2025-08-28 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes August 28, 2025 Page 5 compliance stands at 64%. The section aims to answer 90% of 911 calls within 10 seconds, with an average processing time goal of less than 180 seconds. Further discussion addressed the time from call receipt to dispatch. • Snapshots and Stories: SFCO Tasha Kodani-Pereira attended this year's Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) conference in Baltimore, Maryland, from July 27-30. HAZMAT Company 4 responded to a propane leak at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Kekuanaoa Street involving a 1,000-gallon tank. Crews secured the scene and coordinated with Hawaii Gas to transfer the propane to a secured tank. HAZMAT Company 21 responded to AmeriGas Baseyard in the Kona Industrial Area following reports of a propane odor. They found three unattended 1,000-gallon tanks releasing propane. • Volunteers: Volunteers participated in community events, conducted wildland refresher training, responded to rubbish and brush fires, including 65 fires in the Hamakua region compared to 25 last year, assisted with tsunami watch notifications, supported the Fourth of July Parade and water operations, responded to a vehicle fire, and completed training. • Fire Prevention Bureau: Fire Prevention participated in Revitalize Puna's Community Preparedness & Resilience Fair and attended Hawaiian Electric's Wildfire Safety Strategy meeting. They were involved in a District 5 fire investigation that resulted in a civilian fatality; the cause remains undetermined. Chief Okinaka, Chief Mechanic Buyuan, and FEM Supnet traveled to Rebel Strike in Henderson, Nevada, to complete the final inspection of three brush trucks funded through CDBG and MIT. • Safety Program: The Safety Program has focused on HIOSH compressor inspections and facility safety, including mold testing and particle counts, as a proactive measure following issues at the Waiakea Fire Station. Work continues on ground ladder testing supplies, and preparations are underway for the next Continuity of Operations (COOP) exercise, scheduled for October. Three new Incident/Accident Reports and one Vehicle/Equipment/Property Damage Report were received. The safety specialist is coordinating with Risk Management to review all vehicle claims. A safety bulletin was issued regarding cracks in Bullard FX helmets. The Joint HFD/HFFFA Safety Committee met in July to review a potential OSHA two-in/two-out precedent. • Aviation Operations: Choppers 1 and 2 flew approximately 35 hours in July. Notable missions included responding to a plane crash near Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, a high-altitude brush fire on Mauna Kea at 8,500 feet, assisting HPD with a body recovery on Kohala Mountain, multiple brush fire responses, hiker extractions, search and rescue operations, and training flights. The helicopters also