It’s been a busy few weeks since the Synergic Center’s soft opening. From tenants moving in, to hosting trainings, the Synergic Center continues to advance strategic initiatives through innovation, collaboration, and education. Check out the first edition of the Synergic Byte to stay up to date!
Kicking off the last full week of June, the Alabama Forestry Commission held their Northwest Regional meeting, which encompasses Tuscaloosa County. The board meeting, consisting of approximately 60 forestry professionals from around the region, attended. Agriculture, a key sector of Tuscaloosa’s economy, is one of the six strategic focus areas of Synergic.
Alabama Forestry Commission Northwest Regional Meeting
On June 26th, Synergic partner, Visit Tuscaloosa, held their June board meeting in the regional training center. Visit Tuscaloosa is an integral community partner, promoting Tuscaloosa County as a premier place to live, work, and play.
Throughout the week, Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency (TCEMA) hosted Incident Command Systems (ICS) 300 & 400, providing advanced training for personnel who will play a key role for their respective agency during a disaster. Synergic’s regional training center provided a unique venue to portray various disaster scenarios. Additionally, TCEMA and the Local Emergency Planning Committee, dedicated to developing response plans for hazardous materials, held a meeting at Synergic to foster communication and coordination between public and private entities.
On June 30th, the West Alabama Regional Commission hosted an Elder Fraud Summit, a vital response to the growing challenge of scams in our community. Fraud, from phishing schemes to identity theft, has increasingly targeted our elderly population, costing Tuscaloosa County families time, money, and peace of mind. The summit brought together experts to teach practical ways to identify and prevent scams, empowering residents with tools like recognizing suspicious emails and securing personal information. Leading the panel of speakers was keynote Paul Greenwood, a former prosecutor who led the San Diego District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Protection Division, who shared stories and tips from throughout his career. Joining Paul in speaking to the group of over 100 was Probate Judge and County Commission Chairman, Rob Robertson, who spoke about fraud from the Probate Court side, as well as the rise in sextortion. To cap off the program, Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy, Investigator Zack Stokes, spoke about the rise in fraud and scams the Sheriff’s Office sees and how citizens can be vigilant.
Investigator Zach Stokes & Judge Rob Robertson Addressing The Crowd At The Fraud Summit
Additional events hosted include the United States Secret Service for an Enhancing School Safety and School Resource Officer Threat Assessment course. The training brought officers from 11 agencies. Other trainings include Shelton State’s Child Cultivator, part of the 3×3 upskilling, Exchange Club of Tuscaloosa, and the Tuscaloosa County Natural Resources Planning Committee. It’s been a busy few weeks, but we’re just getting started!
The Synergic Center continues to move towards full operation while working with community partners to host strategic events and trainings. Check back soon for the next edition of the Synergic Byte!
The Synergic Byte is produced by Synergic Interns in-house at the Synergic Center in the digital content studio.
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