Podcasts about Columbia Southern University

Send us a textDr. Bonny Kehm is the Founding Dean and Assistant Provost of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Columbia Southern University. She's an accomplished nurse educator, researcher, and leader whose work has had a substantial influence at both the state and national levels.Appointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing back in 2017, Dr. Kehm went on to serve as board president and contributed to vital initiatives through the Nursing Education Committee. Her leadership has influenced policy, program development, and the academic standards that shape how nurses are educated today.Beyond her administrative and regulatory work, she's also a Certified Nurse Educator through the National League for Nursing and has been recognized with multiple awards for her excellence in education and scholarship.What I love about Dr. Kehm's story is how she blends deep clinical experience with a passion for education, innovation, and mentorship. I'm inspired after hearing her insights on leadership and the future of nursing. Her dedication to shaping compassionate and confident nurse leaders is making a lasting impact, and I know you will walk away feeling motivated and hopeful.In the five-minute snippet: This one came out of nowhere. For Bonny's bio, visit my website (link below).Contact The Conversing Nurse podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.comYour review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-reviewWould you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-formCheck out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Dr. Travis Smith and Bobby Oberlechner of Columbia Southern University discuss the university's new maritime safety concentration—a program designed to equip safety professionals for one of the world's most complex and high-risk environments. They explore why maritime safety has historically lacked academic focus, how CSU's curriculum bridges that gap, and what students can expect to learn about global regulations, port operations, and systemic risk management. The conversation also highlights how this program helps shape the next generation of safety leaders both on land and at sea. Sponsored by Columbia Southern University: For more than 30 years, Columbia Southern University has been a leader in occupational safety and health education. Taught by experienced safety experts, CSU's bachelor's and master's degree programs in occupational safety and health are recognized by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as Graduate Safety Practitioner® Qualified Academic Programs. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/OHS to learn more.

On episode 271 of EHS On Tap, Dr. Christine Robinson, full-time faculty member of the College of Safety and Emergency Services, Columbia Southern University, talks about how communication barriers impact worker safety. This episode is sponsored by Columbia Southern University.

Abby Ferri, Networks Senior Leader at the National Safety Council, joins us to discuss how safety professionals can benefit from education throughout their careers and lifelong learning. We also review content from the July issue of Safety+Health. Read episode notes, visit links, sign up to be notified by email when each new episode has been published, and find other ways to subscribe. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/27035-safe-side-podcast-episode-65-career-education-safety-pros This episode is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about them at https://columbiasouthern.edu/ Published July 2025.

Abby Ferri, Networks Senior Leader at the National Safety Council, joins us to discuss how safety professionals can benefit from education throughout their careers and lifelong learning. We also review content from the July issue of Safety+Health. Read episode notes, visit links, sign up to be notified by email when each new episode has been published, and find other ways to subscribe. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/27035-safe-side-podcast-episode-65-career-education-safety-pros This episode is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about them at https://columbiasouthern.edu/ Published July 2025.

In this episode of Nursing Uncharted, host Anne sits down with Dr. Bonny Kehm, the Founding Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Columbia Southern University. Together, they explore Bonny's inspiring journey from LPN to leadership, her experiences navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and her dedication to empowering nurses through education. Bonny also shares innovative pathways for military medics transitioning into nursing and highlights the critical role of leadership in the profession, encouraging nurses to embrace their potential as leaders, regardless of their titles. Chapters00:00 – Introduction to Nursing Passion and Purpose03:14 – Bonny Kehm's Nursing Journey and Leadership Path06:03 – Navigating Leadership During COVID-1908:58 – Founding a New College of Nursing11:58 – Innovative Pathways for Military Medics14:53 – Empowering Nurses Through Education17:57 – Leadership Insights and Advice for Nurses About Bonny Kehm, PhD, RN, CNEDr. Bonny Kehm is the Founding Dean and Assistant Provost of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Columbia Southern University. With a wealth of experience in nursing and higher education, she has held leadership roles at both state and national levels. Appointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing in 2017, she served as Board President and contributed to the Nursing Education Committee. Dr. Kehm is a recipient of multiple awards, including the International Quality Research Award, and is a Certified Nurse Educator through the National League for Nursing. Celebrate Nurses Month with us on Instagram @AMNNurse! About AnnAnn King, a seasoned travel nurse with a remarkable 14-year track record, has dedicated the past 13 years to specializing in Neonatal ICU. Ann has been traveling with AMN Healthcare for 4.5 years, enriching her expertise with diverse experiences. Currently residing in San Diego, Ann not only thrives in her nursing career but also serves as the host of the Nursing Uncharted podcast, where she shares invaluable insights and stories from the world of nursing. Connect with Ann on Instagram @annifer05 No Better Place than CA! Book your assignment in the Golden State Today! Level up your career today! Find your dream travel assignment! Support for every step. Learn more about AMN Healthcare's EAP Program. Share the opportunity and refer a friend today! Ready to start your next travel assignment in the Golden State? Browse CA Jobs! Episode Sponsor:We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare. Discover job opportunities and manage your assignments with ease using AMN Passport. Download the AMN Passport App today! Join Our Communities: WebsiteYouTubeInstagramApple PodcastsSpotifyLinkedInFacebook Powered by AMN Healthcare

Send us a textMy guest this week, Dr. Nancy Bellucci, is the academic program director for the College of Nursing at Columbia Southern University. She holds a PhD in nursing and has many credentials to her name. I always feel a bit nervous interviewing highly accomplished nurses like Nancy, but she assured me that those letters are ladders to more opportunities, which put me completely at ease.Starting her Associate program at the age of 38, Nancy brought both maturity and passion to her learning journey, and she has never stopped learning. Her nursing career has taken her from being an operating room nurse to an educator and manager, and ultimately to academia.As the academic program director, Nancy is responsible for developing the nursing curriculum from the baccalaureate to doctoral levels. She is a unique educator who integrates empathetic curriculum design into the classroom. Nurses are inherently empathetic caregivers, and through her compassionate approach, Nancy has created a learning environment that takes into account the time and experiences of her nursing students. I love that she mentioned it's no longer about the "sage on the stage" but rather about making students the center of attention, just as nurses practice patient-centered care. This philosophy has significantly helped bridge the gap between nursing and academia.My initial apprehension about Nancy's numerous credentials was unnecessary. She is one of the most down-to-earth educators I have encountered. Although we discussed serious topics, our conversation was filled with light-hearted humor, and I genuinely believe her students are fortunate to have her.In the five-minute snippet: She's a CAT-5  traveler. For Nancy's bio, visit my website (link below) and check out my CE library! (link below). New episodes added regularly!Contact The Conversing Nurse podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.comYour review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-reviewWould you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-formCheck out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast Thanks for listening!

Jaime Hunt welcomes Dale Leatherwood, Chief Marketing Officer at Columbia Southern University, to explore one of the most pressing issues in higher ed today: the public's shifting perception of the value of a college degree. Together, they dig into the real drivers behind skepticism—not the return, but the investment—and unpack how institutions can better align academic offerings, improve cost transparency, and reclaim the narrative around higher ed's true impact.Columbia Southern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees and certificates. Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes. CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.Guest Name: Dale Leatherwood, Chief Marketing Officer, Columbia Southern UniversityGuest Social: linkedin.com/in/daleleatherwoodGuest Bio: Dale Leatherwood is the Chief Marketing Officer for Columbia Southern University, and is in his 27th year of marketing and executive experience in training and higher education. Prior to joining Columbia Southern University, Dale was the vice president of brand, public relations and communications for American Public Education and was VP of marketing for Rasmussen University before its acquisition by APEI. During his extensive career, Dale has been a marketing executive for both colleges and higher-education focused marketing agencies, and has developed and led two online college campuses. In addition, he has served as a consultant with several universities on marketing and distance-learning initiatives while co-founding an education concierge firm serving working professionals seeking an online degree. Dale earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Coker University and an MBA with a marketing concentration from Regis University. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

During EMS Week, it's important to recognize dedicated EMS providers as well as spotlight ways they can move forward in their careers. To that end, the fire and EMS degree programs offered by Columbia Southern University were designed with busy professionals in mind. Keith Padgett, MS, EFO, a 45-year veteran of the fire service, serves as academic program director for the fire and emergency medical services programs at CSU. In our latest EMS World podcast, host Mike McCabe sits down with Padgett to learn more about the career-expanding options available to today's hardworking first responders. Sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Follow EMS World on social media at EMSWorldOFCL

Dale Leatherwood shares little known strategies to help traditional and non-traditional students obtain a college degree faster and cheaper.  You can graduate from college with zero debt, or if you get a loan, it should be like a car payment, not a house payment.  Dale is a leader in higher education.  He is the chief marketing officer at Columbia Southern University and the co-founder of an education concierge firm.  You can reach Dale through LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/daleleatherwood/Some of the highlights Dale shares:  More than 42 million Americans have some college credit, but haven't earned a college degreeNow is the best time to finish college and get a diploma - there are so many options! How to graduate from college with zero debtUnderstanding how to use all the educational resources available such as:  transfer credit, CLEP tests, prior learning assessments, 3rd party online credit providers, etc.Finding flexible and attainable optionsIf you require a school loan, it should be like a car payment, not a house paymentAdvice for non-traditional studentsHow to get work experience and training evaluated for possible college creditHow to finish what you startedHow to save time and moneyHow to protect yourself from disappointment by getting it in writingEducation can be the "tie breaker" that helps you accelerate your careerLearning to move forward in small, attainable stepsHow to encapsulate former classes and experience into a certificate or Associate DegreeCreating a game plan that works for youHow to adapt education to meet your lifeLearn about tuition assistance or tuition reimbursementWhat is your objective?  Understanding the difference between Synchronous vs. Asynchronous ClassesAnd moreDisclaimers:Statement: “CSU ranks in the top 1% of schools for affordability.”Disclaimer: Based on tuition and fees compared to 4-year U.S. Colleges with largest fully-distance enrollment (IPEDS 2022 Fall Enrollment Survey) Statement: Any mention of transfer credits and evaluating experience for creditDisclaimer: Pending Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process. Amount of transfer credits is dependent upon transcript evaluation. Statement: “…nearly 2/3 of our recent graduates finish their degrees with zero (student loan) debt.”Disclaimer: Data calculated from internal Columbia Southern University financial data, based on 65.1% with zero student loan debt from the graduating classes of 2021–2023 Statement: Any statement involving career advancement or student outcomes.Disclaimer: Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes. CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.

Send us a textGrowing up in Nebraska, I developed a love for God, community, and service. Directly out of high school, I decided to forgo an opportunity to play NAIA college football and pursue an Associate in Fire Protection Technology, from Southeast Community College. I started my fire service career as a resident firefighter in Snowmass Village, CO. I relocated to Prescott, Arizona in 2006, then started my full-time career with Pine Strawberry Fire District. I have served the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority since 2006, in all ranks up through Training Chief, along with obtaining my Paramedic certification, and member of the wildland team. I had the privilege of serving for ten years as Political Director, and Executive Officer for the IAFF Local 3066. In my career, I have had the pleasure of serving in many training avenues locally, and at the state level. I also have served as an investigator after obtaining my IAAI Fire/ Arson Investigator I and II. I am a constant learner, and an advocate for higher education. I graduated with a B.S. in Fire Administration, from Columbia Southern University in 2018, magna cum laude. I then completed my Certified Public Manager, through Arizona State University, while lateraling into the Training Division from Engine work. I graduated with my M.A. in Organizational Leadership, with an emphasis in Emergency Management Leadership Concentration, in May of 2023, summa cum laude. Within four-months of graduating with my M.A, I promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief, and lateraledto the Chief of Training. I have a beautiful wife and two kids, whom I am intentional to have by my side throughout my career, and retirement. I have served as coach for my son's little league baseball team, and youth football team. In February, I hope to complete Phase-Training with The Mighty Oaks Foundation, to then serve in the capacity of Team Leader. I currently am humbled to serve as an instructor for ISFSI, with the delivery of NFPA 1400: Roadmap for the Modern Fire Instructor, being disseminated across 25 locations throughout the country over the next year.Email me at 3pointFirefighter@Gmail.ComCheck out our Facebook Page 3 point Firefighter Podcasthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560769894306YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAv_hMC8vxrurhIunXtaJXg3 PFF Merchhttps://3-point-firefighter.printify.me/products

Send us a textGrowing up in Nebraska, I developed a love for God, community, and service. Directly out of high school, I decided to forgo an opportunity to play NAIA college football and pursue an Associate in Fire Protection Technology, from Southeast Community College. I started my fire service career as a resident firefighter in Snowmass Village, CO. I relocated to Prescott, Arizona in 2006, then started my full-time career with Pine Strawberry Fire District. I have served the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority since 2006, in all ranks up through Training Chief, along with obtaining my Paramedic certification, and member of the wildland team. I had the privilege of serving for ten years as Political Director, and Executive Officer for the IAFF Local 3066. In my career, I have had the pleasure of serving in many training avenues locally, and at the state level. I also have served as an investigator after obtaining my IAAI Fire/ Arson Investigator I and II. I am a constant learner, and an advocate for higher education. I graduated with a B.S. in Fire Administration, from Columbia Southern University in 2018, magna cum laude. I then completed my Certified Public Manager, through Arizona State University, while lateraling into the Training Division from Engine work. I graduated with my M.A. in Organizational Leadership, with an emphasis in Emergency Management Leadership Concentration, in May of 2023, summa cum laude. Within four-months of graduating with my M.A, I promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief, and lateraledto the Chief of Training. I have a beautiful wife and two kids, whom I am intentional to have by my side throughout my career, and retirement. I have served as coach for my son's little league baseball team, and youth football team. In February, I hope to complete Phase-Training with The Mighty Oaks Foundation, to then serve in the capacity of Team Leader. I currently am humbled to serve as an instructor for ISFSI, with the delivery of NFPA 1400: Roadmap for the Modern Fire Instructor, being disseminated across 25 locations throughout the country over the next year.Email me at 3pointFirefighter@Gmail.ComCheck out our Facebook Page 3 point Firefighter Podcasthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560769894306YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAv_hMC8vxrurhIunXtaJXg3 PFF Merchhttps://3-point-firefighter.printify.me/products

Send us a textThis is part 2 in our series talking about Carbon Monoxide Incidents. This episode features incident audio with a rescue.This episode features John Eadicicco, Josh Blum and John Vance.Download the SOGsBlue Card Natural Gas SOGBlue Card Carbon Monoxide Incident SOGWe want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/BuckslipShop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.comAll of our links here: https://linktr.ee/BShifterPlease subscribe and share. Thank you for listening!This episode was recorded on December 16, 2024.John Eadicicco Captain, Loveland-Symmes (Ohio) Fire DepartmentAssistant Chief, Lockland (Ohio) Fire DepartmentAssistant Chief John Eadicicco is a 27-year veteran of the fire service. He holds a degree in fire service administration from Columbia Southern University and is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association's Ohio Fire Executive Program. Chief Eadicicco is a lead instructor for Blue Card's SAFE-T Train-the-Trainer program. He is also a rescue technician with Hamilton County (Ohio) Urban Search and Rescue and an Ohio Region 6 Swift Water Response Team commander. Chief Eadicicco is lead instructor and curriculum developer with the Hamilton County Working Group, delivering Tactical Thermal Imaging, Company Officer Decision-Making, Rescue Operations, and Engine and Truck Company Operations classes.  In addition, Chief Eadicicco is an Ohio Certified Firefighter 2, Fire Instructor, Live Fire Instructor, Fire Safety Inspector and an EMT.

Chris is a University of Maine School of Law Graduate and works as Falcon Foward Group's owner. This episode is packed with grit, purpose, and transformation. Chris's story is one of the most unique and inspiring journeys we've featured yet—a story that begins not in the halls of law school, but on the tarmac, maintaining aircrafts for the U.S. Air Force.At first, Chris had no interest—or natural talent—for mechanical work. But life had other plans. He discovered a love for troubleshooting and developed a knack for solving complex problems quickly, a skill that would serve him well beyond the Air Force.Eventually, Chris earned a degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University. The knowledge he gained wasn't just academic; it armed him with insight into the systemic issues plaguing his workplace. His time in the Air Force wasn't without hardship—Chris experienced whistleblower retaliation from a squad leader, an event that led him to retire but also ignited a new passion: the law.In 2019, Chris entered the University of Maine School of Law, driven by a tragic loss—two members of his former unit took their own lives that same year. For Chris, it was clear: the system was broken, and he was determined to fix it. Despite battling imposter syndrome in his first year, Chris found purpose in the law, filing public records requests and even influencing legislation. His legislation would push the Department of Defense towards releasing suicide data, a move that shed light on the crisis facing service members.As a Law Student in his 40s, Chris is living proof that it's never too late to reinvent yourself. His journey and fight for justice is far from over, and as he puts it, "There's still a lot of work to do."Today, Chris is the host of the 20 Years Done podcast and the founder of Falcon Forward Law Group, where he fights tirelessly for veterans nationwide. His energy and relentless advocacy bring a powerful new dimension to this episode.Tune in to hear Chris's inspiring story firsthand, from aircraft troubleshooting to legislative victories—and everything in between. Check out the links below for his podcast, law firm, and an exclusive article chronicling his fight for justice.You won't want to miss this one. This episode is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of purpose.Chris's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmcgheeChris's Website: https://www.fafo-law.comChris's Podcast: https://www.20yearsdone.com/podcastArticle on Chris's advocacy: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2024/09/a-maine-man-helped-get-the-defense-department-to-release-detailed-suicide-data-hes-not-satisfied/Be sure to check out the Official Sponsors for the Lawyers in the Making Podcast:Rhetoric - takes user briefs and motions and compares them against the text of opinions written by judges to identify ways to tailor their arguments to better persuade the judges handling their cases. Rhetoric's focus is on persuasion and helps users find new ways to improve their odds of success through more persuasive arguments. Find them here: userhetoric.comThe Law School Operating System™ Recorded Course - This course is for ambitious law students who want a proven, simple system to learn every topic in their classes to excel in class and on exams. Go to www.lisablasser.com, check out the student tab with course offerings, and use code LSOSNATE10 at checkout for 10% off Lisa's recorded course!Start LSAT - Founded by former guest and 21-year-old super-star, Alden Spratt, Start LSAT was built upon breaking down barriers, allowing anyone access to high-quality LSAT Prep. For $110 you get yourself the Start LSAT self-paced course, and using code LITM10 you get 10% off the self-paced course! On top of that, Alden offers an upcoming 10-week course for the January LSAT. Using code LITM100 you get $100 off the 10-week course! Check out Alden and Start LSAT at startlsat.com and use both code LITM10 for 10% off the self-paced course, and LITM100 for $100 off the 10-week course! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lawyersinthemaking.substack.com

Chief Justin Bailey is a 25+ year “student of the Fire Service. He is the Fire Chief with the Oliver Springs (TN) Fire Dept. and a Captain/Medic with the Knoxville (TN) Fire Department, where he has been serving since 2007 and currently assigned to Engine 1. His career began in 1999 as a Junior Firefighter/Explorer with the Oliver Springs Fire Dept. He is a part-time fire instructor with the State of Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy, delivering classroom and hands-on instruction in various topics on-campus, at regional fire conferences, and at various local fire departments throughout Tennessee.He has instructed nationally on the topics of volunteer training program development, professional development and rural fireground management, having presented at both FDIC and Firehouse Expo. Chief Bailey has an Associate's Degree in Allied Health Science from Roane State Community College and a Bachelor's Degree in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University.                                          ********************In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we have learned that nearly a dozen firefighters lost their lives as they tried to effect rescues and saved pets. In the face of the hurricane, no one waved or had to think twice. They new their duty was to save anyone and everyone they could.  Hurricane Helene has been rated the worst hurricane since Katrina! And we all know how that turned out. We are researching the news articles to determine who these brave men and women are and what we can do to help.  Please remember - these brave firefighters, who worked around the clock in preparation of the storm, know that performing their duties in and after this storm was not going to be easy. PLEASE!!! We need your help! Please remember that we need your help to raise the funds we use to financially help a Brother/Sister and or their families, when they are in dire need. Since 2020, we have donated nearly $7,000.00 to our Brothers and Sisters. We can only do that with your help. Please visit our homepage at https://www.5-AlarmTaskForceCorp.org and scroll down to the photo of the E2QB siren. Select the photo and our donation page will appear. From $1.00 to whatever you can, any amount will help us. And you can always reach us at Dalmatprod@Outlook.com

In this episode of “School Safety Today”, host Michelle Dawn Mooney speaks with Lt. Pamela Revels, President of NASRO and Lieutenant of the School Resource Division at the Lee County Sheriff's Office in Alabama. Drawing from 20 years of experience as an SRO, Lt. Revels highlights the vital role School Resource Officers have in creating safer schools through law enforcement, education, and mentorship. She explains how SROs are not only responsible for crisis response but also for building trust, preventing incidents, and guiding students toward better decisions, all in collaboration with school staff and the broader community.Key Takeaways:• Lt. Revels emphasizes the importance of careful selection and comprehensive training for SROs, ensuring they are prepared to meet the unique demands of school environments.• The SRO Triad Model positions officers as law enforcement, educators, and mentors, allowing them to build trust and intervene before issues escalate.• SROs play a pivotal role not just in crisis response, but in daily prevention and relationship-building, making schools safer environments for students and staff alike.Lt. Pamela Revels, originally from Enterprise, Alabama, has served with the Lee County Sheriff's Office since 2004, now holding the position of Lieutenant of the School Resource Division. She holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration and an MBA from Columbia Southern University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Public Administration at Liberty University. A recognized leader in school safety, Lt. Revels is the President of the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) and has led the Alabama Association of School Resource Officers (TAASRO) for 14 years. She holds numerous instructor certifications, including RAD, ALERRT, and Taser, and serves on various local and state committees focused on school safety. Lt. Revels is also a Subject Matter Expert for the U.S. Department of Justice's Collaborative Reform Initiative, contributing to national curriculum development and presentations. She has been honored multiple times, including being named the We Tip National School Resource Officer of the Year twice. Her community work includes educating students on safety and running the Junior Deputy Academy to foster positive interactions between youth and law enforcement.

Season 2: Episode 4 Dr. Freda Barnett-Braddock on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Respect, and Mentors
 Summary: Dr. Freda Barnett-Braddock discusses the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) in education. She shares her personal background and how her family inspired her to pursue a career in education. Dr. B. explains that SEL helps students develop skills to handle emotions, build positive relationships, take responsibility for their decisions, and face challenges. She emphasizes that SEL is not only important for students but for the entire school culture, including teachers, staff, and administrators. 
 Dr. B. also highlights the benefits of SEL, such as improved academic performance, better emotional regulation, enhanced social skills, and the creation of a positive school climate. In this conversation, she discusses the importance of empathy, social and emotional learning, and mentorship in education. Dr. B. shares her own experiences of being mentored by Shantell Cooley, the impact it had on her life, and about her role as the founding dean of the College of Education at Columbia Southern University. The conversation concludes with a message of gratitude and encouragement for teachers and educators.
 Keywords 
social and emotional learning, education, students, teachers, school culture, emotional well-being, relationships, responsibility, challenges, academic performance, emotional regulation, social skills, positive school climate, empathy, social and emotional learning, mentorship, education, kindness, understanding, challenges, Shantell Cooley, College of Education, Columbia Southern University, programs, success, gratitude, encouragement 
 About FTCE Seminar How do you PASS the Florida Teacher Certification Exams (FTCE)? On this podcast, we will be discussing concepts from the FTCE Testing Blueprint to help you prepare for the exam. Try it out! Check it out! And leave your questions and comments below. -----------------------------------------------RESOURCES (Free)

Mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedicine continue to evolve daily. And these rapid advancements often lead to questions and confusion. EMS World's Mike McCabe sits down with Jeanine Newton-Riner, EdD, MHSA, RRT, EMT-P, CP-C, lead faculty for fire and emergency medical services for Columbia Southern University, to gain some clarity and guidance around getting yourself fully prepared to offer optimal MIH-CP services to your community. Follow EMS World on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @EMSWorldOFCL

Welcome to this special segment of the Rutledge Perspective called the Founders Intensive, where we delve into the stories of remarkable entrepreneurs. Today, we are joined by the dynamic Jadeé, CEO of Corporate Solutions Tech. Jadeé reflects on her entrepreneurial journey, rooted in a childhood dream of making a difference and a relentless pursuit of success. Raised with the belief that failure is not an option, Jadeé shares how she navigated the transition from a traditional W-2 job to full-time entrepreneurship. Her blend of ambition, logic, and resilience has been instrumental in her success. Highlights ✨    

As Women's History Month and Women in Construction Week fall in March, OH&S's SafetyPod examines the role of women in worker safety. Shawna Fraser Nagle, MS, CSP, CHST, CUSP, the Vice President of Safety at Newton, Mass.-headquartered Fraser Engineering Co. Inc., joins the podcast to discuss her experience in workplace safety, as well as the unique abilities and value that women bring to worker safety. Other topics discussed include how safety organizations are cultivating that value, and the future of women in workplace safety. Sponsored by Columbia Southern University For 30 years, Columbia Southern University has been a leader in occupational safety and health education. Taught by experienced safety experts, CSU's bachelor's and master's degree programs in occupational safety and health are recognized by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as Graduate Safety Practitioner® Qualified Academic Programs. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/OHS to learn more.

“Do your folks come to work expecting to learn something new? Or is it a surprise when they are asked to go to a class or a drill? That's culture.” Battalion Chief Chris Paskett wants to create a culture of learning in the fire service, where organizational education is baked into the daily routine. He offers four (of 20!) areas where departments can seek to encourage a top-down focus on continuing education and ways to evolve the culture to support that goal. Plus, we did into all of this: How to create bite-sized daily trainings that move the needle The impact of learning styles and why they matter Looking for small wins with learning This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about how you can earn an affordable, accredited quality degree 100% online at ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Fire. Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. You can also follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Fairfax County (Virginia) Battalion Chief Rocco Alvaro is passionate about professional development, but he wasn't always on a clear path himself. In fact, it took a metaphorical “punch in the face” from a mentor for him to go back to school and walk the professional development walk – and he's incredibly grateful for the punch. Alvaro joins Better Every Shift this week to talk all things professional development, including where departments can begin with standing up their own programs. Plus we get into all this: How fire departments can follow a “farm team” model; The three foundational elements we all need in our training; The lack of vision permeating the fire service today; and How higher education is the best way to answer the vital question, “What's over the horizon?” This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about how you can earn an affordable, accredited quality degree 100% online at ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Fire.  Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

“You'll use it more than you'll ever know,” Zam says about going back to school – and he would know, having recently started his own higher education journey. So this week, the Better Every Shift crew welcomes Chief Keith Padgett, the Fire and EMS Academic Program Director with Columbia Southern University, where Zam is currently taking classes, to talk all things advanced degrees, higher education and fire service training. Don't miss all this: Padgett's advice for firefighters who are new to higher education The #1 program in which firefighters are enrolling Padgett's early struggles with school and his “look at me now” moment The degrees for “going beyond” chief-level education Padgett's advice for firefighters who feel stagnant in their career This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about how you can earn an affordable, accredited quality degree 100% online at ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Fire. 

Wes Dove founded Dove Development & Consulting in 2015, a company committed to helping organizations clear the biggest hurdles that keep them from achieving their peak performance and profitability! Prior to that, Wes did extensive work in behavior-based safety throughout North America. Wes studied Human Resource Management at Columbia Southern University and holds a professional certification in human resources through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP) with over 20 years of experience. https://tinyurl.com/wkyp-book  dove-development.net https://www.dove-development.net/whats-killing-your-profitability-book

Lieutenant John Baysinger is a 26-year member of the Anderson Police Department.Lieutenant Baysinger was named Accreditation Manager in August of 2022 and has overseen the accreditation process for the Anderson Police Department since this time. He is a 1988 graduate of Madison-Heights High School in Anderson, Indiana and holds an Associate's Degree from Columbia Southern University.Prior to joining the Anderson Police Department, Lieutenant Baysinger joined the United States Marine Corps from 1988 to 1996. He has served as a Patrol Officer, Patrol Supervisor, Swat Team Operator as well as Swat Team Commander. Lieutenant Baysinger is also a certified Senior Instructor by the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board and holds certifications with Force Science, and Taser International, as well as certifications in Defensive Tactics, ground fighting, and physical fitness. He has earned multiple commendations and awards throughout his 26-year career with the Anderson Police Department.In his off-duty time, he enjoys time with his wife, his 5 children, and with his 4 grandchildren and is also an avid camper, golfer, and fitness enthusiast.Lieutenant John Baysinger is currently assigned as the Training Coordinator for the Anderson Police Department. LINKS - Burnt Out Podcast: https://burntoutpodcast.orgProduced by MyPodcast.Media#marines #lawenforcement #police #policedepartment #patrolofficer #swatteam #andersonindiana #firstresponder #firstresponderwellness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #civilservant #substanceusedisorder #recovery #recoveryispossible

On episode 179 of EHS On Tap, Dan Corcoran, academic program director for Columbia Southern University's occupational safety and health and environmental management programs, talks about CSU's new Doctor of Occupational Safety and Health program. This episode is sponsored by Columbia Southern University.

Columbia Southern University has unveiled a new program to help safety professionals take their expertise to the next level. CSU's new Doctor of Occupational Safety and Health program helps workplace safety managers build strong analytical skills to help them apply safety statistics, data and research to their real-world jobs. Dr. Dan Corcoran, the Academic Program Director of Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental Management at CSU, joins the podcast to discuss the new program, why it was created, how it helps safety managers, and how it helps workplace safety. Special Thanks to This Episode's Sponsor, Columbia Southern University: Columbia Southern University is dedicated to advancing the safety profession through education. Our newest safety degree program, the Doctor of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) gives you the opportunity to capitalize on years of experience while making lasting contributions in the field of safety. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/OHS to learn more.

During his distinguished 35-year public safety career, William E. Sturgeon, (Bill), MPA, CPM, EFO, EMT-P, ICMA-CM, has served volunteer, military, municipal, and county fire rescue organizations and held many titles including: Firefighter/Paramedic, Aircraft Crash Rescue Firefighter, Flight Paramedic, Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue Specialist, EMS Supervisor, Instructor, Company Officer, Shift Safety Officer, Battalion Chief, Assistant Chief, Division chief, Fire Chief and City Manager. In 2007, as the Accreditation Manager for Orange County Fire Rescue (OCFRD) Florida, he successfully led OCFRD to CFAI accreditation.In 2013, Bill was appointed as the Assistant Fire Chief for St. Cloud Fire Rescue and six months later he was appointed to the Fire Chief's Position, where he took his vast experience and diverse knowledge to transform St. Cloud Fire Rescue into a modern fire rescue department. From July 2017 until August 2022, he served as the City Manager where he oversaw a $209M budget and 755 employees of the ninth fastest growing City in the United States and the second fastest in the State of Florida. Under his leadership the city improved its strategic focus, financial position, bond rating, public safety services (emergency management, fire, EMS, and police), revitalized the downtown, established a sea plane base, rebranded the city, improved staff training and customer service.Bill holds an associate degree in Fire Science from the Community College of the Air Force, a bachelor's in occupational safety and Health from Columbia Southern University and a Master's in public administration from American Public University. He is a credentialed City Manager (ICMA-CM), Certified Public Manager and a Graduate of the Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program at the National Fire Academy. Bill is also known for his common-sense approach to problem solving, crisis management, and strategic thinking skills.

Chris began his safety career in 1990 working as a Safety Technician for a large construction company. During his time in the construction industry Chris was able to grow his career to where he became an E, S & H Manager who led safety teams on major construction sites. This time also exposed him to a variety of industries like petro-chemical, fossil power, nuclear power, as well as administrative functions of the corporate office. Chris then transitioned to the power industry where he supported multiple generation facilities, as well as leading a number of corporate teams. After his time in the power industry, Chris spent several years in the entertainment industry providing safety leadership to teams who supported many different business units. Chris is now a Senior Regional Safety Manager for a large organization. In this role he provides strategic leadership to effective positive safety changes within the operations.Chris has a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety and Health and a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership, both from Columbia Southern University. Chris has been a CSP since 2008, and has also held the SMS and CHST certifications (both of which are not currently active).Chris and his wife will be married for 34 years this July, and they have two children who have both now graduated college. In his free time Chris enjoys time at the beach, being outdoors, working out and participating in martial arts.

This week,Skip O talks to Steven Guthrie. Steven was born in Elizabethtown, Illinois but has lived most of his life in Madison County in Anderson, Indiana.Due to having an interest in law enforcement, he left the family business and was hired by the Anderson Police Department in 1978. He was a graduate of the fifth-third Basic Session of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and has over forty-four years of law enforcement experience. He started his Use-of- Force /Expert Witness business, S&G Consulting in 2007. Steven expanded his business to provide Realistic Self-Defense Training in 2008 and other related training to his clients that included physical tactics/self-defense, interpersonal communication, and police ethics/professionalism.He served 24 ½ years with the Anderson Police Department. Steven joined the staff at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 2003. His primary duties consisted of instructing Physical Fitness,Police Ethics, Interpersonal Communication, Use-of-Force, Tactical Medical Awareness, and Stress.Additional duties at the academy included being the Officers in Charge, (OIC) for the following: Police Chief Executive Training for newly appointed Police Chiefs, the Fitness Assessment for Basic Recruits Tier I, and the Jail Officer's Basic 40 hours certified training. Steven received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice through Columbia Southern University in 2003. He obtained his Master Instructor Certification in 2008, which is the highest category issued by the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. He has acquired an enormous amount of law enforcement education and training, along with years of experience in administration and management throughout his career.He has been invited to teach at various organizations and agencies in the areas of Personal Safety,Leadership, Interpersonal Communications, and other related topics in law enforcement. In addition, he has been a guest instructor for the Indiana Department of Correction Leadership Program, the Indiana Department of Education Conference, the Indiana Town Marshals conference, the Indiana Fire Chief's Association conference, and the Indiana Attorney General Annual Law Enforcement conference in the areas of leadership, use-of force, ethics, and searches and seizures.Produced by https://MyPodcast.Media

We continue to battle mental health issues in EMS. Is there an angle we aren't considering? What is the role and responsibility of the manager and the organization in doing the right thing for their staff providers? Aaron Rhone and Duane Nieves are long-tenured leaders in EMS in Pennsylvania. Rhone and Nieves share the leaders' perspective on mental health in our industry with host Mike McCabe. Sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Follow EMS World (EMSWorldOFCL) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Construction Safety Week runs May 1-5, and a big component of this year's event is how everyone involved in a construction project can own and act on safety to positively impact the mental health safety of their coworkers. Ralph Blessing, a professor at Columbia Southern University, discusses the importance of safeguarding mental health in the workplace. A special thank you to Columbia Southern University: For 30 years, Columbia Southern University has been a leader in occupational safety and health education. Taught by experienced safety experts, CSU's bachelor's and master's degree programs in occupational safety and health are recognized by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as Graduate Safety Practitioner® Qualified Academic Programs. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/OHS or call (877) 347-6050 to learn more.

James Junkin joins us on this weeks episode of Health and Safety Conversations. In this episode James talks to us about his background in management, consulting, the oil industry and in safety. James also talks to us about the importance in the planning phase before work begins, incident investigation, lead and lag indicators and much much more. I know you will learn something from this and I hope you enjoy listening to James as much as I loved chatting with him. James A. Junkin, is the chief executive officer of Mariner-Gulf Consulting & Services, L.L.C., a boutique risk management and occupational safety and healthconsulting firm headquartered in Louisiana with clients throughout the United States and abroad. He holds the designations of Certified Safety Professional(CSP), Safety Management Specialist (SMS), and Associate Safety Professional (ASP) from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. James and his firmspecialize in safety regulations, best practices, management systems, and EHS program development and implementation. He and Mariner-Gulf Consulting & Services provide expert opinions for legal actions, technical writing for company specific written policies and procedures, training, accident investigations, and site safety consultations. James is a noted author with articles appearing in trade and peer reviewed publications such as Professional Safety Journal and a much sought-after master trainer for Veriforce, having taught over 40,000 students and trained over 3,000 instructors. He is noted for his work during the DeepwaterHorizon disaster, where he trained over 30,000 oil spill responders. Columbia Southern University recognized his achievements in the field of occupational safety and health by declaring him the 2022 Outstanding Safety Professional (Runner Up) of the Year. He is the chairman of Veriforce's Strategic Advisory Board, is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals' (ASSP) Strategic Advisory Group, Columbia Southern University's Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Group, and a committee member of the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) Z-390.1 Accepted Practices for Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)Training Programs.Links:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/james-junkin-csp-msp-sms-asp-csho-494a0046Website: http://www.marinergulf.com/ Thanks for listening. We have some great guests coming up in future pods so get ready to learn. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your week, and stay safe. https://plus.acast.com/s/health-and-safety-conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shawn Carrington is a native of Philadelphia, PA. He is a student and servant to God, his family, and his community. He is a graduate from Columbia Southern University class of 2020 with an M.S. in Organizational Leadership and a B.S in Business Management concentrating in HumanResource Management. He completed a graduate certificate program at Southern New Hampshire University, 2018 on Leadership of Non-Profit Organizations. He also graduated from Lee Senior High School Class of 1990 in Sanford, NC.Shawn has held numerous leadership positions throughout his 24-year military career, enlisting in the United States Army (USA) on May 27th, 1992, and retiring as a Sergeant First Class (SFC) from the United States Army on June 1st, 2016. He attended basic training at Fort Jackson,SC and advanced individual training at Fort Belvoir, VA.Currently, Shawn owns and operates two Limited Liability Companies (LLCs). His global brand is “MrShawnBiz.” SDot, LLC created in 2012, is a Real Estate Investment, Asset Management company, and SDotBiz Connections, LLC was formed in 2016 as a Strategic Leadership Consulting Company. Shawn is also the National Commander for NAMVETS, a 501c3 veteran service organization assisting veterans worldwide.Connect with Shawn Carrington: www.mrshawnbiz.comDr. Virginia LeBlanc “DocV”, The Pivot MaestroDr. Virginia LeBlanc (DocV) is a highly sought multi‐disciplinary expert and global thought leader delivering value across industries world‐wide sharing key ingredients to successfully pivot through transition gaps, earning her the nickname “THE Pivot Maestro.” Her work leading major change initiative with Joint Forces commands at the Pentagon, Department of the Navy, Booz Allen Hamilton, Indiana University, and the National Pan‐Hellenic Council birthed her passion in personal wellness and transformation through transition founding Defining Paths (DP)—not only a company but a heart‐centered, socially conscious movement and network for thought leaders, change makers, legacy builders, and purposed entrepreneurs—healing, rebuilding, and transforming lives and businesses from the inside out.A Holistic Coach, particularly serving retiring military and women leaders in career‐life transition, DocV specializes in putting YOU back in business guiding clients through next steps facing fears, connecting the dots, and thinking without a box while to live inspired with a “be your own boss” mind‐set.Dr. LeBlanc is the international bestselling author of Love the Skin YOU'RE In: How to Conquer Life Through Divergent Thinking, her autobiographical love‐letter to “Society” on socio‐cultural conditioning and how she overcame to define her path.Learn more at https://linktr.ee/definingpaths.Define Your Pathhttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/define-your-path/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/ep-27-shawn-carrington-define-your-path-with-dr-virginia-leblanc-docv-the-pivot-maestro

This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum, John Vance & Doug Wehmeyer (making his B Shifter debut!). Douglas Wehmeyer is a thirty-three-year veteran of the fire service holding every rank from fire cadet to fire chief. He is currently a Deputy Fire Chief and Shift Commander for Deerfield Township Fire Rescue Department in Warren County, Ohio and a part-time Fire Chief for his hometown of Lockland, Ohio. Doug is a professor for Columbia Southern University. He is an Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP) Graduate and holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Anna Maria College.We talk about division operations and the impact having a division boss can have on an incident. Sign up for our two day command training workshops here. Shop B Shifter here. This episode was recored in Westbrook, Maine on October 6, 2022. Please subscribe!

Join the Community of Safety Pros today! Join the Community of Safety Pros today! In this episode, we talk with Paul Radke, from Columbia Southern University about Occupational Safety & Health degree programs and Blaine's educational journey with CSU. Please listen and share this episode with others. If you want to go more in-depth on this and other topics - become a SafetyPro Community member (FREE to join). Premium Community members can access exclusive content like episode videos, video courses, templates/downloads, participate in live streams, and direct message/live chat with the Safety Pro.  Join the Community of Safety Pros today! **Visit Mighty Line Tape for all of your floor marking and facility sign needs**

There are more women in safety than ever before. In this podcast episode, OH&S Editor Sydny Shepard sits down with Columbia Southern University professor Shannon Holman to talk about the impact that women have had on the occupational safety and health industry and how those roles have—and will continue to—evolve. A special thank you to Columbia Southern University. For more than 25 years, Columbia Southern University has been a leader in occupational safety and health education. Taught by experienced safety experts, CSU's bachelor's and master's degree programs in occupational safety and health are recognized by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as Graduate Safety Practitioner® Qualified Academic Programs. CSU's occupational safety and health degree programs meet the educational requirements mandated by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals for the Associate Safety Professional designation (ASP®) and the Certified Safety Professional designation (CSP®). Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu or call (877) 347-6050 to learn more.  

Oakland, California native Kevin Eastman thrives on simplicity and logic. An accomplished author, skilled speaker, business consultant, mentor, and community activist with a “tell it like it is” mentality, he shoots from the hip when discussing personal, and professional development. His mission (and passion) is assisting people with overcoming the obstacles they face, in business and in life. One of his favorite philosophies is, "Obstacles, barriers, and challenges are only as large as you make them in your head." A graduate of Castlemont High School in Oakland, Kevin served in multiple capacities on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for over 20 years, at locations around the world. He has interacted with thousands of people, as a military training instructor (commonly known as a drill instructor) for a few years, over a decade as a recruiter at the high school, college, and post-graduate levels, and, by presenting formal and informal information to dozens of military and civilian organizations. Kevin has earned undergraduate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force and Columbia Southern University respectively, and a graduate degree from Azusa Pacific University. He also holds certifications in Marketing, Professional Selling Skills, Sales Coaching, and Life Coaching. Married and residing in Southern California, Kevin enjoys being involved with community development and improvement efforts as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., watching and playing sports, traveling, watching movies, listening to music, writing, cooking, meeting people, and spending time with family and friends. Website: https://kevineeastman.com/

In this episode, Stephen Wood is joined by Allen Lewis, who is an Adjunct Professor with Columbia Southern University and an Associate Consultant for Emergency Service Consulting International in addition to performing emergency and security sensitive work outside the United States. They discuss Allen's experiences in disaster response and humanitarian response while working in developing countries focussing on cultural competence. As a paramedic, he has worked in medical services aboard ships above the Arctic Circle, in de-mobilized child soldier camps in South Sudan, mobile high threat protection teams in Afghanistan, and aboard helicopters over Iraq. As a well-travelled instructor and consultant in the fire service and EMS profession, he has trained firefighters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, and Iraq. Mr. Lewis has lived, worked, or travelled to 98 countries in his 25 years of fire, rescue, and EMS experience. A significant amount his career has been spent in non-permissive environments such as Iraq and Afghanistan he worked as a personal security specialist/paramedic under the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security High Threat Protection Program protecting American ambassadors. He is a National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer (EFO) graduate, a Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) credentialed Certified Fire Officer (CFO) and Certified Emergency Medical Services Officer (CEMSO), a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), as well as a Nationally Registered Paramedic, certified International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Fire Officer, Instructor, and Investigator with the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board. Professor Lewis holds dual Associate of Applied Science degrees in Fire Suppression Technology and Emergency Medical Technology - Paramedic from Chemeketa Community College, a Bachelor of Fire Service Administration from Western Oregon University, a Master of Public Administration from Columbia Southern University, and an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education.

What is community risk reduction, how can EMS providers become involved in it, and what should they understand about education to do so? These are big questions, but the answers can lead us toward safer and healthier communities. In our latest EMS World original podcast, host Mike McCabe explores with Columbia Southern University's Aaron Rhone, PhD, MPA. Sponsored by CSU.  Follow EMS World (EMSWorldOFCL) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. EMS World Expo is Oct. 10–14, 2022 in Orlando. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world in many ways over the last two years. From our homes to our workplaces, and everywhere in between, we have all faced challenges that require us to live, work, and think just a little bit differently. In this two-part episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast, I speak with Jason Beam, Director of EHS and Risk Management of CCB, INC in Westbrook Maine, about how he and his team have worked with employers and employees alike to maintain and encourage safe working habits and guidelines in the face of a global pandemic. Peter Koch: [00:00:04] Hello listeners and welcome to the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast. I'm your host, Peter Koch. I expect that we are all if I can use COVID as a verb just a bit COVID-ed out these days. It's been a long road where most of the news has been challenging. So I want to hear more about the successes and where companies have persevered throughout the pandemic. In this episode, I get my wish. Jason Beam, director of Environmental, Health and Safety and Risk Management for CCB, comes to the MEMIC studio to talk about the challenges that CCB faced operating a commercial construction company with the geographically diverse projects throughout the pandemic and the lessons that they will carry forward. We cover topics from emergency management to leadership to basic communication practices. There is enough complexity to the conversation that we broke this out into two episodes. So let me introduce Jason and get going with part one. Jason [00:01:00] Beam, director of EHS and risk management at CCB, has over 25 years of health, safety and emergency services experience. He earned his Master's of Science Degree in Occupational Health and Safety at Columbia Southern University and currently serves as the Enterprise and Risk Management Chairman for the Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Jason is also a principal member of NFPA Technical Committee 704 On the Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response, has written multiple articles for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and has previously served as an advisory board member of the American Society of Safety Professionals Fire Protection Practice Specialty. Jason, welcome to the podcast. Jason Beam: [00:01:49] Thanks for having me. Peter Koch: [00:01:49] Awesome. So I want to learn a little bit more about you even having some conversations here off the podcast prior to. But before we jump into CCB, you have a pretty interesting [00:02:00] history and have quite a bit of experience doing environmental health and safety and working with different organizations. So before we get to CCB, why don't you give me a little bit of history about how you got into health and safety and, well, how you ended up at CCB to begin with, I guess. Jason Beam: [00:02:17] Sure, sure. I think we can shorten that up a little bit. You know, originally it was an I.T. guy. My degrees in I.T. writing code. We had an I.T Shop with about seven people and we were all police officers, firefighters, hazmat, and one of our clients at the time power plant, Biddeford said, Hey, we have a fire brigade. Would you come? Would you take on some additional training? So we took on the additional training and then that grew to filling in for their safety director when he was incapacitated, to becoming his replacement, to moving to their parent company and hitting a bunch of different types of work environments around the country. And [00:03:00] then when we finally get tired, the way the family and I get tired of being in me being in a hotel five or six nights a week, said, all right, it's time for change. First day back home eating lunch. I get a call from the at the time safety director for CCB is what are you doing right now. Well, Having a sandwich, Bob? Yeah, no, I mean right now. No, I'm having a sandwich. Yeah, no I am. It's. Well, when can you be here? I'm like, Well, where's here, Bob? So, you know, we said, Hey, come on in. I need some part time support. And I got somebody out on a medical and I could really use your help. So he eventually opened his own consulting business and vacated that post. And I was asked to stay on there and have been there ever since. Peter Koch: [00:03:43] Interesting history. I can't tell you how many people that I've talked to that have found success at a particular company with health and safety, that they started in a completely different world. Jason Beam: [00:03:57] It's more common than it seems. Yeah. Peter Koch: [00:04:00] So [00:04:00] interestingly enough, like if I look at my journey to get to where I am as a safety consultant for MEMIC, as an insurance company, and I started as a basically as a ski bum. My goal was to run a ski area at some point in time. And I spent a lot of time, you know, working in all the different aspects of the ski industry and had different opportunities to manage risk and safety without actually being charged with managing risk and safety for a particular company. And then moving, getting an opportunity to, hey, why don't you take this on? Hey, why don't you take that on? Hey, here's some information about this. And I remember one day I was sitting in my office and the guy who was in charge of construction and development at the ski area came into my office. I had just gotten the job as risk manager and he said, I've got to have I have this thing that's going to really help you. And I'm like, Oh, great, because I felt completely out of my element. I really wasn't sure what I was getting into at that point in time. So I'll be right back. And he goes [00:05:00] out to his truck and he comes back in. He. Brings in three boxes. Like these are for you. Great. Thanks. Thanks for that. What's in them? Oh, just you'll, these will be good for you. So they were the code of Federal Regulations for OSHA, for construction, general industry, maritime. What was the. I don't know. So lots of books, lots of small print. Like, how is this going to help? But here I am thinking about it and that connection between the human person that I had to deal with all the time from a in the trenches, working with some particular individual all the time to the regulations and that connection between how to manage people and make sure that they are safe so that they can go home at the end of the day. And, you know, I think that's a big part of what you're doing at CCB and what's making CCB safety history fairly successful over the years. Jason Beam: [00:05:58] Yeah, I would agree with that. We've [00:06:00] put a heavy emphasis on people before production. Yeah, it's about the people. If we're not taking care of the people, then we're not executing work at a high level out in the field. Peter Koch: [00:06:12] Let's talk about the human side of this and let's bring this into the COVID world. So if we if we think about it, when COVID first came out, right, there were there was a lot of confusion, you know, 2019, 2020, as we're starting to hear all this stuff about COVID and how it's transmitted and what it does and how it affects people and who it affects and how fast it travels. There is a lot of information out there. No one really understood what it was and where it goes. And now we're in 2022. And there's still a lot of confusing information out there. Things have evolved as we've moved forward. So, you know, what are some of the things that you did early on in COVID to help keep your staff safe? [00:07:00] That may have changed as time went on. As we come into the present, like how did you start and then how did you get to where you are now with your COVID regs. Jason Beam: [00:07:09] Early on was kind of kind of a two pronged approach, right? There's the business continuity piece. You know, if we don't keep the business afloat, we don't have jobs, we're not putting food on our tables. But there's the people side of it, too. There was a tremendous amount of fear and uncertainty. Right. I mean, even among the experts. Right. You know, we had all these different organizations professing to know the ins and outs of this. Yet there were contradictions, there were loopholes, they were gaps. And we had a group of people that were just nervous and they didn't know what direction to face. We really set out quickly to establish this this cadence of constant communication, effective communication. We consolidated it all into a single point. You know, folks were pretty much home at that time, even though in construction we were considered essential workers because of our government work. But we [00:08:00] kept the senior and executive management right there at 65 Bradley Drive and, you know, kind of war room time, so to speak. You know, what do we have to do to meet our contractual obligations, what we have to do to keep our people safe? And how do we you know, probably the biggest challenge bigger than either of those other two things was how do we how do we get them engaged and being part of the solution? How do we show them that we were not just trying to make a buck, they were there to take care of them. And we kind of had to build on kind of our philosophy of people first. We had to change how we did it. And it took a lot of individual campaigning with some folks, took a lot of group discussions, visiting job sites, a lot of one off conversations with folks just to set them at ease. And part of it was, is a safety and health department. We want folks in CCB to be able to feel they can call us on their worst day and get some sort of support. And obviously, if down deep, you know, you need 911, then call 911. But short of that, [00:09:00] we want one of the first ones. You feel comfortable enough to reach out to us for anything. And we took advantage of the good faith we had built doing that and said, look, together, we're going to get through this somehow. You know, we'll keep you up to date. We'll, you know, kind of work with our partners whether it's MEMIC our legal folks whatever to boil this down into what's the right thing. Because above all else, we got to do the right thing here. So a lot of it was communication at first. A lot of it was you know, we had a everybody at home for a little bit. How can we continue to engage folks or work working at home or some that were out of work at home? Because the nature of what was going on to help us kind of build out our solution. Peter Koch: [00:09:48] Can I can I stop you for a second? Because I think that's a that's an important point to explore a little bit more, because you're not we're not just talking about ten or 15 or 20 or 30 people [00:10:00] in a small construction organization, CCB, relatively large when you think about a commercial organization, not a global thousands and thousands of employees organization, but it's a problem of scale. If I have five employees. You have to do the same thing that I have to do in order to make those employees or help those employees feel safe. Trust me, and make sure that they know that I'm there for them as a business owner. But as the scale gets bigger and you have more employees, you get more job sites. How did you deal with some of those problems of scale? I guess you could say? Jason Beam: [00:10:38] Certainly. Certainly complicated things. You know, we're about 130, 540 people average annually. And then we have a number of subs. We work with close relationships with vendors, customers, all that. But we're so far distributed. We can have 40 concurrent job sites, maybe four concurrent job sites, you [00:11:00] know, down into Mass., up to Houlton, Maine. It's certainly, certainly muddied the waters and being in a union environment while we have a lot of core people that stay with us, you know, there's quite often, depending on what's coming down the line for jobs, quite often an influx and an influx of people that may or may not know anything about our culture or what's important to us. Different levels of skill. I mean, we've seen people that have never seen so many people that are absolutely new to the trades so that complicated it even further. So during the initial quarantine, it was pretty easy. We, you know, we set up shop right there at 65 Bradley and just started communicating, communicating, communicating while in the meantime, we're hatching out these solutions to keep the jobs going. But once things opened up again, senior executive management president, myself, vice president and the operations manager and we hit the road, we're going to job sites, we're [00:12:00] never able to abate all the uncertainty and fear. Jason Beam: [00:12:03] I mean, it's just not feasible. But we're able to address a greater degree of it by getting out to the job sites, meeting with the crews, first with the foreman. You know, hey, here's where the company stands on this. And we need to know what you need for assistance. And then what we're going to do next is we as a leadership body are going to meet with the guys, you know, doing the iron work, doing the pipe fitting, doing the carpentry so we can help put them at ease, too, because you're their first line of defense and offense. You're going to come to you looking for support, come to you with questions. We need to arm you with enough information to be able to at least know which direction to point. So. You know, communicating with that level of field leadership and not necessarily making them subject matter experts, but making them comfortable being able to answer questions. Added a great deal to that. Peter Koch: [00:12:57] Do you mind me asking? Because I find that [00:13:00] this can be a challenging part when your upper echelon meets your middle team and you get given information from the upper echelon as the middle manager, and then you're asked, do you understand that? The answer is typically yes, I do. Whether you always understand it, believe it or not. So how did you make sure that they were on board that they. Because, again, we started talking about the information that's out there. And there is I won't call it misinformation. There's just a lot of different information. And depending on where you get your news from and what you believed, then you may come at it from a completely different side than what your company was coming at it from. So when you're hearing something that might be very different. How did you how did you help that person truly understand what the message and what you wanted [00:14:00] them to know? Jason Beam: [00:14:04] There was a couple of pieces to that. One is we have the I'll call it the fortune of some very open viewpoints in construction. Peter Koch: [00:14:12] That's a very good way of putting that. Jason Beam: [00:14:15] You know, I'm sure you're aware a lot of trades folks are not bashful about expressing their opinions and their concerns. So they were quick to say, you know, I, I think this is crazy. This is insane. You know, I don't understand yet. There are going to be some that just go with it. I'll call it refreshing after the fact, the number of them that that said, you know, no, no, no, man. What gives, you know, explain this. So that was an advantage. Know, we certainly engage with the business agents and stuff at the union halls to leverage that resource as well. We engage with you folks. Help us tell that story, you know, with clerk insurance. Help us tell that story because a, you know, sometimes the [00:15:00] same message from a different voice may be phrased a little differently from a different perspective. Add some clarity. You know, there's one particular conversation that stands out where one of the foreman says, I don't like Chris. We were subject to, you know, staring down the barrel of that federal contractor mandate where vaccination or you punish them or you fire them, get them to comply. And there were folks with real concerns about that. Sure. You know, some were philosophical, some were religious. Some were mistrust of the government some were fear of vaccinations. I mean, they were pretty open about that. And the way we framed it up was, look, as leaders, we're here for the people and we have to be here for the people. And whether we agree with the government mandate or not, we have an obligation to you to keep you gainfully employed if we possibly can. So [00:16:00] we could sit here and be upset and say, you know, saber rattling, we're not going to do it, or we can do everything in our power to enable you to make the choices you need to stay with us. Jason Beam: [00:16:11] We don't want to get rid of anybody. We'll do what we have to do to stay in business for whatever set of rules, you know, whether it's OSHA, the government contracts thing or whatever. But, you know, we get it. You know, it's uncertain. It's unnerving. And for a lot it's aggravating, you know, and we'll get through that. But. We got to have a consistent face to the men. And that was a challenge too, because we all have different beliefs. Some were. I don't mean to sarcastic, but card carrying members for the cause. Others were 180 degrees different, you know, very opposed to it. But I think what carried us through a lot of it was the that faith we built up amongst our people. [00:17:00] CCB has always been a company that that invests heavily in that relationship. And I think we kind of built up that we had some credibility in the bank and like what you and I were talking earlier. Peter Koch: [00:17:12] Sure. Jason Beam: [00:17:12] Yeah. And I think we made some pretty big withdrawals from that that were certainly challenged by the constant changing of the rules of engagement because, well, jeez, you told us this, now it's this, now it's something else, you know, where does this end? Well, we don't know yet either. So I, I think probably, you know, thinking back on, one of the things that had the greatest impact was we were able to take advantage of the good faith, the credibility of the trust we had built previously, kind of in the face of so much change. Peter Koch: [00:17:47] Yeah. And I do want to come back to that to make sure we talk about that more because I really believe, as we talked at the beginning prior to jumping into the podcast, that that is an essential theme that has to happen. If you are going [00:18:00] to if you're going to manage change in your organization correctly or properly or successfully, if you ever just want to stay stagnant, then you don't really need the trust bank because you can always find someone to fill in the gap that that someone else just left. But if you want to grow, if you want to get better, if you want to if you want to be the best company that you can be, you have to have that. So we'll get back to that. I like that theme. So let's talk a little bit more about the specifics around like when all the protocols came down about you have to mask or you have to quarantine and you have to stay six feet apart. And how did you manage that with a commercial construction site? Like how did you got you had said you could have 40 construction sites, you could have four sites. You could have a site up in Houlton or Fort Kent, Maine, or you could all be all the way down in Massachusetts. So people have to travel. People have to be overnight, different places. How did you manage all of the what were the protocols [00:19:00] that worked? How did you implement some of those protocols and how did you manage compliance? I guess those three questions for you. Jason Beam: [00:19:08] Yeah, some of the easiest ones were managing the lodging. Fine. It's one person per room. Instead of bunking up together, limiting travel and vehicles together certainly had an impact financially, but we needed to keep people available to do what needed to be done. That was probably the easiest piece. There were definitely some challenges there. It made us focus a bunch on how we lay out our work, how we stage our tradespeople instead of three people working side by side. Well, how do we rearrange kind of the work area to accommodate that? How do we how do we arrange different trades or subcontractors, you know, things that you might look back at, say, lean construction concepts, right. You know, every purposeful [00:20:00] motion, right. Every action has a defined purpose or do we really need it? It made us kind of reach back into that toolbox a little bit more than we had been, which was good, because it also created some refinements in our production process too. Right? Because I do think the same things that that lead to safe behaviors are also the same behaviors that produce top notch production, have the most engaged employees and so on. So I think it's all part of the same thing. So we're able to kind of reach into that toolbox and juggle things up. But some of it too is we eat an amount of our work is outdoors. That helped, especially when the state turned around, when Governor Mills said, well, you know, we're not as worried about outdoor activities. Perfect. However, you got to guys 60 feet off the ground in a man basket together, they're not six feet apart. You know, a it's hard to observe half a dozen different lifts in the air with everything else going on. And are they aren't they messed up, you know. Well, but the state says we don't have [00:21:00] to anymore. Okay. You know, I get that. So we had some challenges there. And of course, you know, if I'm building a steel structure and then I'm putting siding on it and a roof on it, and then I'm working inside at some time. At some point the outdoors becomes the indoors. And that was always a healthy debate too. Peter Koch: [00:21:19] Yeah, when does when do we cross that line? Like how many walls have to be up for it to be considered indoors? Jason Beam: [00:21:26] Yeah. And there were some healthy discussions around that and they're still ongoing. You know, I think some of what helped it though, is. A lot of our clients have their own sets of rules, and some are extremely stringent and very much exceed the current CDC recommendations. Others not so much. In other places, we were the stringent one. Of course, there again, you do that. And how come we're holding ourselves to a different standard than everybody else in the job site because it's the right thing to do. And again, I think that that credibility we built up, most, most everybody went, [00:22:00] all right, fine, I get it. We'll make it work. Peter Koch: [00:22:03] Did you find in those spirited discussions, did you find that those are happening more frequently or happen more frequently because of the challenges around COVID than they did pre-COVID, like when you might have had some conflict around a particular job site or a particular set of instructions that might have been understood one way and then really implemented a different way. Were there more spirited conversations during COVID than might have been in the past? Jason Beam: [00:22:35] I think they were different. You know, suddenly we have this new set of rules of engagement. Peter Koch: [00:22:41] Sure. Jason Beam: [00:22:42] Right. Some have penalties, some don't. But here's the expectation. And you're all going to do it. You know, that became a pretty good set of measurements to gauge things by. So it was I think it was easier to be able to sit there and not wave those around, but say, look, you know, bottom line is we have to do this. And if we don't do [00:23:00] this, it jeopardizes our ability to complete the work because people are people are getting sick. We're not caring for them properly. And if we can't do that well, now we have financial problems because we're not completing our contracts on time. I think it took some of the fire out of the work process discussions, but it certainly stoked the discussions relating to the two mandates. Peter Koch: [00:23:24] Let's take a quick break now. MEMIC policyholders get lots of free, convenient tools and solutions to overcome everyday ergonomic challenges in any work environment. MEMIC's E Ergo program has proven to help prevent injury. By analyzing your work process through pictures you send into our ergonomics team within 48 hours will begin to identify your risk factors and provide solutions. And now, using cutting edge video analysis, MEMIC can assess your manual material handling risks as they unfold without [00:24:00] stopping production. Ergo, just one of the signature programs from MEMIC that keeps workers safe, prevents costly injuries, and helps companies stay productive. Start the E Ergo process today by logging into the safety director at WWW./memic.com/WorkplaceSafety. Now let's get back to today's episode. Peter Koch: [00:24:26] What I found in all of this is the companies that have found success in those spirited conversations, like in the moment, they can be pretty challenging. But when you reflect back on when you got to live in that tension for a little while between one, one opinion of the individual and then the mandate that the company is trying to put together when you live in that tension for a while, come to a realization and then move forward. That's a that's a pretty powerful opportunity. If you can recognize [00:25:00] the recognize in the moment that you could have success. So stick with that conversation. Make sure you're recognizing what concerns the individuals bringing to you and try to address those concerns as best you can. Where in the past, sometimes the way it was addressed was this is the rule. It doesn't matter what you think. You need to you need to follow the rule. Jason Beam: [00:25:24] And for us, this wasn't we didn't want it to be one of those times. You know, we had our own philosophical position on some of these mandates and, you know, from the from the get go. So, look, we want people to be safe. We want you to we as a company are going to subscribe to CDC recommendations. People are looking for some sort of direction. Great. We're going to start here. And as we have to change and veer from what the CDC says, we will where it makes sense to. But these are the rules of engagement we're going to follow. And then along come these mandates. Well, our belief about what was right or wrong didn't [00:26:00] change. Yeah. So, you know, we're very open about our rules have changed in order to maintain this customer base with the federal contractor piece. And it's a very big part of our business, and we can't afford not to have that. And we still want you to take care of yourself. We still want you to not come to work when you're sick. We still think the right thing to do is get vaccinated and now boosted. But short of anybody telling us you have to, that's a decision for you to make. And we're not here to pass some sort of health policy on our folks or it's certainly not how dictate they and their families manage their health. So that was a tough spot to be in. But I think our position kind of between those two endpoints helped a bit because yeah, when somebody's sitting there, you know, I'm vaccinated, I'm for me, pretty painless process, but I can certainly understand the fear of that form. And I was mentioning earlier saying, you know, look, I'm not comfortable [00:27:00] with some of these things where the government's telling me that I need some medical treatment. He says, you know, I just I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I'm just not comfortable with this, you know, help me through this. So I think our kind of position between the two end points really kind of helped aid what you what you're aiming at here. Peter Koch: [00:27:19] And that's huge for that foreman to come to you with the challenge and look for you to partner for a solution to help him through that is enormous. That doesn't happen all the time and again going back to that invested in that trust bank for quite a while. And then that time, here is the time where you have to go and make a withdrawal to maybe make a change in what is going to happen on the job site that will affect individuals. But that individual to be comfortable enough to come to you and say, I don't know what to think. Right? Here's my challenge. Help me through this. Help me understand this. Where do I go? What do I do? And [00:28:00] ultimately, it's their choice. It's not your choice. It's their choice. But to for you to be there as a company, as part of that senior team, to look and say, all right, yeah, I can help you through that, or I can provide you with some resources. Or we can here's some ways that you can you can go out and look for information on your own and then come back if you have questions, let's talk about it. Jason Beam: [00:28:22] Yeah, you know what really strained that was when with regard to that federal contract and subcontractor mandate, they said, well, hey, here's how you're going to implement this. The people that will not comply, you need to enter them into your progressive discipline policy and apply as much pressure as it takes to get them to do it. We're sitting there going, that's not our role here. Right. And kind of announcing and rolling out that, okay, this is where we're at here. Certainly strained those relationships. But I but honestly, in all fairness, it was, you know, the field [00:29:00] leadership that turned around and got control of that. They're the ones that get their arms around all the tradespeople and said, hold on, hold on. You know, you do understand who we're dealing with here, right? You know, they care about us. They're interested in our success. And they're the ones that that helped really control that narrative, that, look, it's not CCB saying, if you don't do this, we're going to fire you. It's they're put in a position where they have to make some tough business decisions. Peter Koch: [00:29:26] Yeah. And if they don't, then the whole point is moot because we're not involved in the federal contract anymore. Jason Beam: [00:29:34] And that's a big enough portion of the book of business. So that's a pretty crippling thing. Of course then the legs get taken out from under that. Now the piece descends on us and you know where we're at with that. But you know, then how do you manage a, you know, for those that say, great, I don't have to get vaccinated, then how do you manage a testing program across that many sites? So yeah, it's been interesting. Peter Koch: [00:29:57] So can I ask you that question? How do you manage [00:30:00] a testing program across that many sites? Because I think that's a question that a lot of people have even over one site that's been a bigger that's been a bigger challenge than I think OSHA had initially thought, because it seems pretty easy. Yeah, go ahead. If you're not going to get vaccinated, then weekly tests. But if you if you take a quarter of the people that you have at 130, you're you know, you're looking at a substantial chunk of people that have to get tested every week. How do you how do you do that when you've got job sites over seven, 800 square miles? Jason Beam: [00:30:35] Yeah, it's the concept was very challenging. You know, ultimately now that the legs have been taken out from under the OSHA executive order sorry, the OSHA ETS, it changed our opportunities a little bit. You know, prior to that, we're looking at all right, we have a group up at several people up in Houlton, Maine. We have people down in Massachusetts. Even though we're 70 plus percent vaccinated, [00:31:00] there's still pockets of people that aren't. You know, there are some work environments where we can take some alternative approaches. Peter Koch: [00:31:08] Sure. Jason Beam: [00:31:08] But when you've got, say, you know, a bunch of people from up north that have no interest in being vaccinated, but you have to be protective of their data. You have to deal with the lack of testing opportunities. Oh, by the way, home tests either have to be administered or observed by the company. You know, logistically, how do you do that? And now you have you couple that with, you know, a union construction environment where even though we have some longer term jobs, we have a lot of short term jobs. And it's a matter of moving the chess pieces around for the best advantage for the company. So now you've got to track, well, where was everybody Friday? Where do we intend them to be Monday? And how much of Monday are we going to consume getting testing accomplished for these people? You know, we started asking questions like, all right, if it has to be observed or one solution is observed by a medical professional. How [00:32:00] do we feel about the people that have doctors, nurses, paramedics, whatever in the family? Paramedic has a medical license of sorts. Does that count? So we talked about that a bit. We looked at how we could leverage in a world of everything, zoom. Could we leverage that? But that created new challenges, too. Now you're tying up health and safety people for a good chunk of whatever day you pick. You know, great. I need your ten or 15 minutes. I need your 15 minutes. They're scheduling all these slots now. You know, trying to catch everybody has a major impact on the workflow, certainly complicated from a privacy perspective to go that route. And let's face it, just wasn't feasible to send everybody to all to send a bunch of people out to all these job sites to administer tests. Peter Koch: [00:32:49] No, definitely not. Jason Beam: [00:32:50] So. Honestly, we never came up with a great solution. We still have places that we need testing. You know, you got to have a test, negative [00:33:00] test within so many hours of going to the site. Well, those places have been doing it all along. So we're able to. Peter Koch: [00:33:07] Maintain. Jason Beam: [00:33:07] To handle those. You know, we have other job sites like over here at Maine Medical Center work in that expansion where, you know, our partnership with Turner, it gives those folks on that job site access to testing. So we're meeting the clients needs. Well, they're helping us accomplish that by really providing us the solution to. So as it is today, you take availability of tests out of it, which is complicated for everybody right now. Yeah, it's not horrible. But under the ETS scenario, I'm not sure would have been able to it would have taken us a couple of iterations to get it right. Yeah. Peter Koch: [00:33:46] And I think what I'm hearing in all of this is that it couldn't have been done even in its even the testing as it stands right now outside of the ETS. It couldn't have been done without some [00:34:00] commitment and planning. By the company. And it's not just one person, but this has to be a conversations that happen because it affects everybody. Like if you expect if you expect the environmental health and safety person at your company to manage all of the requirements around testing and with no help anyplace else, and they decide that, okay, I'm going to do the observations. Well, that person's no longer available for anybody else to come in and say, Hey, Jim, I need this. Hey, Jason, I need this. Hey, Pete, I need this. Depending on who they are and what's going on, they're not available to have that question anymore, so. Jason Beam: [00:34:41] Oh, absolutely. That was a big concern because a lot of what our team we have a we're in a tremendously good position. I think, you know, we don't have the biggest of companies, but we have a health and safety department of a risk department, all told of six people, including HR for that, you know, that ratio of tradespeople to [00:35:00] risk managers is phenomenal. Peter Koch: [00:35:02] It is. Jason Beam: [00:35:03] And, you know, we enjoyed the conversations where, hey, I'm going to hatch out a fall protection plan. Hey, what's the here's what I'm thinking. But would you come out and make sure that I'm not crazy here, you know, to be involved in in all phases of that project lifecycle from hey, let's talk about how we think we want to bid this through to let's triage this what went right? What went wrong? You know, over the years, CCB has really pulled that whole risk function into all facets of that, that project lifecycle. And to me, that's where we're making the most difference. So, you know, to take up minimally 40% of my time previously, I mean, early on, it was 100% of my time. But to carve that out, to be able to track vaccination status exposures, to contact tracing, you know, and to add the testing component to that. And now you're taking two people offline [00:36:00] and you're having that much less effect in the field. How much riskier is what we're doing at that point? Sure. Not that the folks that are out there doing it are competent. I mean, nine times out of ten, they say, hey, we were thinking of doing it this way. There's maybe a couple of adjustments we might make. By and large, they know. They know they're professionals, they're good at it. But sometimes just that reassurance or being able to troubleshoot something together comes up with a better solution. And to sacrifice that to meet a mandate was kind of scary. Peter Koch: [00:36:32] Yeah. Yeah, I can I can imagine. And I keep thinking of sort of that domino theory and how things fall apart, right? So if you're not available and you're not there to catch that 1% this one time that you need an adjustment with for the plan that they because they couldn't come to you. And that mistake gets captured and ingrained in the process for the next project. Now it becomes not just 1%, [00:37:00] but it's now 10% and it might be 20% the next time that it happens. And it becomes a bigger and bigger problem. And all of a sudden when you get back into it, they've been doing it this way forever and all of a sudden you have to make a much bigger change instead of a small part that doesn't really change the operation, but you're pointing them in a different direction early on. Like it's much easier to change in the design phase than it is to remodel something to make it great. Jason Beam: [00:37:25] Absolutely like a compass. The difference between true north and magnetic north. If I'm a few degrees off and I'm ten feet down the trail, that's an easy adjustment. But if I'm 100 miles, that's a pretty big gap. Peter Koch: [00:37:36] Yeah, I missed the McDonald's completely. Jason Beam: [00:37:38] Right. But, you know, you add to that the fear and uncertainty that comes with COVID, the conviction of people for and against the government's position. And all of these you know, all these other components of supply chain disruption, both at work and at home. Peter Koch: [00:37:56] Yeah, Jason Beam: [00:37:57] You add all those distractions into it [00:38:00] and it magnified outcomes, typically magnified negative outcomes. You know, we have all these new stressors, new distractions that we're trying to figure out. Well, there's only so much margin here. There's only so much bandwidth to observe what's going on around us. And for a good portion of that bandwidth is consumed with new problems and uncertainties. What are we missing? We're missing more than we did before this whole thing started. So, you know, there was definitely a focus on trying to trying to keep that in people's minds, to keep people vigilant for those things. But ultimately, it's a bit of a losing battle because you're fighting human nature. Peter Koch: [00:38:42] True. Jason Beam: [00:38:43] I mean, we got through it so far. Peter Koch: [00:38:46] So far. Right. Knock on wood. Right. Right. So let's I'm not going to switch gears totally, but I want to go back to. So your history. You said you started out as an IT guy. So how did you use how [00:39:00] did you find technology helping you to manage some of the challenges on the job site for COVID, like whether it's contact tracing or any of the check and stuff, because again, disparate locations, disparate groups and, you know, a robust staff of safety people. But if you've got 40 job sites, six people can't make it to those 40 job sites if they're spread out all over New England. Jason Beam: [00:39:25] A couple of different things. One of the things we instituted early on, we'd had a biweekly safety and ops call, you know, all the field leadership and anybody that wants to honestly jumps in and here's kind of here's the tale of the tape. Here's how we're performing on both fronts. Here's what's coming down the line. Here's what we've been on. Here's what we've been awarded. You know, be more inclusive with our information, right? We immediately out of the gate said, you know, this is going to be weekly and early on it's going to be COVID driven, you know, because people need to know. We need to know where we stand. They need to know what we expect and so on. Certainly, [00:40:00] you know, go to meeting Zoom, Teams, things like that made that piece easier because we're able to reach anybody that that chose to participate on all job sites. Yeah. Because of the Internet. You know, I have a phone and I have signal I can participate in that call on the vaccination tracking piece. Really? I can send if I can put a QR code on a job box and I need your vaccination status, I need to know that you're fully vaccinated because we're staring down the barrel of the executive order, 14042, blah, blah, blah. You know, I can get anybody. That doesn't have a flip phone. To scan that QR code. Are you vaccinated? Yes or no? If you're not, do you intend to be? Yes or no? Because we've got a plan in case this thing comes to fruition. And great. Then share that information with us and we tracks it. And of course, there's the questions about what about information, privacy and everything else. There's rules that govern that. [00:41:00] Right. And if we're following those rules, we're in good shape. And it's not that isn't a complex problem. The hard part was getting people to do it. Even the people that said, no, I'm not getting vaccinated. You know, I'm not doing it. I'll work someplace else if I have to. But I'm not doing it because I still get you to share the information with us. You know, I promise we're not going to sell it. Ultimately, we got the majority of it that helped a great deal. And to be able to provide, you know, executive management, the operations management with kind of a snapshot as to what percentage of our people are currently vaccinated, what aren't, because, you know, in the middle of that, you got a bunch of government job sites, some existing contracts. Those provisions weren't in effect yet. Some new contracts. They were. So you're you know, by the way, there's health care and education and all these other places with their own rules. You know, which pieces can I move where? So making that information available to them was big. And then we were looking at, [00:42:00] you know, if we had to follow through under the ETS with, with the testing piece, I, the only way we could even conceive of being able to accomplish that was to leverage things like Zoom the video piece. Would it have worked? Yeah, I think it would have with a couple of iterations, you know, I think it was more about would have been more about difficulties with the process, not the technology. Peter Koch: [00:42:23] And I think a lot of people would actually add one more part into that from a difficulty, which would be the trust part. And then going back to that, that's a pretty big withdrawal when you're asking someone to give you their medical status, to give you their this particular status, to tell your employer something. And if you haven't built some trust up before then, even when you give them information about this is we're promising that we're not going to do anything with this. We're complying with this regulation. We need to do this. This is the process. If you hadn't built the trust, they're not going to believe you. [00:43:00] And so they'll be even more challenged with given that or if they do give it, they're going to give it in a very distrustful way. And that starts to break down your productivity and your quality and your safety and the people part of what makes your business run. Jason Beam: [00:43:17] Oh for sure. You know, we were. You know, I talked earlier about the idea that we want people to feel that they can call us on their worst day. Peter Koch: [00:43:27] Yeah, Jason Beam: [00:43:28] Right. Short of 911. Right. But that kind of showed through. I mean, it kind of demonstrated that we're hitting our mark, I guess, in that regard with the trust. You know, folks would start say, listen, I've got a family member, my mom, my dad, my son, my daughter. I have a wife who's got immune issues. You know, what do you recommend? Well, we're not physicians here. We're not going to pretend to be. But we can tell you how we read the guidance and we'll do our best to help you through it to the point where. Christmas [00:44:00] Eve and Christmas Day. You know, a couple of folks had had some exposures. One was family related, and he'd say, I'm really sorry to bother you, but I don't know who else to reach out to. Right. You know, my doctor's office isn't open. Would you mind giving me your thoughts on this? You know, and they went through the scenario and, you know, afterwards I was talking with my family about it. Pretty big compliment there in that regard that that somebody in their own time worried about the health of one of their loved ones reached out to us based on the connection we've made with them throughout this. It was definitely an indicator that we were hitting the mark with some folks. Which certainly led to more probing discussions with people. And even some of the folks that are typically grumpier than others. You know, we're like, Yeah, no, we think you're doing the right thing. I'm not going to sit here and brag about it. So you don't either. But yeah, [00:45:00] we trust you. So again, I think so much of what we're able to accomplish was because of all the work we did and building the culture prior to the pandemic. Honestly. Peter Koch: [00:45:11] Yeah. And to we talk often with some of our policyholders about that culture survey, taking the survey, taking the temperature of what's going on in the workplace. And obviously for us, it's always a safety culture survey. You're always, I'm always looking at it from the safety perspective. But from your perspective, when you heard that or realized what they were asking you on that Christmas Eve, Christmas Day question, you went back and tried to see if this is really what the perception of the rest of the company is like. How are what's the barometer? I mean, that out of the blue, that's an awesome pat on the back and a humbling compliment to think that someone would think that much of the of the relationship that you built with them to trust you for [00:46:00] an opinion. But how does that, is that pervasive through the rest of the group? And to re-ask that question to not just rest on that laurel and think, yeah, we're doing it, great, move forward. But to actually go back and recheck the pulse, I guess. Jason Beam: [00:46:14] Yeah. And humbling for sure. I mean, that's absolutely you know, it wasn't a 100% success. Of course not. You know, and I don't think it ever will be. Peter Koch: [00:46:24] It's human. Jason Beam: [00:46:25] Yeah, exactly. Exactly. But I think we're able to capture a larger percentage of people because a you know, we understand that you can't control human nature. Right. I can't I can make assumptions about how you might react to something. But I don't know what's affecting you or your mood today. I don't know what's motivating you in any given day. So we tried to incorporate a little bit of that uncertainty in there to kind of putting a heavy emphasis on that based on our belief that this fear and uncertainty is really [00:47:00] eating away at people. So how do we not take advantage of that? But how do we how do we put that on a pedestal so that we're it's obvious that we're trying to take care of our people? Peter Koch: [00:47:11] Let's stop right here with part one of my conversation with Jason Beam, director of Environmental, Health, Safety and Risk Management for CCB right here in Westbrook, Maine. In part two, we will continue with Jason around lessons learned managing COVID 19 on a commercial construction site. So be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you get notice when part two drops. The MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast is written, hosted and produced by me, Peter Koch, with production and coordination assistance from Rod Stanley. If you'd like to hear more about a particular topic on our podcast, email me at podcast@MEMIC.com. Also check out our show notes at MEMIC.com/Podcast where you can find additional information and our entire podcast archive. So while you're there, sign up for our Safety [00:48:00] Net blog so that you never miss any of our articles and safety news updates. And if you haven't done so already, I'd appreciate it if you took a minute or two to review us on Spotify, iTunes, or whichever podcast service that you found us on. And if you've already done that, then thanks, because it really helps us spread the word. Please consider sharing this show with a business associate friend or a family member who you think will get something out of it. And as always, thank you for the continued support. And until next time, this is Peter Koch reminding you that listening to the MEMIC Safety Experts podcast is good, but using what you learned here is even better.  

Chris Comrie is an AT and a colleague of mine at the ESPN Winter X Games. This podcast was recorded heading into the final day of competition at the 2022 event. In the sports medicine world, Chris also works with US Ski and Snowboard, US Tennis, and other events as a part of Medicine in Motion. He has been a long time employee of Vail Resorts holding various positions since 2004. Chris holds a masters degree in Occupational Health & Safety Management from Columbia Southern University, and currently is a Senior Specialist in Health and Safety at Park City. Chris and I discuss the work force and how passion, drive, and opportunity can mesh together to form a career that you're excited to get out of bed in the morning for. We rehash some conversations with other practitioners on our team at the X Games from our "fireside chats" each night after the work is done for the day. Chris is someone who always brings a great attitude to the table and lives out the idea that opportunities are constantly surrounding us. He's a mover and shaker in the world of Athletic Training, and I hope you enjoy our conversation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jaime-huestis/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jaime-huestis/support

About our guest .. Police Captain with the Las Vegas MetropolitanPolice Department. He began his career with the Las Vegas PoliceMetropolitan Police Department as a Corrections Officer in 2000.He is a native of Lake Charles, LA., graduating from LaGrange HighSchool, then served his country for twelve years in the UnitedStates Marine Corps, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. Carlosgraduated from Columbia Southern University with a Bachelor ofScience degree in Criminal Justice. In February of 2020, Carlos waspromoted to Captain and entrusted with commanding all aspectsof Bolden Area Command. Bolden Area Command encompassesapproximately 17 square miles in and around the historic WestSide of Las Vegas. The area command places a considerableinterest in strengthening its relationship with the community andconducts over 100 community events each year.Subscribe to our Youtube Channel College of Medicine website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/University website:https://www.roseman.edu/-College of Medicine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosemanmedicine/-GENESIS website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/home/genesis/Follow UsTwitter:@DrJoeGreer @Rosemanmedicine@lvmpdbacInstagram: @rosemanuhs@lvmpdbacTikTok: LVMPDBACFacebook:facebook.com/baclvmpd 

Sylvester is a native of Columbus, Ga. A combat veteran, author, mental health advocate and motivational speaker with four tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. He is a retired First Sergeant with 21 years of military service in the US Army. He has accomplished measurable results under extreme pressure while leading teams of multiple personnel in dynamic, fast-paced and hostile environments. He is a recipient of multiple awards for outstanding performance and professionalism. He completed the Master Resilience Training Course from the Leader Development Division and The University of Pennsylvania. Sylvester is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. He graduated from Columbia Southern University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. He is certified in Advance Leadership, Executive Leadership and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Sylvester self-published the books A Quick Cure to Successful Leadership, Winning the battle within and The Compass. He is an motivational speaker who has empowered 1000's of people by helping them reach their goals, both personally and professionally.Slyvester's links: Website: www.sylvesterjenkins.comIG: @sylvesterjenkinsiiiFB: Sylvester Jenkins IIIBooks:Winning The Battle : https://amzn.to/3lhyPBgA Quick Cure to Successful Leadership: https://amzn.to/3lhyPBgRich State of Mind Links:Website: www.richstateofmind.comMake cash on the side: https://send.cloutzap.com/richstateofmindInstagram : @rich_statebrand and @rich_invests_Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/anthanerichiePlease like and subscribe to our channel.See our cool wealth building and real estate T-shirt designs in the links below :Rich State of Mind Store : https://bit.ly/RichStateSupport the show

When Chantell and her family were at the lowest of lows, they were living in a run down, falling apart camp house for free—because they couldn't afford to pay rent—and had no food left. Fast forward to today, and Chantell and her family are founders of Columbia Southern University, an active university with 31,000 students. So how does someone go from no food to university founder?On this episode of Overcome With Auntie Anne, I talk with author and speaker, Chantell Cooley. Chantell is a woman of perseverance who has lived through and overcome her own obstacles to become the influential person of leadership she is today. And she's passionate about empowering others to reach their ideal level of success by persevering through their own obstacles. Read the full show notes=>>https://bit.ly/OWAA011Grab Anne's free StoryStarter Guide: auntieannebeiler.com/storystarterFollow Anne on Instagram: instagram.com/auntieannebFollow Anne on Facebook: facebook.com/auntieannebeiler

Stacy Bowers joins the podcast to share her story as a former cast member from the OWN network's Ready To Love, Season 4. I ran into her in the bathroom at Henke & Pilot on a Friday night and convinced her to have a conversation with me and she's been in the group chat ever since! Stacy is a dynamic entrepreneur and television personality hailing from the state of Mississippi. Growing up as an only child to a single mother, Stacy developed an incredible work ethic at an early age. She credits her mom with cultivating in her a strong sense of humility, community engagement, vision. As a youth and young adult, Stacy would dedicate weeks of her summers in Saltillo, Coahuila Mexico doing missionary work with the impoverished. A world traveler, she has had the living abroad in Israel and Italy. She speaks 3 languages including Spanish and Italian. Stacy is a decorated and respected entrepreneur, earning recognition as a Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs in Texas. As an insurance agency owner, she has earned the distinction of being a Top 5 Producer in her area. A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, she has remained true to her commitment to her community by serving in youth mentorship including youth business education efforts. She has served in community youth athletic support, coaching and sponsorship. As a television personality, Stacy has been seen as a contestant in Tony Award winning CBS show The Amazing Race. She also tested her luck at love in OWN's hit reality show, Ready To Love. One of her upcoming projects includes being a featured author in a book entitled “Elevated: Rise of the Underdog”- digital copies being released starting Oct 7, 2021.She is the mother of three, currently living in Houston, Texas. Stacy earned her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Mississippi State University. She completed the Master's program at Columbia Southern University, earning Highest Honors with a Masters of Business Administration specializing in Public Policy.  We discuss her time on television and her outlook as an entrepreneur, mom and now author. Join the conversation by grabbing a notepad to see how her insurance company can help your dwelling area and how her new book can help your mindset.

How prophetic words and worship give us the strength to stand on God's word. Chantell is the co-founder of Columbia Southern University and Chantell Cooley Ministries.chantellcooley.comDeanmitchum.comSupport us on Patreon Kickstart Your Prophetic Worship JourneyMovement Writers MusicMovement Writers School of WorshipSupport the show

In this episode, Ted and Barb talk to Rebecca Keating and Paul Radke from Columbia Southern University. Rebecca has a Master's in Marketing and has worked for CSU for five and a half years. Paul has been working in higher education for over 45 years and at CSU for seven years. They share about Columbia Southern University and their nationally recognized Occupational Safety and Health program. There are over 7000 students in associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs in occupational safety and health. 75% of those are full-time working safety professionals who are non-degree. Certificate, certification, and degree programs help them to do their job better and to be more credible within their profession and stable within their company. The general process to become a certified professional is unique to this university. They take a lot of the training and certifications that safety professionals have gone through and assess that as potential college degree transfer credit so they can move forward towards graduation. The evaluations of credit are complimentary, and there is no commitment to enroll. Listen to this episode and find out, among other things, how to enroll and get a 10% tuition discount.  Resources: https://www.healthandsafetynow.com (Total Health & Safety Solutions) https://safetyfm.com/ (Safety FM) https://www.columbiasouthern.edu/ (Columbia Southern University) Paul Radke e-mail Rebecca Keating e-mail Phone: 8009778449

**The views and content shared in this Podcast are personal and do not reflect the views of any branch of Military service.**Many say save for a rainy day, well Chief Bridges of Mastering Debts In Advance says think about saving for LIVING!! Go Fund Me is not a replacement for life insurance.  Honestly, Insurance is something we may not truly grasp or even deem necessary sometimes until it's too late, but it's necessary for your peace of mind and preparation for what May come. SGLI is great but you should be aware of all your options! This company can help you with education on insurance and on money management overall! Why?? Because preparation is Key for the future! If you don't do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones. This is an important episode to listen to and you want to contact your sister in arms for more information! See her bio below: Melissa Bridges is from Columbus, MS and she has served 19 years in the United States Air Force.  She has spent her time using her personal and career experiences to help people master their debts in advance.  The ultimate goal is to help clients prepare for unexpected money challenges, retirement, critical and chronic illnesses, and death. She knows there is no single approach that works for everyone, so she continues to educate herself on how money works, how money grows, and how to tailor these attributes to the needs of the client. She received her education at the University of Marlyland University College with Bachelors in English and a minor in Sociology. She is currently enrolled at Columbia Southern University in the MBA program for Human Resource Management. She earned her Life License in November 2020 and she is currently licensed in 18 different states.  **The views stated here today do not reflect any views of the United States Air Force** Connect with Melissa: Email: masteringdebtsinadvance@gmail.com Facebook: Mastering Debts in Advance Instagram: @masteringdebtsinadvance *Want to share your story or get our insight on any topic that impacts you the military woman, email us at camobeautystories@gmail.com. We LOVE to hear from YOU!Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, like, comment & SHARE on IG, FB & Twitter and join us  Friday's at 5PM EST on major podcast streaming platforms.The views and content shared on this podcast are personal and does not reflect the views of any branch of military service!Be Kind to your body, soul & mind!

Special needs children are often misunderstood, but if accepted teach us just how much strength and love we really do possess. This mother of 5 boys has endured many challenges as one of her children was diagnosed with specific special needs. How does raising a child with special needs impact the rest of the family? How do parents continue to serve in the Military and address these specific concerns? From initial diagnosis to inpatient care and continued development, Jenell shares her why for launching the William is Artistic Non Profit organization.This Military wife and mother emulates taking care of people both on and off duty and is another great representation of Camouflaged Beauty.Check out her bio for yourself!Founder & CEO of William is Artistic, Jenell Brown is a Special Education Advocate & Master IEP Coach, residing in Hampton, VA. Jenell is actively working on a Board Certification Education Advocate certificate, from the National Special Education Advocacy Institute. She graduated from Columbia Southern University with a B.S. in Occupational Safety and Health. She is a 21-year Air Force veteran still serving as a First Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Jenell is passionate about serving families in the special needs community and assisting them with navigating through their special education journey. As Founder & CEO of her nonprofit, she plans to serve communities locally and remotely through her organization with advocacy, support, training, and resources to help them learn how to properly advocate for their childrenKick back, relax, share this episode and listen to her journey for yourself!Want to share your story or get our insight on any topic that impacts you the military woman, email us at camobeautystories@gmail.com. We LOVE to hear from YOU!Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, like, comment & SHARE on IG, FB & Twitter and join us  Friday's at 5PM EST on major podcast streaming platforms.The views and content shared on this podcast are personal and does not reflect the views of any branch of military service!Be Kind to your body, soul & mind!