Summer 2021
Virtual Conference a Wrap; Save the Date for the 2022 Conference

The virtual SERMA Conference was a great success this year.

Day 1 of the 2-day event saw a total of 231 attendees. Welcoming comments were shared by Tom Phelan, CEO of Chesapeake Employers Insurance, Maryland Senator Brian J. Feldman, Carmine D’Alessandro, President of IWIF and Chief Legal Officer of Chesapeake Employers, and Kristin Klein, Chair of the SERMA Risk Management Committee.

Of note this year was a special video featuring “thank you” messages from a number of State Agency secretaries as well as from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan himself to the State’s many essential workers who have been reporting to the workplace throughout the past year-and-a-half in order keep Maryland open and functioning.

Day 2 saw an equivalent number of attendees and, for the first time ever, featured a live, inspirational presentation by Amberley Snyder, titled “Get Back on the Horse.” The highly anticipated awards ceremony capped off the event, during which 10 SERMA Awards were presented virtually. A hearty congratulations to all the 2021 award winners!

The team is already looking forward to a live, in-person event next year at the Boumi Temple in Rosedale, so save the date of Thursday, May 26, 2022 for next year’s conference!

Occupational First Aid and Adult CPR/AED Training Returns

IWIF/Chesapeake Employers will again be offering classroom-based, in-person training in Occupational First Aid, Adult CPR and AED certification, effective summer 2021. This training is not intended for healthcare professionals who are required to take a healthcare provider course for their employment.

This comprehensive, 6-hour National Safety Council training helps ensure compliance with OSHA First Aid Standard 29 CFR 1910.151 for those individuals seeking certification or re-certification in basic First Aid and CPR/AED. An NSC certification card will be awarded upon successful completion of a short exam following the training. The certification is good for two years from the date of training.

Note: Priority will be given to those individuals who completed this training in 2019 and are required to recertify in 2021. For more information, please contact your Risk Management Consultant or email safetyservices@ceiwc.com. 
SERMA "Move Over" Campaign Wins Two PR Awards in 2020

IWIF/Chesapeake Employers won two public relations awards in 2020 for its part in the SERMA Safety Campaign to raise awareness about Maryland’s Move Over law. The two first-place “Best in Maryland” awards were presented by the Public Relations Society of America’s Maryland Chapter to members of Chesapeake Employers’ Communications Department in a virtual ceremony in December 2020. 
 
IWIF partnered with the Maryland State Police, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) to raise awareness about the importance of Maryland’s Move Over law. Traffic incidents are the number one cause of death for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responders and a leading cause of death for police officers, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Move Over law was enacted to help keep first responders and public safety officers safer on the roads; it requires motorists to slow down and safely move over one lane when approaching disabled vehicles and first responders on the side of the road, especially on Maryland's highways.
 
Outreach included news releases, public service announcements, social media posts and educational materials, including:
·        A 4 x 9” pamphlet
·       An 11 x 17” color poster
·        Web and social media graphics
·        12 x 20” signage atop State gas pumps located across Maryland (see photo above)
 
Maryland State Police troopers handed out the pamphlets during traffic stops to encourage citizens to learn and understand the importance of Maryland’s move over law. To date, some 250,000 of these pamphlets have been printed and distributed, and an MSP representative reports that, “[The] public is increasingly aware of the law.” 
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