The Resource Solutions Associates Story...
The original RSA logo, commissioned in 2009. It was replaced with the blue and green logo you see above in 2016.
Resource Solutions Associates, LLC opened its doors in late 2007 as a disaster and emergency management consulting company. Known then as RS Associates, the company served the community by conducting special projects to foster resiliency with sustainable solutions to disaster preparedness challenges. RS Associates LLC created and coordinated events such as the Communities in Sync symposium on interoperability, and Beyond the Limits which brought together area emergency provider educators in a common forum to provide professional continuing education. Community partners such as Sprint-Nextel, the Erie County Commissioners and General Health District, First Energy, St. Vincent/Mercy Hospital/MCO Life Flight, and North Central EMS worked as partners to enhance the community's preparedness and resiliency through these educational offerings.
Resource Solutions began working with local communities early in its development to recruit, train, and manage volunteer resources during disaster response, and to initiate disaster preparedness in rural counties and villages. Working with the Erie County EMA, Erie County was the fist in the Firelands area to develop a Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, with the help of RSA personnel. By developing grant applications, program initiatives, and recruitment efforts, the beginnings of an area wide volunteer force began.
In late 2008, the company expanded its program goals, and the consulting and training company began providing continuing education directly for EMS, and firefighting professionals in the area. Curriculum development, class delivery, and distribution of Jones & Bartlett Learning first responder educational materials were added to the company services. The company started offering public safety instructor continuing education with an emphasis on technology in the classroom, customer service in education, and engagement of multiple learner types in skill based learning.
2009 and 2010 brought work with The University of Findlay and The Ohio State University to further first responder education in the Incident Command System, Incident Action Planning, and other course work. Working with the RDPC and The University of Findlay, staff members traveled to over 30 states to deliver preparedness courses. Event management staff worked to coordinate the Akron Area Hospital Association's It's Not IF, It's When preparedness conference for hospitals and public health as part of work with the The University of Findlay. Online ICS programs were created and delivered as part of the UF and The Ohio State University collaborative emergency preparedness initiative.
RSA staff traveled to Misawa Air Force Base in Misawa Japan in late 2009 to deliver an EMT Basic course in collaboration with North Central EMS Academy. Trainers also became part of the Jones & Bartlett Assessment and Treatment of Trauma faculty, travelling over the United States to develop instructors for the publisher. Courses were conducted in Ohio, RSA's home state, to further high quality trauma training at hospitals, EMS education centers, and organizational annual meetings.
In June 2010 when tornadoes hit the western edge of Ottawa County, RSA and their CERT came to the rescue. Combining with thousands of local responders, the CERT volunteers coordinated efforts of over 1500 area residents to help the affected parties clean up and rebuild. As a result of over 800 hours of assistance, Ottawa and Huron counties asked RSA to help develop and coordinate CERT teams in their counties, and eventually forming a multi-county team. The multi-county team has continued to evolve since 2011 and is a thriving disaster volunteer program. North Coast CERT, as the team is now known, provides capabilities-based training to prepare volunteers to support disaster response across the region.
In 2012, RSA entered the wild world of hazard mitigation planning. Since then, our consultants have developed mitigation plans for nearly 20 counties, working with evolving federal requirements and expectations and different state and federal review processes along the way. In addition to mitigation planning, we've completed many EOP update projects across Ohio.
Since 2012, Resource Solutions Associates has assisted nearly twenty counties with their hazard mitigation plan development and updates. Shifting quickly to accommodate FEMA’s mitigation standard changes in both 2013 and 2022, RSA has produced contemporary, progressive mitigation plans to help counties prevent damages from natural and non-natural hazards. RSA worked closely to not only meet, but consistently exceed minimum participation from the local communities.
Development of Emergency Operations Plans is a main line service for RSA. Updates and conversions of plans from one format to another is a specialty service for RSA consultants. RSA was among the very first to incorporate mission areas, community lifelines and updated core capabilities into emergency operations plans. Nearly a dozen counties have benefited from RSA assistance with response plans.
RSA began completing commodity studies in 2010. Studies include research not only about the chemicals that are transported on highways and railroads through the county, but shipping terminals, airports, and other transportation hubs are considered. The studies include information about training for first responders, including the vehicles types, rescue challenges, and chemical types. RSA provides some of the most detailed commodity studies for customers to understand and react to what is spilled and released in their community.
In 2018, RSA began providing public school safety consulting. Hired by a metropolitan school district, consultants began developing enhanced emergency plans, building safety teams, threat assessment procedures and physical safety and security surveys. Consultants assist the district with safety drills, exercises, and response evaluation for up to nine buildings and nearly 4,000 students.
In 2020, RSA was front and center in response to COVID-19. Contact tracing and illness management, policy development, and mitigation measure development in the public school became a priority task. Conducting regular staff meetings, managing critical incidents, and working with public health providers filled the days with pandemic-driven activities.
At the same time, RSA consultants were available and utilized at local emergency management offices to assist with implementation of the ICS to pandemic operations, and to assist with setting up and conducting sophisticated logistics activities like supply procurement and distribution as well as services such as mass fatality planning and services to special populations who were more vulnerable to the virus.
In 2019, RSA began developing the Recovery Services division. With the purchase of four Cavalier King Charles Spaniels between 2019 and 2021, consultants began the years-long process of training these dogs to be therapy providers. Months of classes, often interrupted by the pandemic, were completed. Merry Poppins, otherwise known as “Poppy” and Sandy achieved “Therapy Dog Team” certification in May 2022. Joseph Rockwell, otherwise known as “Joey” and Sandy will complete certification in December 2022. Rusty and Merry Grace are in the final stages of basic training and will complete their therapy dog training in early 2023. Consultants are in the process of completing various forms of training as the handlers of these dogs.
RSA continues to refine and expand offerings to assist the local community with top quality, affordable services across a variety of disciplines and jurisdictions to help communities become resilient……one solution at a time.
Resource Solutions began working with local communities early in its development to recruit, train, and manage volunteer resources during disaster response, and to initiate disaster preparedness in rural counties and villages. Working with the Erie County EMA, Erie County was the fist in the Firelands area to develop a Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, with the help of RSA personnel. By developing grant applications, program initiatives, and recruitment efforts, the beginnings of an area wide volunteer force began.
In late 2008, the company expanded its program goals, and the consulting and training company began providing continuing education directly for EMS, and firefighting professionals in the area. Curriculum development, class delivery, and distribution of Jones & Bartlett Learning first responder educational materials were added to the company services. The company started offering public safety instructor continuing education with an emphasis on technology in the classroom, customer service in education, and engagement of multiple learner types in skill based learning.
2009 and 2010 brought work with The University of Findlay and The Ohio State University to further first responder education in the Incident Command System, Incident Action Planning, and other course work. Working with the RDPC and The University of Findlay, staff members traveled to over 30 states to deliver preparedness courses. Event management staff worked to coordinate the Akron Area Hospital Association's It's Not IF, It's When preparedness conference for hospitals and public health as part of work with the The University of Findlay. Online ICS programs were created and delivered as part of the UF and The Ohio State University collaborative emergency preparedness initiative.
RSA staff traveled to Misawa Air Force Base in Misawa Japan in late 2009 to deliver an EMT Basic course in collaboration with North Central EMS Academy. Trainers also became part of the Jones & Bartlett Assessment and Treatment of Trauma faculty, travelling over the United States to develop instructors for the publisher. Courses were conducted in Ohio, RSA's home state, to further high quality trauma training at hospitals, EMS education centers, and organizational annual meetings.
In June 2010 when tornadoes hit the western edge of Ottawa County, RSA and their CERT came to the rescue. Combining with thousands of local responders, the CERT volunteers coordinated efforts of over 1500 area residents to help the affected parties clean up and rebuild. As a result of over 800 hours of assistance, Ottawa and Huron counties asked RSA to help develop and coordinate CERT teams in their counties, and eventually forming a multi-county team. The multi-county team has continued to evolve since 2011 and is a thriving disaster volunteer program. North Coast CERT, as the team is now known, provides capabilities-based training to prepare volunteers to support disaster response across the region.
In 2012, RSA entered the wild world of hazard mitigation planning. Since then, our consultants have developed mitigation plans for nearly 20 counties, working with evolving federal requirements and expectations and different state and federal review processes along the way. In addition to mitigation planning, we've completed many EOP update projects across Ohio.
Since 2012, Resource Solutions Associates has assisted nearly twenty counties with their hazard mitigation plan development and updates. Shifting quickly to accommodate FEMA’s mitigation standard changes in both 2013 and 2022, RSA has produced contemporary, progressive mitigation plans to help counties prevent damages from natural and non-natural hazards. RSA worked closely to not only meet, but consistently exceed minimum participation from the local communities.
Development of Emergency Operations Plans is a main line service for RSA. Updates and conversions of plans from one format to another is a specialty service for RSA consultants. RSA was among the very first to incorporate mission areas, community lifelines and updated core capabilities into emergency operations plans. Nearly a dozen counties have benefited from RSA assistance with response plans.
RSA began completing commodity studies in 2010. Studies include research not only about the chemicals that are transported on highways and railroads through the county, but shipping terminals, airports, and other transportation hubs are considered. The studies include information about training for first responders, including the vehicles types, rescue challenges, and chemical types. RSA provides some of the most detailed commodity studies for customers to understand and react to what is spilled and released in their community.
In 2018, RSA began providing public school safety consulting. Hired by a metropolitan school district, consultants began developing enhanced emergency plans, building safety teams, threat assessment procedures and physical safety and security surveys. Consultants assist the district with safety drills, exercises, and response evaluation for up to nine buildings and nearly 4,000 students.
In 2020, RSA was front and center in response to COVID-19. Contact tracing and illness management, policy development, and mitigation measure development in the public school became a priority task. Conducting regular staff meetings, managing critical incidents, and working with public health providers filled the days with pandemic-driven activities.
At the same time, RSA consultants were available and utilized at local emergency management offices to assist with implementation of the ICS to pandemic operations, and to assist with setting up and conducting sophisticated logistics activities like supply procurement and distribution as well as services such as mass fatality planning and services to special populations who were more vulnerable to the virus.
In 2019, RSA began developing the Recovery Services division. With the purchase of four Cavalier King Charles Spaniels between 2019 and 2021, consultants began the years-long process of training these dogs to be therapy providers. Months of classes, often interrupted by the pandemic, were completed. Merry Poppins, otherwise known as “Poppy” and Sandy achieved “Therapy Dog Team” certification in May 2022. Joseph Rockwell, otherwise known as “Joey” and Sandy will complete certification in December 2022. Rusty and Merry Grace are in the final stages of basic training and will complete their therapy dog training in early 2023. Consultants are in the process of completing various forms of training as the handlers of these dogs.
RSA continues to refine and expand offerings to assist the local community with top quality, affordable services across a variety of disciplines and jurisdictions to help communities become resilient……one solution at a time.