2024-09-26 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 26, 2024 Page 10 Chair Kosaki acknowledged he may have overstepped by not first accepting the evaluation. He then requested a motion to accept the evaluation. Commissioner Luke moved to accept it, with Commissioner Cushnie seconding the motion, which also passed unanimously without discussion. NEW BUSINESS The commission reviewed the fungal (mold) investigation report conducted by Lehua Environmental Inc. at the Waiakea Fire Station. Chair Kosaki explained that he learned about the situation when Civil Defense announced the relocation of personnel from the Waiakea Fire Station to the Haihai Station. Curious about the timing of the notice at 6:30 p.m., he reached out to the station staff for clarification. Chief Todd had sent out a memo, followed by a revised one, stating that effective Friday, September 13th, personnel were relocated to Station 3 due to high mold levels detected by Lehua Environmental Inc. Chair Kosaki inquired whether personnel were moved out on Friday or Sunday, as he had received an email on Sunday. Chief Todd clarified that they technically hadn't relocated. On Friday around 3:30 p.m., a mold concern was reported through their safety reporting system. Although there was no specific medical information about anyone, they brought in Lehua Environmental to assess the situation. Given Hawaii's climate, where mold and mildew are common they don't naturally go out and test for mold. They hired Lehua Environmental, to conduct air quality tests, sending samples for laboratory analysis in Honolulu. They received the report indicating a spore count of 150,000 in the locker room shower area, prompting an immediate decision to shut down that station. Only one area was affected and other bathrooms were available, Chief Todd prioritized the safety of the personnel. The report was shared with personnel at Station 2, the BC was immediately sent down. In conversations with personnel, they agreed to avoid the affected room and use the captain's bathrooms instead. Rather than relocating on Friday, they decided to postpone the move and consult with the next shift to gather their input. If any member from any of the three shifts reported issues, they would need to move. On Saturday, personnel preferred not to leave. Chief Todd spoke with the captain on duty that morning, and the BC provided containers for gear storage, allowing them to clear out the locker room while wearing N95 masks. As conditions stabilized, personnel felt comfortable remaining at the station. On Sunday, an email indicated that personnel were entering the affected area to retrieve items, which raised concerns about spores potentially being transferred to living quarters. In response, Chief Todd immediately ordered the station to close. He contacted Civil Defense to escalate the situation, resulting in personnel relocating to Haihai. However, two team members remained in the district overnight in a vehicle to maintain quick response times.