May Educational Webinar: Shielding the Rescuers - Ideas for Internal Health and Safety Programs
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Event Details
Each month, WEMSA members will be able to access a free online webinar exclusive to members only! Accredited for 1 CEU, each month will feature a different topic that is relevant to a variety of EMS levels. This month's webinar will take place on May 27th from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM. You must register for the course using your member profile to ensure you have access to the Zoom link.
May's topic is Shielding the Rescuers - Ideas for Internal Health and Safety Programs with Heather Blum.
Course Description: "Shielding the Rescuers" makes the case that occupational health is a structured maintenance program for an organization's most critical asset - its people - and is foundational to long-term organizational sustainability. Drawing on frameworks from OSHA, DSPS, and NIOSH, this presentation walks EMS leaders through a practical, tool-supported approach to building internal health and safety programs without starting from scratch. We'll examine the regulatory landscape governing Wisconsin EMS agencies, explore how organizational culture drives program success, and work through a suite of evidence-based interventions spanning physical safety, environmental hazards, mental health support, and often-overlooked areas like reproductive health, hearing protection, and generational communication. Using free tools including the NIOSH WellBQ survey, Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) templates, SWOT analysis, and CISM planning frameworks, participants will leave with a roadmap for auditing their current systems and implementing repeatable, scalable occupational health initiatives.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the importance of occupational health in maintaining organizational sustainability.
- Understand how organizational culture is a strong predictor of the success of occupational health programs.
- Understand how to use free tools and resources as a repeatable framework for occupational health initiatives.
Target Audience: All First Responders
Registration Information
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Course Speaker: Heather Blum, EnviroZen LLC
Heather Blum is the owner of EnviroZen LLC, specializing in organizational environmental health and safety. She is a biological
scientist, ergonomist, sanitarian, lead risk assessor and environmental health specialist.
After a late start to her secondary education, she advanced through roles as a college science instructor, a NASA safety and health professional, and a public health environmental health
professional with a dual role in public health emergency preparedness.
She is recognized for her expertise in high pressure environments and her commitment to improving workplace health, satisfaction and productivity.