September is National Preparedness Month.  Every week will focus on a topic for how to prepare for emergency situations.  We will continue to keep our thoughts with those who are currently impacted by Hurricane Storm Ida.

Week 1 September 1-4: Make A Plan

Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the Coronavirus.

Week 2 September 5-11: Build A Kit

Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly. Update your kits and supplies based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control.

Week 3 September 12-18: Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness

Limit the impacts that disasters have on you and your family.  Know the risk of disasters in your area. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards. Check your insurance coverage to make sure it is up-to-date.

Week 4 September 19-25: Teach Youth About Preparedness

Talk to your kids about preparing for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.

“Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”

Robert Warren, Newsletter Committee Chair

Welcome back to a new school year! As we continue to prevent Slips, Trips and Falls please use the checklist below to ensure your classroom is safe throughout the 2021-2022 school year. We need you and you need your co-workers!

When setting up the classroom, be sure a STEP STOOL OR STEP LADDER IS USED instead of a student chair, desk, rolling chair, countertops, or other unstable surfaces. Standing on student desks can cause falls.

If your only option is to use a non-rolling chair, be sure the chair is stable and have a spotter (co-worker) there to help you step up and down the chair.

When setting up electronic devices, ensure electrical cords are positioned out of the main walkways and are not stretched out across the floor. Use cord concealers if needed. 

When sitting on a chair, check to make sure the chair is in the right place and move in a controlled fashion to avoid sliding off the chair or an accidental tip over.

When sitting on a chair, avoid sitting on the edge of the chair to maintain balance and good posture.

If there is a spill on the floor, be sure the area is cleaned up immediately and/or a wet floor sign is used to alert others. 

Remember, it takes all of us to remain upright!

Debby Glass, Newsletter Committee

Did you notice a ringmaster in action, handling the clown show and producing a seamless performance? Spot the newest act that will be the next big attraction? Witness some trick riding, a little tight rope walking, and cannonball catching this year? If so, consider a nomination of those members and performances of our very own proverbial circus, to be celebrated under the big top of the Texas PRIMA Annual Conference.  We are accepting nominations for Risk Professional of the Year, the Rising Star, and the Risk Management Program Achievement Awards.

The Risk Professional of the Year recognizes an individual who exemplifies excellence, innovation, and commitment to the risk and insurance management field.

The Rising Star Award honors someone with between 2-7 years of professional experience in the public risk and insurance management industry who was exemplified leadership potential, achievement, and professional development.

The Risk Management Program Achievement Award honors programs, projects, or products that are creative and successful, and highlights the success of our public entity organizations.

The successful award recipients are recognized at the awards celebration during Texas PRIMA’s annual conference in November. Additionally, recipients will receive a wall plaque and recognition in the Texas PRIMA Press newsletter. The Risk Professional of the Year and the Rising Star recipients both receive complimentary conference registration and hotel accommodations for one night during the conference!

Visit www.texasprima.org/awards for more information and to nominate yourself, someone else, or a program. The application deadline is September 13, 2021, so act fast!  If you have any questions sound the airhorn or email me at [email protected].

 Brent Holman, Awards Chair

Regional Risk Management Seminar North Texas (Hurst)

September 15, 2021, 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Upcoming Webinars

October 6, 2021, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cybersecurity Threats and Risk Management Considerations for Public Entities presented by Lockton. Registration coming soon!

Our Annual Conference will be here before you know it.  Limited resources are a challenge for many Texas PRIMA members in their pursuit of gaining the tools they need to better manage their communities.  To help members experience the difference the Texas PRIMA Annual Conference has made for so many others, we are encouraging members to get the word out to any of your public entity colleagues and clients who qualify.  The scholarship program is designed to assist risk management professionals whose public entities may not be able to afford the cost of attending the Annual Conference.  Full and partial scholarships will be awarded and may include up to the following:

• In-person conference registration
• Cost related to attending the conference, including travel and lodging at the conference hotel
• Complimentary Texas PRIMA membership through September 2022
• Virtual conference registration

This will be our ninth year to include scholarship donation opportunities for our sponsors.   It has been a huge success and their generosity has enabled us to bring more recipients to the conference each year.  We look forward to the support of our sponsors again this year and to topping last year’s scholarship recipient numbers.

Applications will be accepted through September 14, 2021.

We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Texas PRIMA’s Annual Conference and scholarship program.  Eligibility requirements can be found by visiting texasprima.org/scholarship.                

Kristiana Spencer, Scholarship Chair

We are seeking to fill two Director Positions. Nominate yourself or a colleague to champion the mission of the Texas Public Risk Management Association.

To be eligible, a nominee must:

• be a current member of Texas PRIMA
• be responsible for risk management functions, insurance, benefits and/or safety management within your governmental entity for at least three (3) years
• attend four (4) board meetings throughout the year and our annual conference (travel and hotel costs for attending the board meetings is paid by Texas PRIMA) 
• have demonstrated leadership, participation in the Chapter and a proven commitment to the organization and the profession

It is important to note the Board of Directors is a working board and there are duties and responsibilities to fulfill with a commitment to serve.

Click here for the nomination form. The deadline to submit your nomination is September 15, 2021. The ballot is emailed to voting members September 30th and is due October 30th. Newly elected board members are announced at Texas PRIMA’s Annual Conference in November 2021. The Board term begins on January 1, 2022.

This opportunity will also provide invaluable experience that is impressive on any resume, all while providing networking opportunities with other risk management professionals. We are available to discuss any questions you may have. Contact Texas PRIMA at [email protected] or by phone at 512-394-0719.

Norma Martinez, Nominations & Elections Committee Chair

TRISTAR a 23 Year Tradition in Texas. Founded in 1987, TRISTAR's mission has remained consistent for more than 34 years: to provide the highest quality claims management services to our clients. TRISTAR's first Texas office opened in 1998, and our operations have grown to include branches in Irving, Houston, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Today, we are honored to support Texas PRIMA for more than 18 years, and to serve as the Third Party Administrator of choice to many cities, counties, school districts, transit systems and other special districts across Texas.

TRISTAR is the largest independently owned third party property and casualty claims administrator in the United States. We focus our operations in three divisions: property and casualty claims management (TRISTAR Risk Management), benefits administration (TRISTAR Benefits Administrators), managed care and medical cost containment services (TRISTAR Managed Care), and loss control/ergonomics (Aspen Risk Management). Each division provides services nationwide, and we have more than 900 employees in offices across the country. 

TRISTAR specializes in serving Texas public entities, and we understand the everyday challenges faced by risk managers. The diverse exposures in the public sector are unlike any in the private sector: from school teachers to sworn officers, parks and recreation to courts and corrections. Public entities require an expert TPA with the knowledge and experience to aggressively manage claims to best outcomes for both the client and the claimant, while assuring compliance with all jurisdiction-specific legal requirements and protocols.

We offer innovative solutions to help manage each claim to best possible outcome and control our clients' total cost of risk, including advanced systems functionality, telephonic nurse triage, integrated disability management, 504 and HCN network administration, and cutting edge utilization review services and technology. 

TRISTAR is a collaborative partner in meeting the diverse demands of public entities in Texas. 

Cigna is proud to be a Diamond Level sponsor of Texas PRIMA.  We are a global health service leader focused on improving the health and health outcomes of the customers we serve.  Established more than 20 years ago, we now have more than 74,000 employees serving our customers in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions around the world.  Cigna services 95M customer relationships around the world with 3.1M in U.S. Public Sector.  Working together with our customers, we help them lead healthy, secure lives, provide personally relevant products and services, and help them choose quality health care and achieve optimal health outcomes.  

Every day, our team works together with our clients in ways they find proactive, personal and empathetic.  That spirit of true partnership goes deeper than paying claims and is often life-changing-helping members stay well, prevent sickness, obtain access to health care, recover from illness or injury, return to work and provide for their families.  Worldwide, we offer our clients and their families’ peace of mind and a sense of security.  We’re with them all the way, through the most critical points in their lives.  

Our product portfolio goes beyond medical, pharmacy, dental, life and disability plans.  We offer consultative services that provide high performance network access, onsite service and health improvement resources, plus we can provide a health improvement performance guarantee.  Our involvement goes beyond health benefits and services and includes a commitment to the communities we serve.