“Learning to Live in a Technical World”

In preparation for the upcoming State Conference, I spoke yesterday with Lauri Jones, the Director of Resort Public Safety for Seven Springs. She provided me with the following information. Effective 1/1/11, the local borough police for Seven Springs disbanded, primarily due to financial issues. The PA State Police now monitor the area. In anticipation of this change, Seven Springs Security has been working over the course of the last year to increase their internal security and has tripled their security team. This includes foot patrols and marked vehicle patrols. Additionally, all members of the Seven Springs security team are cross-trained as first responders – first aid/EMS certified. The security staff also boasts many members with prior experience in security/law enforcement, including in major metropolitan cities.

During the PA-TSA State Conference, we can anticipate the same high level of security from the Seven Springs staff we have grown accustomed to in prior years. Additionally, PA-TSA will continue to provide security (staffed by advisors). Chris Roth, former Conference Director, will once again be serving as our Security Coordinator. He will maintain a close relationship with Seven Springs security staff throughout the conference. Sign-ups for advisor security duty will take place during conference registration on Wednesday night.

Prior to the conference, please take the time to review general safety and security procedures with your students. During the course of the conference, it is imperative that all conference attendees (students, advisors, chaperones, guests) wear their name badges around their necks so as to readily identify them as TSA members. Should visitors arrive on-site, they will need to check-in at the Wintergreen Room to receive a guest name badge. Additionally, should it be necessary to leave the conference property, advisors and students must sign-out and sign-in in the Wintergreen Room so as to help us monitor the whereabouts of our members. This includes chapters/students/advisors that do not stay overnight at Seven Springs.

I am confident that through careful preparation and planning on the part of Seven Springs, our PA-TSA security team, and our advisors, we can facilitate another successful conference. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me llapinski@patsa.org or contact Lauri Jones directly at (814) 352-2082.