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Hawaii Fire Commission <br />Regular Session Minutes <br />May 11, 2022 <br />Page 2 <br />has been approved. The fourth clerk will assist with maintenance tasks, record <br />requests and releases, tracking maintenance in the mechanic shop and assisting in <br />the warehouse. In addition to that, they will have a fire maintenance worker, who will <br />be responsible for the annual maintenance and repair requests. The audit revealed <br />that requests for maintenance hasn't been managed, so they will start tracking that <br />internally. They also added two part-time positions in dispatch that are funded and <br />four unfunded recruit training specialists that would be under the training bureau. <br />The department has been funding recruit training officer (RTO) positions with <br />overtime for decades. In the beginning of the fiscal year, they will start the process of <br />decreasing the overtime budget to start funding these positions and hire permanent <br />into the position. <br />Vice Chair Kosaki asked how can the department hire an RTO externally? Chief <br />Todd stated that it would be an internal specialist position, a promotion, and an SR- <br />19 position. Vice Chair Kosaki asked if they would be permanently assigned to <br />training and what would they be doing when there isn't any recruit training? Chief <br />stated that his goal is to bring their department's training section from 4-5 personnel <br />to 10. The goal is not to just train personnel in the beginning of their career; he <br />wants to provide continuous training. The chief further explained that there isn't <br />much coordination with anyone else in the department once you leave the training <br />section. They organize, but no one goes out to assist in training. He wants to build a <br />department where their training bureau is 1/3 of the process. They would bring a car, <br />and equipment, personnel won't have to take equipment off their rig, because that <br />impacts response times. The training bureau would bring all the equipment and <br />would provide training on -site, at the stations. Vice Chair Kosaki stated that it's all <br />good in theory, but there's tracking concerns. Another concern is when you go to <br />engine companies to train, if they're still online, you still have the problem with them <br />responding to calls. Chief Todd's response was that there's logistical issues that's <br />still on the way. If there were enough RTOs, they could possibly have a replacement <br />group come in, so they could respond to minor calls. <br />Chief Todd reported that eleven WSO positions would be moved up to full-time. <br />They still need to work this out with employees after July because some of them <br />might prefer the job being part-time, in which case they will probably create <br />unfunded positions and hire two part-timers. <br />Vice Chair Kosaki asked about the safety specialist position. Chief stated that it <br />would mirror Honolulu's safety specialist position. They will take the job description <br />from there and have something similar. <br />Chief Todd reported FY 21-22 budget was at $52.5 million. Budget going into next <br />year is estimated at $61.9 million. Unknown if this is the final budget going into next <br />year; the County Council may want to push for more positions in the Fire <br />Department or make other changes. Increases to their budget includes minimal <br />staffing, overtime, PPE funding, vehicle maintenance, and covers the increase to <br />