AGAWAM — The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) will host a half-day training opportunity on Wednesday, Oct. 12 for employers who recognize the need to develop a proactive plan that will protect their employees in the unfortunate instance of a violent occurrence in the workplace.

EANE has partnered with PASS (Protective Advanced Safety Servies) of Agawam to facilitate the three-hour training class designed to help employers assess their current safety programs, identify the common behavior patterns of potentially violent individuals, and ultimately learn how to respond during an active shooting situation in a manner that reduces casualties.

The trainers from PASS, John Nettis and Steven Grasso, have risen through the ranks of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department and the Agawam Police Department and are skilled in active-shooter response and emergency preparedness. They strive to elevate workplace safety by offering role-playing scenarios, strategies, and suggestions to employers, and creating custom-tailored, effective emergency action plans.

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, there has been an increase in drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, political disturbances, and general volatility in workplace relationships. The October training event, “Code Red: Strategies for Preventing Workplace Violence,” tackles the subject of workplace-violence prevention.

Attendees will become acquainted with the process of conducting a physical workspace analysis, how to survey a facility and look for vulnerabilities; understand the components of an incident response plan, how to create a response to an incident at a business (evacuation plans, reunification, and communication); recognize the importance of de-escalating a situation early; and increase awareness of mental health’s role in workplace violence.

The event will take place at the Delaney House in Holyoke. Limited seats are available, and pre-registration is required. While these trainings are open to the public for $125 per person, individuals from EANE member organizations may register at a reduced rate. Registration details are available at www.eane.org/code-red-strategies-for-preventing-workplace-violence or by calling (877) 662-6444.

AGAWAM — Starting on Tuesday, April 27 from 3 to 5 p.m., with continuing sessions on Wednesday, May 26 and Wednesday, June 30, the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) and its training partners from Protective Advanced Safety Services (PASS), will present a three-part training series at EANE’s Agawam training center for regional employers on workplace violence prevention.

Session topics include “Who’s Coming to Work,” “CALM: De-escalation Strategies,” and “Hire Right, Fire Smart.” All three sessions are designed to equip employers with the tools and knowledge they need to keep their workplaces safe from violence, including microaggressions, employee-relations escalations, and the worst-case scenario: an active shooter.

“With today’s volatile climate, we’re seeing people dealing with increased pressures like financial stress, domestic violence, increased drug and alcohol abuse, and mental illness. All of this creates the perfect storm for employers, and they need to be prepared that some of this stress will be coming to their workplaces,” said John Nettis of PASS. We’ve designed these trainings to support employers as they are welcoming staff back to their facilities.”

Space in this training series is limited to 10 participants as EANE is following state guidelines on social distancing and capacity limits. The cost for the program is $331.50 for all three sessions. Interested parties can reach out to Allison Ebner at [email protected] or call (413) 789-6400 for more information.