2020-09-09 Fire Commission Regular Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 9, 2020 Page 4 ✓ EMS Bureau: Four MICT students passed the written NREMT exam. Skills testing will be in September. The spring 2021 MICT class has been pushed back to fall. ✓ Prevention Bureau: The bureau has been assisting the Covid-19 Task Force and doing community outreach. Covid has been an everyday changing event. They started their own contact tracing because the Department of Health takes too long. Over the weekend they had two personnel test positive for Covid. With contact tracing, they placed 30 personnel in 14 -day quarantine. They mitigate with education and sure use of PPEs. ✓ Auxiliary Services: They released a training video for enrolling volunteers. ✓ Dispatch: DPW continues to work on the design of the new dispatch center. New Projects and Business: They continue to working on getting a new roof for the Pahala station and applied for a grant. DPW continues to work on the new dispatch center. They continue with Coronavirus assistance. • Employees, Public Relations, and Commendations: Commissioner Paleka inquired about a letter that HGEA Director Randy Perreira sent to Chief Rosario regarding the Mayor's nominee to the Fire Commission. Chief Rosario stated that the letter was not favorable, but he responded to Mr. Perreira in a very professional manner, educating him on the work he has done to protect the interests of members of the Fire Department. He reminded Mr. Perreira that when the State eliminated funding for two State beaches, Hapuna and Kua Bay, he met with the Mayor and Finance Director to find funds to keep the Water Safety Officers working there. There was no way they could not have Water Safety Officers in one of the most popular beaches and second most dangerous beach. He was very grateful that the Mayor supported their position and with the Finance Director found a way to keep those beaches funded through this fiscal year. Commissioner Paleka stated that he has been working with the unions for 40 years and believes they need to have a good working relationship. Chief Rosario stated that he has an excellent relationship with the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association. He pointed out to Mr. Perreira that he made his concerns privately, and it blew up because someone made it public. He knows that the union is important. As the Chief, he understand that you don't do everything the union wants you to do. The union doesn't run the department. Chief Rosario explained that the Fire Commission is the boss of the Fire Chief. The person nominated to the Fire Commission is an officer of the union. The Fire Chief is the sole person that hands out corrective action on union members. If there is a