Safety Emergency and Enterprise Risk Management SEERM

Mason hosts regional emergency management symposium

Colleen Rich — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:34:28 +0000

Mason hosts regional emergency management symposium Colleen Rich Mon, 10/02/2023 - 12:34

from left, Will Flagler, director of public safety communications and emergency management, Arlington County; David Farris, executive director of safety and emergency management, George Mason �鶹��; Marc Barbiere, director of Georgetown �鶹��’s Office of Emergency Management. Photo courtesy of Gina Reistrup

On Friday, Sept. 29, George Mason �鶹�� welcomed more than 70 emergency management professionals from federal, state, local, and higher education organizations throughout the mid-Atlantic. This regional International Association of Emergency Managers event was sponsored by Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management.

Mason’s Emergency Management Team co-presented a session in with Georgetown �鶹�� and Arlington County Emergency Management on how institutions of higher education can help communities become resilient to disasters and contribute to the field of emergency management through research.

To find out how you can prepare for emergencies, please visit Mason’s emergency preparedness webpage.

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Ronda Franklin is the September Employee of the Month

Katarina Benson — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 20:11:21 +0000

Ronda Franklin is the September Employee of the Month Katarina Benson Wed, 08/30/2023 - 16:11

Ronda Franklin has been an integral part of George Mason �鶹��’s department of Safety, Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management (SEERM) since July 2019. Her hard work and flexibility during COVID stand as particular testament to her work as an administrative specialist. For her unfailing commitment, strong work ethic, and the positivity she brings to the office, Franklin has been recognized as September Employee of the Month.

September Employee of the Month Ronda Franklin and President Gregory Washington. Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of �鶹�� Branding

According to Douglass O’Neill, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) assistant director for occupational health and safety, the core Mason value that Franklin most embodies is: we thrive together. “Ronda has a positive impact on the EHS Office. She is a friendly presence, and one could say infectiously positive,” he said. “Ronda has taken on new roles, be they temporary or permanent, without complaint. Ronda makes you want to be a better employee.”

“Ronda is the heart of the office and [a] true pleasure to work with… Ronda’s commitment and strong work ethic are evident as she executes all tasks with efficiency, accuracy, and thoughtfulness,” said Amy Springfloat, SEERM finance and administration manager. “I am consistently impressed with her ability to prioritize and complete projects, all the while maintaining a positive and professional attitude.”

“Ronda is a wonderful employee and a great example to her co-workers,” said Gregory Black, director of emergency management and fire safety. “Her strong work ethic, attention to details, communication and thoroughness allows SEERM to run well and provide a high level of services to our customers.”

Many of Franklin’s colleagues wrote about the value of her role in the university’s COVID response.

“Ronda’s support during the COVID response was truly extraordinary,” said Springfloat. “She was asked to take on new and additional responsibilities, often with no advance notice or previous experience. She quickly adapted and managed all of these challenges with the same competency as her more routine tasks… Ronda worked tirelessly to meet the team’s needs and find creative solutions.”

One of the things Franklin was tasked with was ordering and tracking COVID supplies for the university. “Ronda not only understood what her task was, but also sought to discover how her role fit into the larger COVID response,” Black said. “By doing that, she was able to anticipate issues and additional ways that she was able to help the team. Her awareness and willingness to help was a key factor in making the COVID response a success.”

“�鶹�� office would not be able to function without Ronda, and more importantly, the positive office culture we enjoy among our team would suffer in her absence,” said David Farris, executive director of Safety and Emergency Management. “Ronda embodies and exemplifies the spirit and dedication that makes all of us successful, and she, among other dedicated staff, is most deserving of this award and recognition.”

How did you come to Mason:

I enjoy being in an intellectual environment, and I wanted to work in academia, specifically administration. I applied for a position in the SEERM department and was extremely excited when I was selected.

Best day on the job:

For me, the best day on the job is every day. I am very proud to be part of such a great team. I enjoy working with my colleagues, helping others, being productive and proactive in my work, handling challenging tasks, and getting the job done. This gives me a daily dose of satisfaction and pride.

What do you like best about working at Mason:

I love the diverse faculty, staff, and students here at Mason. I enjoy meeting and talking with people, learning about other cultures, and sharing mine as well. And the energy and pride here at Mason is amazing!

What do you like to do when you’re not working:

I enjoy spending time with my family and playing with our cat, Cinder. I also enjoy singing and listening to music, going on art walks, reading and collecting books, and self-studying foreign languages—I’m currently learning French, Korean, and Hindi.

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Fairfax County Health Department recognizes Mason for outstanding partnership in pandemic response

Colleen Rich — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 17:33:18 +0000

Fairfax County Health Department recognizes Mason for outstanding partnership in pandemic response Colleen Rich Wed, 04/19/2023 - 13:33

George Mason �鶹�� was recognized by the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) for being an outstanding system partner in managing and operationalizing the university's pandemic planning, response, and recovery. The partnership, which began long before the COVID-19 pandemic, has been vital in enhancing the health and well-being of the shared communities.

Mason was recognized by the Fairfax County Health Department for being an outstanding partner in pandemic response. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

When the pandemic hit, Student Health Services (SHS) quickly reached out to FCHD to leverage their public health expertise, situational awareness, and access to vaccines. Safety, Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management (SEERM), SHS, Athletics, Human Resources, and FCHD met frequently throughout the pandemic to share knowledge and resources and discuss strategies related to outbreak mitigation and management.

As vaccines became available, Mason was able to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine through mass vaccination clinics, mobile clinics, and routine vaccine clinics that are still in operation today. They also provided testing to the community, which alleviated some of the burden on regional and county testing sites.

The success of the university's initial vaccine clinics reinforced the strong sense of trust and camaraderie between the university and the FCHD. This led to FCHD entrusting Mason with enough vaccine supplies to operate the region's second largest mass vaccination clinic, capable of offering up to 3,000 vaccines per day for the regional community, as well as Mason students, faculty, and staff.

The university's vaccine clinics and testing capacity have alleviated pressure on regional health departments, increased access to tests and vaccines, and provided vaccines to underserved communities through a mobile vaccine clinic program. These efforts demonstrated Mason’s commitment to public health and serving the regional community.

Julie Zobel, associate vice president of SEERM and Mason’s COVID director, expressed her gratitude for the partnership between Mason and FCHD. "We are honored to have worked alongside the Fairfax County Health Department to serve our community during these challenging times,” said Zobel. “The success of our pandemic response would not have been possible without this partnership. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and commitment to public health”

“We are grateful for our partnership with the Fairfax County Health Department,” added Steve Wintermeyer, interim director of SHS. “Their expertise in contact tracing helped us to contain outbreaks and provide expert, timely guidance to our student body. I am proud that Student Health Services had the opportunity to contribute to the overall health and well-being of our shared community. I am very grateful to our staff who helped so many students during such a challenging time."

In recognition of Mason’s incredible contribution to the region's pandemic response, Gloria Addo-Ayensu, director of health at FCHD, visited Mason to present certificates of appreciation to key Mason players involved in the response to the COVID pandemic.

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Mason hosts regional emergency management symposium

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