2023-06-22 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes June 22, 2023 Page 2 Grant (SAFER), with another 14 or 16 months left. There's a total of three USDA Forest Service Grants. They are moving ahead with the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for washers/extractors and dryers. State grant awarded for the purchase of equipment for Hapuna Beach State Park and Kua Bay, HFD is expected to expend between 82-88% of the amount given, due to issues with procurement. Personnel Report: Fire Captain assessment center/interviews are scheduled for June 26th. Practical assessments for Fire Equipment Operators were held on June 7th- 8th and interviews were held on June 15th. Assessment center/interviews for Fire/Hazardous Materials Specialist is scheduled for June 27th- Two Fire/EMS Specialists and three Fire Training Specialists were promoted. The assessment center for Fire Rescue Specialists has not yet been scheduled. As for open recruitments, HFD is still recruiting Fire Safety Specialists. Recruitment opened for Fire/EMS recruits, DHR referred 17 candidates, three candidates passed the performance assessment exercise, and interviews were held on June 15th. Formal offers will be sent out soon for Fire Recruits. DHR referred candidates for the Accountant III, Account Clerk, and Clerk III positions, interviews are pending. Water Safety Officer I recruitment opened, and referred names from DHR are pending. There was a discussion with the chief about the minimum qualifications for the Fire/EMS Recruits and details on the Fire Safety Specialist and Fire Communications Officer positions. • Total Calls for Service: In May, HFD received 2,467 calls, of those calls, rescue and EMS are at 73%, good intent calls at 15%, service calls at 7%, fire calls at 3%, hazardous conditions (no fire) at 1 %, and false alarm calls are at 1 %. Fire Impacts: For the month of May, there were 10 wildland fires with 152 acres burned. Emergency Operations: In East Hawaii, there was a brush fire in Paauilo, a rescue at Wailuku River, and structure fires in Districts 11 and 18. In West Hawaii, there was a brush fire near Akoni Pule Highway, which was about 20 acres in size. There was a search and rescue of a 2-year-old child and a rescue off Honokohau for a 35- foot dive vessel. Chair Kosaki stated on June 3rd there was a fire in a green waste pile at the West Hawaii Organics Facility. At that facility, there was one tanker with brackish water and they needed more water, so they requested another tanker but it was empty. He thanked the chief because he reached out to him and filled up the water at Station 14, knocked the fire out early, and they didn't need HFD to respond. Chief Todd asked if they regulate the height of the green waste. Chair Kosaki explained that they have a solid waste management permit that requires them to have a height limit on the green waste and mulch piles. Chief Todd asked if it was self -heating, and Chair Kosaki stated it was spontaneous combustion.