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Hawaii Fire Commission <br /> Regular Session Minutes <br /> January 26, 2023 <br /> Page 4 <br /> received a phone call from the Mayor, HFD will be getting $370K for CDBG. Also, in <br /> front of the Council the other day, the PVG funds were reallocated to HFD. The <br /> Assistance to Firefighters Grant has been approved, and HFD received a federal <br /> grant award of $494,900, with a County match of$49,490. This grant will be used to <br /> purchase and install washers/extractors and dryers. These machines are designed <br /> not to ruin firefighter's PPE, they need specialized equipment to wash their gear. <br /> Chair Kosaki stated it's important to have those extractors at the stations. <br /> Firefighters are exposed to a lot of hazardous chemicals while responding to <br /> structure fires. Taking it home and washing it with their family's clothing would cause <br /> it to spread the hazard to their families. Having these at the stations is much safer, in <br /> addition to what the chief said about protecting the PPE. <br /> • Personnel Report: <br /> ➢ Internal recruitments just closed for Fire EMS Specialist II, Fire Rescue <br /> Specialist, and Fire/Hazardous Material Specialist. The Fire/EMS recruit <br /> position has been created, they are in the process of getting the position <br /> numbers assigned through DHR, and will open and do an early hire for this <br /> position. Chief Todd explained that he's trying to create two pathways into the <br /> department; one for paramedics and the other for firefighters. Firefighter joins <br /> the department as a firefighter recruit and the paramedic can join as a <br /> Fire/EMS recruit. <br /> Chair Kosaki wanted to know how it was going with HR. Chief Todd stated the <br /> positions were approved by County Council, they are now waiting for DHR to assign <br /> position numbers, and then they will open for recruitment. Chair Kosaki asked when <br /> they come in as a paramedic, are they going to get trained as firefighters also? Chief <br /> Todd stated yes. Chair Kosaki asked as they move up the rank, can they cross over <br /> to the fire side and become a fire captain? Chief Todd stated they have been <br /> communicating with DHR regarding this for 9 months. Currently, the job of firefighter <br /> says that you need one year as a firefighter recruit. Fire/EMS recruit is not a <br /> firefighter recruit, it's a different position, so you're not eligible to be a firefighter. <br /> However, the job of Fire Rescue Specialist, Fire Hazmat Specialist, or FEO, none of <br /> these positions says that you need to have been a firefighter. It just says you need a <br /> certain amount of years within the department. He's been communicating with DHR <br /> regarding this, the mayor has been mediating some of these meetings and currently, <br /> the lawyers are involved. They are continuing on with these discussions. <br /> Independent of that, he's still moving ahead with the hiring because at a minimum it <br /> will take a year before they're able to move around anyway. <br /> Chief Todd stated another thing he's working on and one of the things he was talking <br /> with the legislature about is adding six paramedic positions. He'd like to take Kailua <br /> Fire Station and Central Fire Station and go from three paramedics up to six. He <br /> further explained that these are the two busiest stations on the island, so having a <br /> second paramedic would be useful and is critical. <br />