The Florida Municipal Insurance Trust (FMIT), administrated by the Florida League of Cities (FLC), is recognizing its valued partners with a new award. The FMIT Partnership Award is designed to recognize members' successful insurance processes, risk management efforts and other proactive measures that improve the quality of life in their community and working environment.
The FMIT is a partnership of local governments in Florida, so these efforts should align with the FLC's mission to serve the needs of Florida's cities. All members with at least one line of related coverage through the FMIT are eligible for this award. Click here to view the award selection criteria.
Award Categories
- Innovation Award - Recognizing creative processes that turn problems into progress, reduce costs and keep staff and the community safe
- Risk & Safety Award - Recognizing the implementation of FMIT Risk & Safety Management frameworks with proven results
- Insurance Leader Award – Honoring long-term support of FMIT services and improved insurance processes that meet specific needs of public entities.
Members who receive this award will be publicly recognized on the FMIT website, in the League's Quality Cities magazine and at the FMIT booth in the Exhibit Hall at the FLC Annual Conference. Awards will be presented at council meetings, regional league meetings or FLC Annual Conference breakfast events.
Congratulations to the 2022 award-winning cities!
City of Coral Springs – Innovation Award
Employee Wellness and Safety Committee Program
Engaging in a career as a first responder continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations due to the inherent risks, physical dangers, and both physical and mental health exposures when responding to emergencies. That is why the City of Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Dept formed the Safety, Health and Wellness Committee in 2015 and further incorporated a dedicated Safety, Health and Wellness Chief in 2019 to focus on this initiative and further develop a comprehensive Safety Health and Wellness Program. Several of the safety, health and wellness programs within the Fire Department have gone on to receive both state and national recognition and published in both national and international publications.
Seeing the need during the COVID-19 outbreak for enhanced safety, health and wellness services for all employees within the governmental structure, these programs and resources were expanded to all the city’s fire, police and general employees under one Safety, Health & Wellness umbrella. The newly created team now has dedicated full-time Safety Officers for police, fire and for general employees. They work together to reduce risks and exposures to our employees and their families and believe strongly in its mission: “Live Well, Work Well.”
The Safety, Health and Wellness team and members of the City Safety Committee focus on nine key areas to provide a total worker health approach which includes cancer prevention, health and fitness, physical wellness, mental wellness, workplace safety and health, employee case management, risk reduction, injury prevention and training. The multi-disciplined team approach provides a unique ability to effectively view safety, health, and wellness as a comprehensive package inclusive of all components that affect all 1,200 employees and their families.
City of Palm Coast – Risk & Safety Award
Human Resources and Risk & Safety Management Processes
After several years of elevated workers’ compensation claims frequency and related experience mod increases, the City of Palm Coast's Human Resources and Risk Management team, led by Tim Wilsey and Renina Fuller, partnered with the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust (FMIT) Risk and Safety Management department to implement needed changes. Focus areas included:
- A renewed emphasis on employee safety and a concentrated effort on return-to-work policies and programs
- An increase in the City's employee safety training
- A renewed and more narrowly focused Safety Committee.
These changes brought about a significant reduction in employee-related injuries (both frequency and severity) over three years, lower financial costs associated with those claims and a continuing decrease in the City's workers’ compensation experience mod. (Elevated experience mods often result in increased premiums.) Palm Coast has also been a strong advocate of all services and programs provided by the FMIT and the Florida League of Cities (FLC).
City of Sunrise – Insurance Leader Award
Leadership
There are many ways to define what leadership is. However, a straightforward definition is the ability to help and motivate others to achieve a common goal.
Year after year, the City of Sunrise's Risk Management Department, led by Bill Mason and assistant Risk Manager Michael Vignale, voluntarily hosted the Synergy Symposium for Florida Municipal Insurance Trust (FMIT)-insured municipalities to help prepare them for Hurricane Seasons. Through Mason’s interactions with the claims process, some policies have been adjusted to improve coverage along the way. They also are regular participants in FMIT's annual Human Resource and Risk & Safety Management Seminars, sharing their knowledge of effective risk management solutions with other municipalities. Through their long-term commitment and support for FMIT services and openness to collaborate with other municipalities, the City of Sunrise embodies the definition of leadership.
Questions? Contact Risk & Safety Management Director Ron Peters at rpeters@flcities.com.