Continued from page 21 have your name on it; it would be a great help to FWRC’s success. As a side note: Earth Day is the Friday right before the conference on April 22, 2022.
Ron McCulley, Administrator for the Certification and Restoration Program (aka OCP) with Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Region IV Meet and Greet
Another special thanks to Mr. Ron McCulley for providing details about the passing rates for the state exams, and doing so with very short notice so that I could meet the deadline for my column submittal. Not only did he provide the information, but he loaded me up with enough to have a whole article in itself! A lot of good things have happened/changed during his tenure and it’s quite evident that he has a vested interest in the success of the program, the operators passing the tests, and maintaining operator professionalism. The FWPCOA supports these standards and they should not be reduced to get better results! I believe if one prepares thoroughly and approaches the examination with the mindset of a professional, they will not fail the exam! To that end, what if something bad happens the day you take the test and you do fail? Ron amended the contract with PSI (a computerbased testing vendor) in November 2021 and removed the language that required a waiting time of 60 days between exam event dates. An applicant who fails any exam may reapply and take an exam just as fast as the application and approval can make it through the process. That was done with us operators in mind, so, thank you Mr. McCulley! I want to thank all the hard-working people in our industry. Thank you for doing all you do every single day! Let’s keep that water clean! S
A special thank you to Region IV for coordinating a memorable dinner and meet and greet for the board of directors at the January meeting. Region IV, serving Sumter, Hernando, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, has the following officers: S Director – Bob Case S Chair – William Anderson S Vice-Chair – Jeff Pfannes S Secretary – Debra Englander S Treasurer – Vivian Gleaves They all helped put on the extravaganza, which was mainly coordinated by Jeff Pfannes. The event included Kenneth City dignitaries: Mayor Robert J. Howell; council members and spouses; Town Manager Pete Cavalli (who is also a FWPCOA member), and other Region IV members. It was very refreshing to see the level of interest and support from a legislative body that supports the theme of environmental stewardship. This gathering was directly after the Education Committee meeting, which was extremely well-attended.
Host Site Established for OSHA Training Institute Education Center The University of Florida’s Office of Professional and Workforce Development (OPWD) has been selected as a host training organization for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) courses offered by the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center at Volunteer State Community College. The goal of OSHA courses is to reduce workplace fatalities and injuries by teaching the application of standards in hazard recognition and prevention. The OTI Education Center is a national network of nonprofit organizations authorized by OSHA to deliver occupational safety and health training to public- and private-sector workers, supervisors, and employers. Participants in the program are encouraged to establish host sites to provide
additional training opportunities within their respective OSHA region. The OPWD previously created courses on safety and health management for leadership under the department of the University of Florida Training Research and Education for Environmental Occupations (UF TREEO). This series of courses aims to help employers and workers comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
22 March 2022 • Florida Water Resources Journal
“The agreement between our two institutions allows us to support OSHA’s mission to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers through education and training,” says Andrew Campbell, director of OPWD. The OPWD offers noncredit education for learners across multiple modalities. Its mission is to design and deliver innovative learning opportunities for everyone, with the vision to create an enduring legacy of excellence. To learn more about OPWD visit pwd.aa.ufl.edu. The schedule of the OSHA courses will be announced in the coming weeks. For continuing developments visit www.treeo.ufl.edu/osha-training. Learn more about the OTI Education Center at www.volstate.edu/workforce/osha. S
