Trust Announcements

 

AEDs in Municipal Parks?

 

On May 22, 2010, a Bucks County parent suffered a fatal heart attack while watching his son's baseball game at a municipal ball field. Some well meaning parents blame the lack of an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the park as a contributing factor to the death. This incident has generated several inquiries to the Trust from members seeking guidance on the issue. The risk control department would like to share some thoughts on the subject of AEDs in municipal parks.

• As of the publication date of this bulletin, there is no law in Pennsylvania requiring the installation of AEDs at municipal parks.

• Providing a 24/7 freely accessible AED at a remote, unsupervised location like a park will likely lead to the unit being stolen or vandalized.

• In addition to the initial purchase costs, there are ongoing maintenance and training obligations. AED batteries have a finite lifespan (about 3-5 years) and can cost several hundred dollars per unit to replace. AED users should also complete a recognized training program in order to gain full protection under the Pa. Good Samaritan statute (Pa. C.S. Title 42 § 8331.2).

Recommended AED deployment options:

1. The municipality could rely on AED units carried by their emergency medical, police or fire services. This is a feasible option if resources are limited and response times short.

2. The municipality might consider mounting an AED inside an owned secure concession stand or on-site park office and posting its location outside and throughout the park. The AED would then be available for use during periods when the concession stand or park office was open to the public.

3. The municipality might consider donating an AED to the local sports organization. The organization would then be responsible for bringing the unit to events as they do with other first aid supplies. Equipment donation has the additional advantage of transferring ongoing maintenance and training obligations to the recipient.

For additional questions regarding the Trust's recommendations on AEDs in municipal parks, contact the Trust's risk control department:
Peter Erndwein (267-781-0612; perndwein@dvit.com)
Linda Poole (267-781-0619; lpoole@dvit.com)

MUNICIPAL RM NEWS AND ANALYSIS

 

Law Enforcement - Arresting Undocumented Immigrants

 

Undocumented immigrants and other foreign nationals present a unique challenge to local law enforcement. Although they may be involved with similar crimes to their US citizen counterparts, non-citizens require special handling upon arrest. Failure to consider such requirements could result in potential consequences ranging from lawsuits to international diplomatic incidents.

The US Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs provides guidelines for handling foreign nationals subject to arrest or detention:

1. When foreign nationals are arrested or detained, they must be advised of the right to have their consular officials notified.

2. In some cases, the nearest consular officials must be notified of the arrest or detention of a foreign national, regardless of the national's wishes.

3. Consular officials are entitled to access to their nationals in detention, and are entitled to provide consular assistance.

4. When a government official becomes aware of the death of a foreign national, consular officials must be notified.

5. When a guardianship or trusteeship is being considered with respect to a foreign national who is a minor or incompetent, consular officials must be notified.

6. When a foreign ship or aircraft wrecks or crashes, consular officials must be notified.

For additional information including specific law enforcement procedures when arresting or detaining foreign nations, clink:

Gas Meters - Bump Testing

 

Atmosphere testing meters (a.k.a. gas meters) are used by a variety of municipal departments to ensure the safety of work atmospheres, especially confined spaces. The instruments detect hazardous atmospheric constituents using electronic and electrochemical sensors. To ensure accurate readings, the sensors require calibration according to a schedule dictated by the equipment manufacturer.

The risk control department has found that some municipal departments totally rely on the manufacturer's annual or quarterly calibration to ensure their gas meters are working properly. Given the critical nature of this equipment, it is recommended that owners perform a "bump test" prior to using the gas meter. This is done in order to verify the gas meter's alarm is functioning properly. A bump test is usually performed using a test gas in which contaminant levels exceed the instrument's alarm settings. Most manufacturers will sell bump testing gases appropriate for their equipment.

Still not convinced of the benefits of bump testing? Consider the following. The meter manufacturer, Industrial Scientific, recently reported in its white paper, "Why Bump Testing Saves Lives," that for every 1,000 bump tests, three gas detectors will fail to respond properly. Failing to bump test your gas meter is like playing the lottery where you have an excellent chance of winning. Unfortunately, this is one lottery you don't want to win!

For additional questions regarding gas meter bump testing, contact the Trust's risk control department:
Peter Erndwein (267-781-0612; perndwein@dvit.com)
Linda Poole (267-781-0619; lpoole@dvit.com)

Educational Resource - Proper Respirator Use

 

N-95 filtering facepiece respirators are common low-cost respirators useful to protect municipal workers from airborne particulates ranging from H1N1 bioaerosols to silica dust. For these respirators to function properly, workers must put them on properly and perform a qualitative fit check. NIOSH has developed a simple posting to help workers with these tasks.

To access a copy of this latest educational resource, clink

Fleet Safety - Distracted Driving Resources

 

Blink and you are likely to miss another batch of portable consumer electronic gadgets hitting the market. While the impact on improving our quality of life is debatable, one consequence is not. These devices are increasingly the root cause behind deadly roadway crashes.

The National Safety Council, a leader in the field of injury prevention, recently announced that due to the magnitude of the distracted driving problem, it is making its downloadable Cell Phone Policy Kit for Employers available free of charge. The kit includes

Communications to Build Management Support
• Executive Summary Written Handout
• Executive Summary PowerPoint® Presentation
• Call to Action
• Frequently Asked Questions
• NSC Employee Policy
• Generic Cell Phone Policy :

Communications to Roll-Out Policy to Employees
• Article to Inform
• Voice Mail Teasers to Employees
• Top Eight Reasons List
• Pull Over and Park Poster
• Focus on Your Driving Poster
• Presentation Script
• Voice Mail Greetings
• Tips for Distraction-free Driving
• Policy Pocket Card
• One-hour Training Program on Cell Phones and Driving (includes Instructor Guide, Participant Guide and PowerPoint® presentation)

To obtain a copy of the free kit, clink:

 

Seven Recalls

 

Specialized Bicycle Components Recalled Due to Fall Hazard

 

 

General Electric Coffee Makers Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

        

Effective Public Speaking and Presentations - Oct. 28
Penn State Municipal Leadership Certificate Program Elective Course
Audience: Municipal Leaders
Location: PennState Abington@611

IT Risk Management for Local Government (Double Feature) - Nov. 23
Part 1. Preparing Local Governments for New E-Discovery Obligations
Part 2. Managing Electronic Information Flow in the Age of Facebook and Twitter - Implications for Local Government
Audience: Municipal Managers and Municipal IT Professionals
Location: Horsham Township Public Library

 

SEMINARS - PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

 

Location:  Trust Office - Willow Grove, PA 

Location:  Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus - Conshohocken, PA

Location :  Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus - Conshohocken, PA

Location :  Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus - Conshohocken, PA

Questions

 

Linda Poole lpoole@dvit.com or 267-781-0619 

This bulletin is published as a value-added benefit for the members of the Delaware Valley Insurance Trusts.  While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained, no warranty is expressed or implied. 

Public entities wishing to get more information on membership in the Delaware Valley Insurance Trusts are encouraged to visit our website at www.DVIT.com or call 866-706-0101 (toll free).