PCSC News & Events

News, announcements, and articles from the PCSC.

Emergency Preparedness Symposium was a Success!

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The Portage County Annual Emergency Preparedness Symposium was a great event!

In conjunction with the Portage County Fire Chief’s Association, Portage County Health Department, Portage County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the Portage County Safety Council, the event took place on Friday, November 15th, 2024, at Northeast Ohio Medical University, and had 3 great presentations!

  • Lithium-Ion Batteries, presented by Nick Zamiska, Bad Day Training and Consulting.
  • 2012 Chardon School Shooting – Lessons Learned, presented by Michael Hanlon, Chardon Schools Superintendent.
  • Cybersecurity and Multi-factor Authentication, presented by Cameron Singer, Portage County Informational Technology.

2024 Holiday Food Drive!

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We’ll be collecting non-perishable food donations at our November and December meetings to support the Center of Hope and Kent Social Services food pantries. Both programs serve hundreds of families in need on a daily basis so we’re honored to be able to help support their work in our county!

Bring in canned or non-perishable food donations to either luncheon and receive a chance to win a gift card! Attendees will receive 1 drawing ticket per item donated.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The Center of Hope has served over 108,000 hot meals and distributed over 22,000 bags of groceries!  They serve the communities of Ravenna, Ravenna Township, Charlestown, Wayland, Edinburgh, North Benton, Palmyra, Eastern Palmyra, Diamond, Paris Township, Deerfield, Newton Falls, and Rootstown.
  • Kent Social Services “serves over 20,000 hot meals a year and provides over 100,000 pounds of groceries to households in need.”

February 20, 2025 – Threat Evaluation & Reporting Overview (TERO) Training

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The Threat Evaluation and Reporting Overview (TERO) is a three-hour introductory training focusing on a behavioral approach to violence prevention. The TERO raises awareness about the risk factors, triggers and stressors, and warning behaviors that could impact a person’s decision to commit an act of targeted violence. Further, it outlines the mitigating factors that could help prevent acts of targeted violence, while emphasizing the importance of community involvement in seeking help for individuals, and respecting their privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.

Click here to view the event flyer.

  • DATE:  Thursday, February 20, 2025.
  • TIME:  9:00AM-12:00PM.
  • LOCATION:  Portage County EMA, 2978 OH-59, Ravenna, OH 44266.
  • COST:  Free but registration is required.
  • REGISTRATION:  Must register online by Friday, February 14, 2025. Seating is limited.
  • INSTRUCTOR:  Faylin Eve Thurn, State Homeland Security Program Manager, Summit County Department of Public Safety.
  • CREDITS: This event qualifies for up to one safety council rebate Attendance Credit (the same as a monthly meeting) for Portage County Safety Council members or up to one External Training Credit for members of other Ohio Safety Councils.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

November 15, 2024 – Emergency Preparedness Symposium

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In conjunction with the Portage County Fire Chief’s Association, the Portage County Health Department, Portage County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the Portage County Safety Council, you are invited to attend the Portage County Annual Emergency Preparedness Symposium, scheduled for November 15, 2024, from 08:00AM to 12:00PM at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, Cook Hall (4209 OH-44, Rootstown, OH 44272).

The following FREE event qualifies for up to one safety council rebate Attendance Credit (the same as a monthly meeting) for PCSC members and up to one external training credit for members of other Ohio Safety Councils.

This is a great training opportunity covering 3 hot button issues!

  1. Lithium-ion Battery Safety: “While these batteries provide an effective and efficient source of power, the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored.” – NFPA
  2. Chardon Active Shooter: Professionals who were present during the 2012 Chardon High School shooting will share about what they learned from the tragedy to help improve your policy, preparation and prevention.
  3. Cybersecurity: “The integration of sophisticated technologies not only fuels business innovation but also introduces complex cybersecurity challenges. This reality is further compounded by the growing dependence on third-party and fourth-party vendors, which can extend the cybersecurity risk landscape beyond the organization’s immediate control.” – Security Scorecard

Register online no later than Friday, November 8th, 2024. IMPORTANT: Please make sure to click “Yes” on question 5 (Are you attending for the Portage County Safety Council) so we can make sure you’re on the PCSC sign-in sheets to qualify for the rebate attendance credit.

CREDITS: Please note that attendees for the symposium will be awarded four (4) hours of EMS continued education! In addition, this free event qualifies for up to one safety council rebate Attendance Credit (the same as a monthly meeting) for Portage County Safety Council members or up to one External Training Credit for members of other Ohio Safety Councils.

Effective Communication Workshop was a Success!

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We had fun at our Effective Communication Workshop yesterday in Ravenna! Safety Council Coordinator Mike Thompson presented on How to Communicate Your Big Idea to Improve Safety.

The training covered 3 common barriers to effective communication, how to use models & conceptual frameworks to structure your big idea, and 6 principles that help your messaging stick.

91% of participants said they recommend this training and 95% rated the speaker as “Excellent.”

Exciting Updates for Our All-New Annual Safety Awards Event!

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The awards ceremony on May 9th is going to be a great event!

Here are some exciting updates:

  1. Cleveland Guardians Tickets: We’ll be having a drawing for 4 Cleveland Guardians tickets courtesy of US Safety Gear!
  2. Keynote Speaker: Kevin Mowers, Founder of Crestcom International of Northeast Ohio will be our keynote speaker. Kevin is a dynamic storyteller and has recently spoken at the 2024 Ohio Safety Congress in Columbus, the largest free safety event in the USA.
  3. County Commissioners: County Commissioner Sabrina Christian-Bennett will be present and providing county “proclamation” certificates to our 4 safety award winners.
  4. Onsite Photography:  Armond Luckey Photography will be onsite, taking pictures of our award winners and the event. From senior pictures & family photos to professional profiles and more, Armond Luckey Photography can help with all your photography needs.
  5. Championship Belt: Fulfill your childhood dreams by staying over after the meeting and taking a selfie or a team photo with our new Annual Safety Awards Championship Belt!
  6. Championship Lunch: Although Guido’s wasn’t nominated for one of our safety awards, they should be nominated for their catering! They’ll be serving a championship lunch of everyone’s favorite – MEAT ROLL, cheesy hash brown potatoes, green bean casserole, tossed salad, fresh Italian bread, drinks and desserts. 

This event is ideal for all staff but don’t forget to invite your CEO!!!

Please register online no later than Thursday, May 2, 2024. Cost for lunch is $20/person for members (who RSVP) and $25 for non-members & walk-ins (including members who do not RSVP by deadline). Please note: no shows will be invoiced. Cash, credit or check accepted at the door. If paying by check, make it payable to: “Portage County Safety Council”.

This meeting is sponsored by Summa Health.


2024 Safety Award Winners

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We’re excited to announce our 2024 Portage County Safety Award Winners!

We’ll be celebrating and honoring our winners at our next luncheon on Thursday, May 9, 2024, 11:30am-1:00pm, at the Ravenna Elks. Click here to register to attend.

2024 Safety Champion – Renee Onesti, Director of Operations, Kent Elastomer Products: Renee Onesti has continually promoted workplace safety well beyond her daily tasks & job description. She has served on the Portage County Steering Committee for over 15 years helping to develop, coordinate, and facilitate literally hundreds of training events throughout Portage County, including multiple county-wide workplace health & safety expos.  She collaborates with other safety professionals to help solve safety issues beyond the four walls of her company.  She has spoken many times to improve safety, including on the main stage at the Ohio Safety Congress and Expo in Columbus, the largest free safety event in the nation.  A safety champion is one who goes above and beyond the call of duty to promote safety. Renee exemplifies what it means to be a safety champion!

2024 Safety Improvement Award – Diane Conner, Safety Manager, Miller Transfer and Rigging: Diane Conner has been instrumental in elevating the Safety Department and overall safety culture at Miller Transfer and Rigging since she arrived 2 years ago. Diane has created a collaborative and accountable safety department that has improved the company’s overall corporate culture. Last year (2023) preventable Accidents significantly decreased and overall CSA score (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Scorecard) improved by 11%. Accident frequency based on miles driven and total accidents were down 40% vs last year. As a result of Diane’s hard work, Miller Transfer and Rigging was recognized by the SC&RA for these great safety accomplishments.

2024 Safety Innovation Award – The Pyrotek Aurora Plant Safety Team: After noticing that only 5% of employees actually participated in safety or recognized risks. The local Pyrotek plant in Aurora rolled out a new safety program called Find It – Fix It. The program allows employees that find a safety issue to fix it themselves. Once a safety issue is discovered, a member of the Safety Team will verify the hazard and confirm that it was fixed by the employee. FiFI reports are reviewed monthly and the most impactful fix is recognized. In 9 months, participation rate is over 70%, they’ve seen a reduction in maintenance request & labor costs, and over 250 safety issues have been found and fixed by employees. As a result of the Aurora plant’s success, Pyrotek corporation is now in the process of rolling out their Find It – Fix It program at their other locations.

2024 Community Safety Award – The Portage County EMA: Through their Site Assisted Visit (SAV) program, the LEPC visits businesses in Portage County that report annually in compliance with EPCRA. This program has identified many chemical improvements and reporting corrections (both favorable and unfavorable to the business). It provides insight to first responders on the facility type, capabilities, the location, and potential severity of hazardous chemicals. In a typical year the LEPC visits four to eight companies within Portage County to ensure compliance, readiness and help improve the company’s own safety plans. Through this program there have been improvements in employee safety, preparedness for first responders and prevention of environmental incidents.Ryan Shackelford and his team deserve all the credit for developing this program and not only providing all the benefits listed above for Portage County, but also for developing a program that has worked so well that is has been adopted by several other counties within Ohio and a few LEPC’s from other States.

June 6, 2024 – How to Communicate Your Big Idea to Improve Safety

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How to Communicate Your Big Idea to Improve Safety on Thursday, June 6th, 2024, 10AM-11:30AM!

Click here to view the flyer.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!!!

This fun and interactive training will cover:

  • How to structure your communications by using mental models and conceptual frameworks to increase clarity and buy-in.
  • How to avoid communicating too much too soon and losing people’s attention.
  • A simple 3-step strategy to communicate more effectively and produce better results.
  • 6 proven ways to make your ideas “stick.”

This training is ideal for:

  • Anyone who is looking to communicate more effectively and trying to sell their idea formally or informally to others.
  • Managers that struggle to get employees to buy into their safety program.
  • Managers who struggle to sell their safety suggestions to executives.

About the Trainer: Mike Thompson is a seasoned leader with more than 15 years of experience in the non-profit industry and nearly 12 years in safety. He has a Master’s of Business Administration degree from American Intercontinental University and is a certified Workplace Stability, Global Priority Solutions, and Bridges Out of Poverty Trainer. Through the years, Mike has helped coach hundreds of people through tough and traumatic circumstances and now leverages that experience to help organizations become safer places to work. He has served as the Portage County Safety Council coordinator since 2012.

  • PRICE: Free but registration is required by Friday, May 31st
  • CREDITS:  Qualifies for up to one rebate attendance credit (same as a monthly meeting).
  • DATE:  Thursday, June 6, 2024.
  • TIME:  10:00AM-11:30AM
  • LOCATION: Family & Community Services, 705 Oakwood St, Room 101, in Ravenna, Ohio 44266.
  • LUNCH:  Pizza will be provided after the training courtesy of our Safety Education Fund (money raised in our monthly 50/50).
  • CAPACITY:  Seating is limited to 30 and on a first come, first served basis. PCSC members will have priority.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!!!

April 25, 2024 – NARCAN Training

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PCSC Members:

You asked for it, now it’s here!

In partnership with Project DAWN and the Portage County Combined Health District, we’re hosting a free NARCAN Training on Thursday, April 25th, 10AM-11:30AM!

  • PRICE: Free but registration is required by Friday, April 19th.
  • CREDITS:  Qualifies for up to one rebate attendance credit (same as a monthly meeting).
  • DATE:  Thursday, April 25, 2024.
  • TIME:  10:00AM-11:30AM
  • LOCATION:Portage County Combined Health District, 999 East Main Street • Ravenna, Ohio 4426.
  • LUNCH:  Pizza will be provided after the training courtesy of our Safety Education Fund (money raised in our monthly 50/50).
  • CAPACITY:  Seating is limited on a first come, first served basis. PCSC members will have priority.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!!!

Click here to view the flyer.