2023-05-25 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes May 25, 2023 Page 3 Regarding the three additional positions for the Fire Training Specialist, Chair Kosaki asked, what would they be doing during the off-time when there aren't any recruit classes. Chief Todd explained that there won't be any off-time. If there aren't any recruits, there's an entire department that needs training. There was a discussion regarding minimum staffing, overtime, and rank for rank, which is still implemented, it's under the bargaining unit (HFFA) and is required. Chief Todd reported that HFD is currently looking at replacing its current financial system and the Fire RMS system. • Personnel Report (cont.): Open recruitment is moving forward for Fire Fighter Recruits, Fire Communications Officer I, Accountant III, Clerk III (admin), and Human Resources Assistant was hired on May 1, 2023, and two people were hired for Water Safety Officer I (permanent hire). Chief Todd noted that HFD will be staffing Kohanaiki effective next year. Chair Kosaki confirmed Kohanaiki would be a County budget, and Chief Todd replied yes. The Tower 5 lifeguards will staff it, and that lieutenant will manage it, along with another three lieutenants. That plus the battalion chief equivalent position and a clerk will be added to Ocean Safety next year. • Total Calls for Service: Total calls for the calendar year is 10,397. The majority of their calls for service are for medical. The estimated number of calls for service at the end of the calendar year is 31,171. • Turn Out Times: Response times are still not where they want them to be. They're working on getting the data out to stations and trying to figure out how to make improvements. • Fire Impacts: Chief Todd referred to the Chief's Report and stated there weren't many acres burned in April. Initial data shows they will be entering a busy fire season. Data shows we're going into an El Nino year and ocean temperatures are hot. Some of the data he looked at shows that we're potentially up there with the sixth hottest years we've had for El Nino in terms of ocean temperatures, two of those six years were the years that hurricanes hit Kauai. They're expecting an active season, with either extensive rains or extensive drought, with the possibility of a lot of fire behavior. • Emergency Operations: ➢ Battalion 1 (East Hawaii): Lost hiker was found. Structure fire on Kapehu Street and a brush fire on Muliwai trail in the back of Waipio Valley.