Board Packet for FC Meeting 10-23-25

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 4 • Emergency Communications: The section remains understaffed, with nine dispatchers currently working and four additional hires expected to begin in December. In August, there were 2,627 calls, with an average duration of 185 seconds; 86.4% of calls were answered in under 10 seconds. The objective for Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocol compliance is 70% or higher; current compliance is 26% (45% year-to-date). Low staffing levels continue to impact key performance metrics, including call processing times and EMD protocol compliance. • Snapshots and Stories: Emergency Operations Highlights: Responded to numerous large brushfires across the island, a 1,000-gallon propane leak at the Kekuanaoa wastewater plant, and a hiker rescue in Waimanu. Deputy Chief Volpe highlighted the critical role of volunteers, whose ability to respond outside their assigned districts is a significant asset during major incidents. Fire Prevention: The section continues its public outreach and education efforts. The drone program has proven invaluable for providing real-time intelligence, aerial mapping, and data collection. New Apparatus: Three new brush trucks (5, 11, and 17) have arrived. Truck 17 has already been placed in service. Safety Program: An after-action review of the July 29th tsunami warning is underway. Several policies are under review or in development, including for OSHA two-in/two-out, pre-planning for vacant/hazardous buildings (Code-H), and severe event response. A new program is being established for NFPA-required ground ladder testing. In August, there were five incident/accident reports, two vehicle/property damage reports, and two toxic exposure reports. The monthly Safety Committee meeting was held. Ocean Safety: The Junior Lifeguard Program took second place in the state competition on Maui. Ocean Safety provided water safety support for the Hawaii County/Okinawa Haari boat race and participated in the Duke's Ocean Festival Lifeguard Challenge. The commission referred to the Fire Chief's report and asked questions regarding its contents. Discussion included errors in some data, such as EMS call numbers, as well as ALS and BLS transport figures. Additionally, Operating Expenditures (OCE) numbers were missing. Deputy Chief Volpe explained that the new Oracle reporting system has made it challenging to generate reports, an issue that is occurring county-wide. Recess was called at 10.15 a.m., and the meeting reconvened at 10.28 a.m.