of the top resources on the subject:
Ebola EMS Preparedness Checklist: Created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this detailed checklist offers Ebola preparedness tips for EMS professionals.
The Ebola Virus: What EMS Providers Need to Know: An in-depth article from EMS World outlines the 2014’s outbreak timeline of events, infectious precautions, patient assessment, and much more.
Ebola – Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services: A web link to CDC’s guidance for EMS systems in managing patients known or suspected of the Ebola virus.
Ebola Virus Algorithm for Evaluation of the Returned Traveler: An infographic with tips for diagnosing patients.
With TargetSolutions, organizations can easily assign these valuable resources to employees, require e-signatures, and track completion results. For more information on how to assign materials found in Community Resources, or the items addressing the Ebola virus, please click here or contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

 

October 2, 2014

Training Liabilities 2014: Staying Out of the Danger Zone

Company Blog
If you would like to watch the webcast, Training Liabilities 2014: Staying Out of the Danger Zone, please go to Fire Engineering’s website and register to view a recording.
On Thursday, Sept. 25, TargetSolutions sponsored a special webcast by Fire Engineering. The 90-minute presentation, Training Liabilities 2014: Staying Out of the Danger Zone, was delivered by attorney and retired Deputy Fire Chief John Murphy, who offered tips on how to reduce exposure through effective firefighter training.
Murphy, who served 32 years as a career firefighter and now provides legal and consulting services for fire service leadership, drove home how critical it is for training officers to analyze risks in training, understand basic federal laws, incorporate best practices into , and implement an overall philosophy of safety during training.
Murphy defined training liability as any situation in which a fire department’s personnel are subject to litigation for actions or omissions during training instruction.
“Every lawsuit involves an allegation that some firefighter violated some legal standard set forth in a federal or state statute in a common-law doctrine,” said Murphy, who also discussed the importance of accurate recordkeeping in training management. Please click here to watch a recorded version of Murphy’s presentation.
To learn more about TargetSolutions’ unique, one-of-a-kind recordkeeping applications, please click here. 
September 22, 2014

Does Tracking Employees’ Licenses Give You Trouble? TargetSolutions Simplifies the Process

Company Blog

Managing renewable licenses is no easy chore. Whether it’s a driver’s license, an instructor’s license, an EMT’s license, or any other type of license that needs to be maintained, it can be difficult. Fortunately, TargetSolutions’ powerful records management system is here to simplify the process.
“We previously had no notification if an employee was about to miss a deadline. Now, with TargetSolutions pushing everything, we’re much better off. That’s a huge factor for us. This system really helps us stay on track and notified, rather than our old way of doing everything manually. The automated e-mail alerts help us tremendously.”
Dennis Reglen, Strategic Planning Lieutenant 
El Paso Fire Department, Texas
“With TargetSolutions we know who is expiring and we can plan more efficiently. We now know who is coming up and when their expiration dates are. The reporting functionality really helps us do our jobs better.”
Dan Collins, Fire Captain
Cal Fire San Diego, Calif.
No matter which type of license an employee needs to update, it can be tracked in one centralized online location with TargetSolutions. The online training platform’s alert notifications keep personnel informed when deadlines are about to expire.
If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ license tracking capabilities, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.
September 18, 2014

How Online Police Training Helps Agencies Achieve Compliance, Reduce Exposure

Company Blog

Is your police agency struggling with how to effectively train its personnel? A recent news report by 19 KYTX in Texas analyzed the issues with compliance and risk many law enforcement agencies in the Lone Star State are facing.

 

Lonny Wilder, who is TargetSolutions’ VP of Public Safety, was interviewed for the special feature to discuss several incidents that have brought scrutiny to various departments and how online training helps achieve better results. Investigations into the departments’ training have been conducted as a result of these incidents.

 

“It only takes one incident for the public to rise up and say, ‘gee, we need more training for these guys,’ ” Wilder said. “And I think that is happening with more frequency.”

 

Law Enforcement Requirements for Continuing Education

Every two years, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement requires officers to complete 40 hours of law enforcement continuing education. It is left to the department to determine what type of training is completed. With TargetSolutions, law enforcement departments can access more than 240 training courses that are accepted by TCOLE.

 

Another key benefit of the online training management platform is the ability to start and stop training on your schedule with 24/7 access to law enforcement courses and training materials.

 

“Every decision they (police) make from moment they get out of that car, is absolutely critical,” Wilder said. “The training of law enforcement officers is critical and vital, not just for their continuing education and certification, but also for their safety and for well-being of the community at large that they serve.”

It’s important for police officers to meet state, federal and local training mandates, so they can serve their communities better. TargetSolutions offers a variety of resources and training materials to help law enforcement agencies.

TargetSolutions offers more than 240 online training courses for police officers and law enforcement agencies. Contact us online or at (800) 840-8046 to learn more about TargetSolutions’ online police training in Texas.

1 … 40 41 42 43 44 … 62