Keeping the Winning Trend
By Lynn Bren, SDPAA Director of Member Services
Trips and falls, law enforcement chases, employment related decisions, playgrounds, and pools… all of these things have something in common; they create risks that may be unique challenges for our Members. The South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance offers several opportunities for loss control options to help our Members navigate through these and many other risk management challenges daily.
The South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance partners with the SDML Workers Compensation Fund to sponsor safety awards which are presented to our Members each year. 2019 Jim Fjerestad Memorial Safety Leadership Award
Prior to July 7, 2015 the award was titled the South Dakota Safety and Loss Control Award. In 2014 Jim Fjerestad was the recipient of this award. Jim was an employee of the City of Brandon, whose passion for safety and loss control spread well beyond the City. Jim recognized that smaller communities would benefit from the information and advice that he was providing the employees in Brandon, and invited employees from those surrounding communities to the City’s safety and loss control meetings. This initiative taken by Jim was selfless and inspiring. Jim passed away July 7, 2015. The award was renamed “The Jim Fjerestad Memorial Safety Leadership Award” to honor the dedication shown by Mr. Fjerestad.
Those interested in nominating someone who exhibits a strong passion for safety and loss control can do so via nominating forms which are found on the Safety Benefits, Inc. website. The time for nominations generally closes in the late summer, as the awards are given to the recipients during the annual conventions which, this year started in September 2019. There are two award winners selected each year.
Doug Kirkus (L), Safety Benefits, Inc presents Chris Newman (R), City of Huron with the Jim Fjerestad Memorial Award. At the County Convention, they received their second Gold Level and their first Platinum Level awards.
The second recipient of the 2019 Fjerestad Memorial Safety Leadership Award is Chris Newman, Building Inspector for City of Huron. The nomination form noted that Chris is the chairperson for the Employee Safety Committee. The form cited one of the reasons for Chris’ nomination was “Chris attends all training available to be the best in his position, and to help others get the required training to be the …safest employees.” This is one of the traits that our Fjerestad award winners emulate, a desire to ensure everyone’s safety.
One of this year’s recipients, Franklin Maynard, Southwest District Emergency Manager from Fall River County, was noted as having “a goal of getting full participation of all departments in the County’s safety and loss control program. Through his coordination, that has happened.…” Unfortunately, Mr. Maynard was unable to accept his award in September at the County’s Annual Convention, but he was still honored for his hard work and accomplishments. Through his work with Safety Benefits, Fall River County started out with a Bronze Level Award, then 4 Silver and ultimately a Gold Level award last year. 40
SOUTH DAKOTA MUNICIPALITIES
