There are plenty of questions yet to be answered as States across the U.S. have begun to reopen.
For VDI – following the example first set by the Scotti School more than four decades ago of providing mission-critical training to essential personnel wherever and whenever it’s needed most – the question wasn’t if, or even when, we would resume doing what we do best. As anticipated, our clientele, which includes leaders from across the corporate, family office, government/military, and law enforcement sectors, determined “the when.”
And, as expected, when that call came the client didn’t want to know “if” we could train their personnel who have been on the front lines of this crisis since the earliest days, they didn’t want to know when (that was determined by their op tempo), their only question was HOW were we planning to deliver the training that is critical to their mission in a way that meets their needs and expectations while mitigating and managing the overarching risks to students as well as those they protect.
As is typically the case with mitigating and managing risks, whether they be security, safety, or health-related, in today’s world, the answer to that all-important question is as straightforward as it can be:
- We have a detailed, vetted plan that addresses those risks
- We have the tools needed to implement the plan effectively
- We are diligently implementing and adhering to that plan
- We’re accurately documenting the actions taken to adhere to the plan
And so it begins…training in the COVID age.
Training for Serious Professionals Committed to Exceptional Performance
In these times of social distancing and the need to mitigate and manage the risk of exposure, VDI has instituted the following protocols for our world-renown training courses based on the guidelines established by Federal public health agencies and the suggestions of medical professionals.
These protocols include:
Conducting training in an open-air environment, in groups of 10 students, utilizing:
- EZ Up Professional Grade Canopies
- Easy to clean, disinfect, and sanitize tables and chairs
- Maintaining an environment that supports strict adherence to social distancing guidelines.
- Conducting daily “no contact” temperature screenings of all staff and students
Providing appropriate Personal Protection Equipment for students and staff, including:
- Face masks
- Wrap around eye protection
- Nitrile gloves
- Limiting training vehicle occupancy to just one student at a time
- Equipping vehicles with appropriate protective equipment, to include:
- Disposable steering wheel covers
- Disposable seat covers
- Following appropriate protocols for frequent disinfecting and sanitizing of all training areas, vehicles, and equipment.
With that in mind, and in keeping with our goal to provide professional Security Drivers and protection practitioners the world over with timely, useful information, from the latest issue of the Driving Force Newsletter we’ve included Guidelines for Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sanitizing Executive Vehicles, along with some equally helpful insights from our close friends at the International Security Driver Association (ISDA).
As always, on behalf of the entire VDI team, we look forward to hearing from you and training with you in 2020. Until then, stay safe!