2020 RETA Breeze Jan-Feb

EDUCATION CORNER

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Education Saves Lives I want to convey what an honor it is for me to have been chosen as your On May 24, 1998 my focus changed somewhat when a young worker at BY VINCE GRINDEL

accomplished when we, as a group, work together to produce a product dedicated to education, efficiency, and professional development. I invite all RETA members, to involve yourself as much as possible with the development of the RETA study courses. Your experience and expertise are what makes the RETA training materials great. Get involved at the Chapter level and at the national level. Ask questions, seek answers. RETA as an organization only works when you become involved. Right now, RETA is in the process of developing, editing and improving the study materials on an ongoing basis and

new Education Coordinator. My history with RETA dates back to 1976 when I was a student at Linn-Benton Community College, in Albany, Oregon. There I had the distinct pleasure of meeting, working with and becoming friends with the 1971 RETA National President, Larry Benedict, aka “Purging Benedict”. Larry would sometimes get to missing the smell of ammonia so he kept a spray bottle full of purger water handy and he would spray it in the office and shop area until my eyes would water. He called it “air freshener”. Back then we organized and started a newWillamette Valley RETA Chapter where I served as the Chapter Vice President and then Chapter President. We used the RETA texts as training materials at our Chapter meetings. After college I spent a number of years in a service van as a refrigeration service technician working on all kinds of refrigeration systems and some more years as an ammonia plant operator riding herd on a 5000 hp, 2-stage ammonia refrigeration system. Back then, the operator was the control system. Eventually, the company decided to install a new computer control system.

a plant, who we knew and had trained with, was killed by an ammonia release that was caused

by a lack of training, written procedures and a complete

understanding of the refrigeration system. This tragic event was totally preventable!

I was a member of RETA’s National Board of Directors from 2003 to 2007 and was Vice Chair of the Certification Committee while RETA was going through the initial ANSI accreditation process helping to develop the CARO and CIRO certification tests. The goal for RETA, as an organization, is to never have another preventable injury. Everyone goes home safe at the end of their shift. My goal is to make the RETA training materials as good as possible. This can only be “ The goal for RETA, as an organization, is to never have another preventable injury. Everyone goes home safe at the end of their shift.”

we can use your help. Please contact me or your various

Education Committee members to find out how you can get involved.

Vince Grindel RETA Education Coordinator vince@RETA.com

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