2015-01-21 Fire Commission Regular Minutes

Home

Hawaii County Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes January 21, 2015 Page 2 ➢ Fiscal year 2015-2016: They had their initial budget meeting with the Finance Director. A supplemental request was submitted to purchase another tanker which will go to Kona. They have two tankers in Puna and one in Ka'u. A tanker for Waikoloa is being built. The AC of Operations is almost finished with the apparatus aging report. The Waikoloa apparatus will be replaced. • ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AND GRANTS ➢ Assistance to Fire Fighters Prevention Grant Programs: Chief Rosario was selected to be on the peer review committee. Over 5,000 grants were evaluated. Their grant request is to upgrade the helicopter with night vision capability, but he cannot review his own grant request. ➢ Community Development Block Grant Programs: This is for brush trucks. ➢ Capital Improvement Projects: Work on the new Haihai station continues. • HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION ➢ Recruitments ✓ Open -competitive recruitments: A fire mechanic retired, and the position will be filled in February. A paramedic promotion is being processed. ✓ Internal within department recruitments: Going through the process for Fire/Emergency Medical Services Specialist II, Fire Rescue Specialist, and Fire Prevention Captain. • EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DIVISION ➢ Operations: They have been doing a lot of public relations work. The lava flow is about .4 miles directly above the new Pahoa fire station. As a contingency plan, they have two containers in which they can pack up the station and move it to the new -old Pahoa fire station. The flow keeps stalling and moving north towards Ainaloa, and there were some brush fires in the area. Fire breaks were put in, and they requested to put in more, but the request was denied by the Federal Fish and Wildlife because of Hawaiian bats in the area. Chair De Luz pointed out that the Fire Department had a plan, but it was prohibited by the Federal Government. In East Hawaii, they participated in an Active Shooter and Weapons of Mass Destruction exercise at Hilo airport. They conducted search and rescues in Waipi'o Valley, Waimanu Valley, and in Puna. Orientation and training was conducted with Lifelight Helicopters in Leilani Estates. Lava assessment, surveys, and response protocols continue. In West Hawaii, they conducted search and rescue at Hapuna Beach which ended in recovery. Flash flood mitigation was done involving damage and closure of the Akoni Pule highway bridge. They continue to monitor the repair of the main water line feeding the community north of the Makapala/Niulii area.