With our new committee year underway at DCA, our committee leaders have been focused on innovative programming and bringing in subject matter experts and guest speakers. We had Concentra at last month’s HR committee meeting to discuss public works drug testing and the Delaware State Police’s Security, Audit and Training unit presented to our Training and Safety committee in September about training contractors will soon have to complete. We are seeking deeper connections with our parent organization, Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Wednesday morning, we had an AGC staff member provide an update on federal issues such as immigration enforcement, One Big Beautiful Bill, and federal regulatory changes to a committee of DCA members.

On behalf of the Training and Safety committee, I would like to extend a wide invitation to the DCA community to attend the next two Training and Safety committee meetings on November 5^th and December 3rd at 7:30 AM. The committee has seen many changes over the years and with many trainings that used to happen in a classroom setting, being done online -- training and safety does not look like it did 10 years ago. Our committee chairs have a clear goal serving DCA’s membership by providing proactive training and safety measures relevant in 2025.

Sometimes it can be tempting to not focus as much energy as needed on training and safety and fall into a reactive instead of proactive position. The committee plans on putting together a regular newsletter about Delaware-specific training and safety topics, beginning “incident review” exercises where they review safety issues and accident data from other jurisdictions to learn lessons in Delaware and finding ways to directly meet the training needs of the DCA membership.

I'm asking for all current members of the Training and Safety Committee to attend the November 5^th and December 3^rd meetings as the committee evaluates how to best serve our diverse membership, having wide representation in the room is very important as the Committee evaluates and plans its work on behalf of the DCA community. This committee is so important, and we need DCA stakeholders to help us meet the needs of our members.

Lastly, in the spirit of planning, here are 2 upcoming DCA events:

Annual Meeting. It’s not too late to join us in celebrating the 25 projects receiving Construction Excellence Awards next Thursday (10/23/25) at our 55^th Annual Meeting. We will also be introducing our 2026 Board of Directors and Executive Committee nominees. There will be a few different opportunities to connect with each other during the cocktail hour and brand new after party, sponsored by Schlosser & Associates and Wayman Fire Protection. Email Jamie Chambers at jchambers@e-dca.org for tickets and sponsorships.

Stop the Bleed Training at DCA Nov. 5th 7:30-8:30 AM (Free)

Stop the Bleed is a nationally recognized campaign. It is designed to equip anyone—from students to community members—with the skills needed to act as an immediate responder during bleeding emergencies.

In a typical course, participants learn to identify life-threatening bleeding and practice three core techniques:

• - Applying direct pressure to a wound
• - Packing a wound using gauze or improvised materials
• - Correctly using a tourniquet when needed

No prior medical experience is needed—just the willingness to learn. The Stop the Bleed program has already trained millions across all walks of life—including teachers, students, community groups, and more—to help save lives in accidents, natural disasters, or violent events.

The training has one primary goal: empower everyday bystanders to hold the line until professional help arrives. Since serious bleeding can lead to death within minutes, learning these simple techniques can make the difference between life and loss. Frequently, refresher training every one to two years is recommended to maintain readiness.

Stop the Bleed RSVP here: https://forms.gle/VdrRQrspD2cqceFs8