2023-07-27 Fire Commission Minutes

Home

Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes July 27, 2023 Page 5 ➢ Rescue: New tow vehicles are required for rescue companies Station 2 and Station 7. Funding was approved for this fiscal year, and the specifications have been forwarded to facilitate the purchasing process. Specifications for two fire prevention vehicles have also been forwarded. Furthermore, efforts are presently underway to formulate specifications for X-vehicles. Emergency Medical Services: Five paramedic school personnel traveled to Honolulu for psychomotor testing and the final written exams. Concurrently, nine individuals applied for the upcoming paramedic class, set to start on August 16, 2023. HFD continues to grapple with the challenge of paramedic shortages. However, if things progress as intended, the chief estimates that all paramedic positions will be filled by the summer of the following year. Sapphire medication pumps have been deployed and in-service training has been completed. Additionally, this year, they will move on with the procurement of Lucas compression devices — these are the CPR compression chest -mounted devices intended for every medic. The goal is to equip every ambulance with these new devices. Looking ahead, there's a plan to transition some of these devices onto engines, ensuring that engines also possess Lucas compression devices. CPR/AED training has also been successfully conducted, and the EMS Branch is currently in the process of introducing a new CPAP device. Notably, the EMS team provided assistance with standby personnel during the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, where around 1,300 athletes took part in this year's event. Training Services: During the month of June, comprehensive training sessions were conducted specifically addressing lithium -ion battery emergencies. This training aimed to enhance both awareness and proficiency in effectively responding to such incidents. In addition, live fire training exercises were carried out at Pohakuloa Training Area. The team remains diligent in staying updated with EMD, ProQA, and conducting physical exams for personnel. Over time, efforts are being made to align the firefighter medical exams with NFPA 1582 guidelines, which advocate for thorough screening, particularly for cancer and other related factors. However, there are existing challenges in the current implementation of these recommendations. • Volunteer Training Section: The chief's report provides a summary, indicating that the volunteers have been actively responding to calls and engaging in training activities. Fire Prevention: The Fire Prevention Branch had a total of 168 inspections, acceptance, and certificates issued. Both BC Kurashige and Inspector Requelman participated in the NFPA Convention and Expo held in Las Vegas. During the event, they received training covering various aspects such as fire inspections, investigations, code adoption, maintenance inspections, and code enforcement.