2019-01-16 Fire Commission Regular Minutes

Home

Hawaii Fire Commission Minutes of January 16, 2019 Page 2 have commissioners at the hearing to support the Fire Department's budget. He will give them the date and time of the hearing. It will be a very difficult fiscal year for the county. • Alternative Funding and Grants ➢ 2019 CDBG Paradise Park Ambulance: They were approved for $1.5M, but the governor has not yet signed off. ➢ 2018 CDBG Paradise Park Wildland Brush Truck: This is in production and is similar to the apparatus they purchased for Pahoa and Pahala. ➢ Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation: They will pay to send personal to the mainland for training in Nevada and Arizona and purchase replacement parts for the Bambi bucket for Chopper 2. Human Resources Division: They conducted internal recruitment within the department for Fire/EMS Specialist II in December. They conducted internal recruitment within the County for HR Assistant. Open -competitive recruitment is ongoing for Fire Radio Dispatcher I and Fire Fighter Recruit. In response to Commissioner Susman's inquiry, Chief stated that their recruitment process has not changed. Firefighters on probation do not have union representation. Emergency Operations Division ➢ Operations ✓ East Hawaii: They have not seen an increase in calls since Pohoiki opened. He informed the Mayor's office that the area is more for experienced swimmers. Health concerns about the hot water ponds are directed to other agencies. They have gotten calls about people entering the lava area. He wouldn't recommend anyone entering the area because it's illegal. Chair Henkel stated that he wants to have more discussion about opening up Highway 132 and wants it added to the next meeting agenda. Incidents include a cliff rescue of opihi pickers in Hamakua, possible carbon monoxide release at Walgreens where six employees were transported to the hospital, structure fires in Hilo and Puna. They participated in Christmas parades, training drills, and demonstrations. ✓ West Hawaii: Incidents included Chopper 1 rescue of two stranded hikers on the shoreline between Pololu and Honokane Nui Valleys. Chopper 1 assisted with water drops on 30 acres of brush fire near the Ulu Wini Apartment complex. ➢ Special Operations: Garrett Kim was promoted to BC of Special Operations. ✓ Hazmat: BC Kim conducted cost/benefit analysis on purchasing new air monitors. He also coordinated two waste manifest training sessions with the LEPOC and HMC.