Summer Students are NOT Extended Visitors

This article first appeared in the June 10, 2015 DPSAC News 

DPSAC recently learned that some individuals accepted into the NIH Summer Student program are being advised by their AOs to fill out Extended Visitor forms. This is not advisable. Summer students are required to have a Restricted Local Access (RLA) badge which is issued by DPSAC, not the NIH Police.

Unfortunately, these students are showing up at the NIH Police or DPSAC carrying an incomplete Extended Visitor form and expecting to be issued their ID badges. Regrettably, DPSAC (or the Police) have to turn them away because they have not been entered into NED. Some of these individuals learn that they can't get a badge only after they have spent considerable time waiting in line to get enrolled.

Before a summer student can be issued a badge -- all summer students are issued an RLA badge -- their AO needs to enter them into NED. Once they are entered into NED, they will receive notification from DPSAC to come in to be identity proofed, fingerprinted and photographed. Soon after this process is completed, the individual will again be notified advising them to come to DPSAC to pick up their RLA badge.

DPSAC strives to provide outstanding service to each of its customers, including making the badging experience as efficient and convenient as possible. But surprises sometimes do occur that will delay the badge issuance process. DPSAC wants to remind the administrative community that they can help their arriving students (and DPSAC) expedite the badging process and avoid such unwanted surprises by entering the students into NED. They can do this even before the student arrives at NIH.

In anticipation of the influx of new arrivals (nearly 1300 students are expected to arrive over a two to three week period in June and July) and the added demands on DPSAC's enrollment and badging staffs, DPSAC has temporarily expanded its enrollment and badging capabilities.    

How to Enroll

The NED courses are posted on the CIT Training site where visitors can view availability for any class and receive a confirmation immediately after registering. The catalog of NED classes is posted at: http://training.cit.nih.gov/coursecatalog.aspx under "General Seminars." 

When you see a course you want to take, just click on the course name (listed in the right column of the table). You will be taken to the HHS Learning Management System (LMS) where you can register for the course online.

To log on to the HHS Learning Management System, you can use either your PIV card and PIN or your NIH credentials. If you experience any difficulties accessing the LMS, please contact the CIT Training Program at 301-594-6248 or send an e-mail to: cittraining@mail.nih.gov.   

FAQs  

Avoiding Badging Delays with Timely Registration of New Employees into NED 

The following questions and answers underscore the importance of timely action in registering a new employee in NED to clear the way for badge

Q. If a contractor is converting to an FTE, can I, as an AO, register this person in NED as an FTE, using a future EOD date without causing the person's badge to be revoked?

A. Yes you can! A contractor badge (with the green stripe) will still work until that badge holder becomes an FTE on their EOD date and is issued an HHS ID Badge (PIV Card) with a white 'stripe.'

Foreign national contractors require special attention when they are converting to an FTE or are renewing their PIV card. Due to limitations in the HHS card management system, AOs who renew a PIV card of a foreign national or are converting a foreign national contractor to an FTE in NED will cause the individual's current PIV card to be immediately deactivated.  

To help mitigate this problem, foreign nationals should make their badge enrollment and issuance appointments on the same day as the sponsorship action to help avoid any interruption to physical or logical access due to a deactivated badge.  

AOs should reach out to their foreign national customers before starting the badge renewal or sponsorship task and explain the importance of picking up their new RLA badge on the same day that their PIV card is revoked. By coordinating the timing of these activities, the AO can help foreign nationals obtain their new RLA badges quickly and avoid any interruption to their access privileges at NIH.

Q. If a contractor who will be converting to an FTE has been entered into NED, can he or she make appointments for Enrollment and Badge Issuance even before their EOD date? 

A. Yes s/he can! It's important that the person be entered into NED correctly, otherwise, the individual won't be able to get an appointment! Once the AO changes the position classification in NED and DPSAC has completed a "PIPS" check to determine the investigation requirements of a customer, the person can get an appointment.    

Enjoy Fireworks the Safe Way - At a Public Display

The following fire safety awareness article was prepared by the Division of the Fire Marshal, ORS  

The American tradition of parades, cookouts and fireworks helps us celebrate our nation's birthday on the Fourth of July. However, a joyful holiday can turn into a painful memory when children or adults are injured while using fireworks.

Although some fireworks are relatively safe with proper and careful use, others are illegal and present substantial risks that can result in damage to property and, more importantly, cause ear and eye injuries, amputations, severe burns and death. In fact, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), firecrackers experienced at close range can damage hearing permanently in an instant.    

The Division of Fire Marshal (DFM), Office of Research Services (ORS), urges everyone to put safety first when celebrating this Fourth of July. When using fireworks, things can go wrong very fast. Children, especially, can be injured quickly. Kids typically not only like to watch, but they also want to touch, feel and light the fireworks.

Rather than incurring any risks, the DFM urges you to celebrate and enjoy the holiday without lighting your own fireworks. Instead, attend one of the many public fireworks displays provided throughout the area. At these displays, certified and licensed pyrotechnicians are trained and experienced in the safe use of fireworks and will provide a safe, yet exciting show.  

The following tips should help make a public fireworks display safer and more enjoyable:

• Stay far away from where the fireworks are exploding and wear earplugs if the noises are uncomfortably loud.
  
  
• Obey all monitors and ushers and respect the safety barriers established that allow the trained pyrotechnicians room to safely do their job. Resist any temptation to get close to the actual firing site. In fact, the best view of fireworks is from a quarter mile or more away.
  
  
• If unexploded fireworks fall to the ground, do not touch them and keep others away. If you happen to find any pieces which may not have exploded, immediately contact the local fire or police department.
  
  
• Pets, like their human companions, have very sensitive ears and the "booms" and "bangs" associated with fireworks displays can be quite uncomfortable - particularly to dogs. In fact, these loud noises can damage their ears too. Leave pets at home if you attend a fireworks show.
  
  
• Leave the lighting of all fireworks to certified operators. Even sparklers and other novelty items that are legal in certain jurisdictions can be dangerous. Enjoy the "Fourth" safely and attend a public display - it will provide the right kind of excitement!

If you have questions concerning fireworks safety, please contact the Division of the Fire Marshal, Office of Research Services at 301-496-0487. For hearing concerns, contact the NIDCD Office of Health Communication and Public Liaison at 301-496-7243.