Florida T2 Center: Always Striving to Improve Safety Options
Welcome to the February edition of the Florida T2 Center Newsletter. As always, feel free to call (352.273.1670) or email (t2assist@ce.ufl.edu) with any ideas, questions, or concerns. Thanks for reading!
In this newsletter:
- Message from Director Maria Cahill
- Center Updates
- T2 Transitioning to New Learning Management System
- Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center
- Florida Occupant Protection Resource Center (OPRC) – January 2017 update
- Upcoming Courses and Training
- Courses Spotlight
- FHWA Brings Road Diet Workshops to Florida
- Improving Florida’s Intersection and Decreasing Roadway Departures Webinar – FREE
- Partner Events
- APWA Florida Chapter Webinar Series
- APWA Florida Chapter 2017 Public Works Expo
- FDOT Research
- Other News
- T2 Gathers Information at the FTBA’s Construction Conference
- Job Opportunity: Full-time Education and Training Specialist
Message from Director Maria Cahill
This past quarter has been an busy, yet informative, time for the T2 Center. First and foremost, keep an eye out for our 2017 Professional Training Portfolio being delivered to readers throughout March. Secondly, we have exciting new courses and webinars being offered in the next few months.
Recently, we received approval from FDOT to pilot a new course for “Principles of Writing Local Specifications for Local Agencies.” We are planning to deliver the pilot course in May 2017. We will be opening registration for this training opportunity on our website soon. Additionally, the T2 Center with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and FDOT will be hosting a free webinar on improving Florida’s intersection and decreasing roadway departures. A description and links for this and other training opportunities is provided below.
Center Updates
T2 Transitioning to New Learning Management System
Over the next few months, we will be transitioning our Learning Management System from XCatalyst to the University of Florida’s XMS system. As we move forward with these changes, you may notice new processes for accessing our training information and registering for our classes. The new system will improve the ease of use for our customers, and provide additional reporting and security enhancements. We appreciate your patience as we make this transition and welcome your feedback.
We look forward to having a Learning Management System that works for YOU!
Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center
The Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (PedBike SRC) was awarded an Accelerating Safety Activities Program (ASAP) grant to raise awareness of Bike Boxes and how to use them. This grant has given us the opportunity to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA), coordinate a cycling tour of two towns in Florida (Tallahassee and Gainesville), and generate a media campaign to share the PSA.
To help you with your community safety events, our PedBike Training Specialists are available to assist. For more information, contact pedbikesrc@ce.ufl.edu.
OPRC Update
The Occupant Protection Resource Center has some exciting new opportunities to offer this year, including resources for Florida residents, the 2017 LATCH Manual, workshops and events. Additionally, scholarships are available to become a child passenger safety professional.To view CPS Technician Certification courses across Florida, click here (Select Find a Course > Search).
Upcoming Courses and Training
Courses Spotlight
Tractor Mower Operator Safety
This course is designed to train public and private agency personnel on all makes and models of tractors and mowers. The course is divided into two sections: classroom training and hands-on training.
Chainsaw Safety in Disaster Recovery
The potential risk of injury increases after hurricanes and other natural disasters, when chainsaws are widely used to remove fallen or partially fallen trees and tree branches. This informative class is safety oriented, is in the field and is open to everyone. Participants will learn the correct way to remove/cleanup fallen trees safely and the proper use of all safety equipment.
CDL Commercial Driver’s License Vehicle Operations Passenger Vans
This course has been designed by the Center for Transportation Safety and industry safety leaders to address everyday driving in a wide range of conditions. The objective of the course is to help familiarize the driver of the many hazards of the roadways.
Tree Working Combination Workshop
This program is designed specifically for municipal public works, streets/roads, parks, water utility and/or other city or county employees who engage in tree work. The courses would enable new operators to assist as standby tree work crews.
FHWA Brings Road Diet Workshops to Florida
The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Mark Doctor, PE was joined by the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Humberto Castillero, PE to provide a webinar on January 19 to share both the Federal and Florida perspectives on Road Diets. If you missed the opportunity to participate and are interested in learning more about Road Diets, you may still register to view the recorded webinar through April 28, 2017.
Improving Florida’s Intersection and Decreasing Roadway Departures Webinar – FREE
Florida Safety Engineer Joe Santos held a FHWA Roadway Departure Implementation Plan Workshop in Tallahassee, FL last December. As a result of that workshop, a new safety coalition was formed to focus on intersection and lane departure with engineering being the lead.This free webinar will provide much needed Intersection Safety and Roadway Departure interaction to rural counties and small communities in Florida. This webinar will provide practitioners with the latest information on readily available, low-cost countermeasures that are proven to reduce the incidence of intersection crashes.
Join us March 28th, 2017, from 9 am – 12 pm for the Safety Webinar.
Partner Events
APWA Florida Chapter Webinar Series
The Florida Technology Transfer (T2) Center has partnered with the Florida Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) to present the APWA Florida Chapter Webinar Series. The first webinar was held Tuesday February 14, 2017 on the topic of Debris Management.
APWA Florida Chapter 2017 Public Works Expo
APWA Florida Chapter Member registration is now open for the 2017 Public Works EXPO in Tallahassee, Florida! The DoubleTree by Hilton is the host hotel and it is located less than a half a mile away from the Civic Center & Turnbull Center.
The Florida Public Works Expo attracts hundreds of Public Works professionals from the State of Florida and the Southeast. Join us in Tallahassee and take time to network with your peers, boost your motivation and gain powerful new tools for success!
You will also have the opportunity to attend a variety of Technical Sessions designed to sharpen your skills, maximize production and keep you on the cutting edge of emerging technologies and products. Be sure and join us for the Trade Show where you can acquire new tools, tips and techniques from the leading suppliers and manufacturers in your industry!
Other News
T2 Gathers Information at the FTBA’s Construction Conference
University of Florida T2’s Alison Tillman attended the 2017 Construction Conference in Orlando February 2-3, 2017 to learn of upcoming changes to the Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) curriculum and other relevant safety and construction innovations on the horizon. The FTBA is always looking for persons invested in safety to join their safety committee, contact Alison Tillman at alisonk@ufl.edu.
Job Opportunity: Full-time Education and Training Specialist
The UFTI’s Technology Transfer Center is soliciting applications for a full-time education and training specialist to coordinate and deliver training courses and workforce development activities. To view the position’s specifications click here.