2024-09-26 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 26, 2024 Page 6 were denied, and he doubted this position would be approved since it is already established. He also explained the differences in processes and costs between HFFA and HGEA positions. During the discussion, Chair Kosaki expressed concerns about why the Safety Officer doesn't engage more directly with the stations. Chief Todd responded that the Safety Officer does visit the stations and mentioned a safety reporting function on their website where anyone can submit an issue. It goes to the station and he collaborates with personnel to resolve them. He noted that the Safety Officer played a key role in addressing the mold issue at the Waiakea Fire Station and is actively working on HIOSH and OSHA- related matters, the respiratory management program, and collaborating with Ocean Safety on a GAP analysis. He emphasized that just because someone hasn't seen the officer at the station doesn't mean they aren't visiting, as there are over 20 stations and three shifts to cover. The department has a clear process for addressing safety concerns. Commissioner Hirakami mentioned that there are three board members from HFD, but he lacks fire experience. He suggested that it would be beneficial if non-fire commissioners were provided a cheat sheet detailing the station names. This would help him better understand reports during meetings. Chief Todd agreed to provide the commission with cheat sheets for all station locations. o Logistics (cont.): Chief Todd reported that apparatus repairs at 157, there were 32 trouble calls and eight contracted tows. o Emergency Communications: Shadowing is taking place for captain positions within the FCCC. In August, Capt. Wilson participated in this shadowing process. The 53rd recruit class also had the opportunity to gain insight into the role. They are in the process of partially moving back into their existing facility, with two out of three shifts operating from there. They are in a consultation phase with HGEA, and the midnight to 8:00 a.m. shift will continue to be based at HPD's dispatch center. As staffing levels increase, they plan to transition all operations back into their facility. Additionally, they are awaiting the opening of the new joint communications center, which is nearing completion. Currently, the focus is on IT installations, including server racks, and computer wiring, along with testing to ensure functionality. Progress is also being made towards implementing Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD), which aims to streamline the call-taking process for all fire and rescue calls. o Information Technology: They have played a crucial role in launching the EMS Shopify store site. The team is also working on converting some forms to PDFs and finalizing IT-related tasks for the joint communication center.