Loss Control Manager Bethany Pendley presents a regional driver training session in Goose Creek.
When an accident injures an employee, or when it damages or even destroys a property, insurance claims can be there to help recover costs and restore losses. Still, there is a scenario better than this for the municipality: a situation where careful risk management practices prevented the loss from ever occurring in the first place.
This is the logic behind the Loss Control staff of the Municipal Association of SC Risk Management Services. RMS administers two insurance programs for cities and towns: the SC Municipal Insurance Trust and the SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund. Through Loss Control, RMS helps its members build effective safety and loss control programs. Because the insurance programs are self-funded, prevented losses will not only save the programs money, they will save the member municipalities money as well.
Loss Control offers a huge variety of resources to SCMIT and SCMIRF members, including model policies and procedure manuals for law enforcement and fire services. They offer specialized risk management toolkits on many different forms of liability, risk self-assessments, online training courses and guidance on Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Both SCMIT and SCMIRF members have access to the response to resistance simulator, an interactive training system where police officers make real-time decisions about which degrees of force to use in dangerous situations. For SCMIRF members, they offer everything from a legal hotline for labor and liability issues to cybersecurity services as well as specialized risk toolkits, such as parks and recreation liability, public officials’ liability, sewer backups, special events liability and workers’ compensation.
Loss Control Consultant John Ciesielski conducts a hazard recognition and
abatement training session in Hartsville.
“Other valuable resources are the loss control consultants that can visit on-site to collaborate with members,” Loss Control Manager Bethany Pendley said. “During a visit, a consultant may address loss trends by evaluating reported claims and offering recommendations on safety and risk management program improvements for preventing future losses. The consultant is also available to educate municipal employees on safety and risk management topics.”
In 2024, Loss Control hosted 63 member-specific training sessions around the state, and conducted 416 visits with SCMIT and SCMIRF members.
The members of the Loss Control team have a wide variety of backgrounds that help with their work. For example, Pendley has a depth of experience in both claims adjusting and training, while Loss Control Consultant John Ciesielski brought many years of experience working for SC OSHA. The team also includes Loss Control Consultant Kayde Niemira and its newest member, Public Safety Loss Control Consultant Trevor Hall.
“Having worked in the public safety sector for the last 23 years in 911 communications, career and volunteer fire departments, EMS, law enforcement, and six years as an insurance agent, I am well prepared to provide our members with a variety of insight and risk analysis as it pertains to the Association and the success of their organizations,” Hall said.
Loss Control Consultant Kayde Niemira leads a National Safety Council
Defensive Driving Training course in Hartsville.
Loss Control territories list
The Loss Control team now has a list of which staff member is the contact for a particular SCMIT or SCMIRF member, broken out by different types of risk management issues. Hall, for example, is the contact for all police- and fire-related issues for SCMIRF members. Pendley, Ciesielski and Niemira cover specific territories for administration, public works, utilities and parks topics. They also cover police and fire issues for all SCMIT members.
SCMIT and SCMIRF members can find the full Loss Control territories map.