2021-01-13 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes January 13, 2021 Page 2 BUDGET ✓ FY 2020/2021: Chief Perreira reported that as of December 31, 2020, their budget was on track. This year, they don't have funding for Hapuna and have been covering it with Cares Funding. They received funding for Kua Bay for 2021. ✓ FY 2021/2022: Their proposed budget is $51,965,902 includes State EMS and anticipated grants. Supplemental budget requests were submitted for staffing, station equipment, apparatus replacement, personal protective equipment, and overtime. Copies were given to the commission and each was explained. The supplemental request for a Business Manager was recommended by the Finance Director. This position will oversee their HR and Fiscal Divisions. It is a critical position because they are operating a business, and they need someone to run the day-to-day operations of the business. They don't anticipate getting funding for Kua Bay and Hapuna for 2021-2022. They are asking their legislatures to lobby for these beaches. Otherwise, they will have to seek county funding. Commissioners Magsalin asked about ways to cut overtime. She stated that at the hospital, they use traveling nurses, and they don't have to pay them benefits. Chief stated that they are looking at ways to avoid overtime. He asked Accountant Lorenzo to find where the overtime is so they can analyze the data. They have collective bargaining requirements that require overtime. If personnel is on the way to an incident, they have to finish that assignment which could incur overtime. The county does not look at the details of the overtime. They just look at it as overtime. They have constant challenge with movement of personnel. They will be filling every vacancy with recruits, except one. EMS staffing has a lot of overtime because they have to be replaced with only paramedics. They have a paramedic assessment tomorrow. AC Okinaka stated that two thirds of their $3 million overtime budget is due to rank for rank pay which is required by contract. Holiday pay is another requirement. They were not given the funding required for overtime. They were given only $1,000 per person overtime. Commissioner Magsalin asked why firefighters couldn't learn and do other duties. Chief stated that it all goes back to position description, job duties, and the union contract. • ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AND GRANTS: They are working with the Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation in distributing Covid-19 related protective equipment and purchases through Sayre continues. Through USFA FEMA Assistance to Firefighter's grant, they are purchasing electrostatic sprayers worth approximately $24,000. They will be submitting USFA FEMA Assistance to Firefighter's grant application for their