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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0133.000 2018-2020 t Har Kim JMY OF is • Gregory Henkel,Chair Mayor Vj'; Ralph Yawata,Vice Chair Robert Becker,Member Is Kyle Keamo,Member Wil Okabe --"s' = Donna Payesko,Member Managing Director .i• t,; Marcella St.Ambrogio,Member °F`14 Scott Susman,Member COUNTY OF HAWAI I Fire Commission 101 Pauahi Street,Suite 9 • Hilo,Hawai`i 96720 Phone: (808)932-2950 • Fax: (808)932-2949 ti C.CD -: ca -<—� -Y1 CD DATE: February 19, 2019 TO: Harry Kim, Mayor FROM: Gregory Henkel, Chair SUBJECT: FIRE COMMISSION'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2018 Attached is the Fire Commission's Annual Report for 2018. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at 965-7899. cc: Wil Okabe, Managing Director Aaron Chung, Council Chair Comm. No. - l Ref. To: Ref. Date FEB 2:1 2919 Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. County of Hawai'i Fire Commission 2018 Annual Report J��Y y4� 0O *1 � '��r4.✓ 4 41, 4i9•14 vNA ti .•p.1„,1 ti Chair Robert Becker Vice Chair Scott Susman Members Gregory Henkel Kyle Keamo Denise Laitinen Donna Payesko Marcella "Bobbye" St. Ambrogio Ralph Yawata Commission Overview and Purpose Pursuant to the authority set forth in the Hawai'i County Charter Section 7-4.6,the County of Hawai'i Fire Commission ("Commission") is charged with powers and duties as set forth below: • Adopt rules necessary to conduct business and review rules for the administration of the Hawai'i Fire Department ("Department") • Review the Department's annual budget and make recommendations to the mayor, managing director and the council • Review the Department's operations as necessary for the purpose of recommending improvements to the fire chief • Evaluate the fire chief at least annually and submit a report to the mayor, managing director and council • Review personnel actions within the department for conformance with Section 7-4.2 of the Charter(pertaining to the Statement of Policy) • Hear complaints of citizens concerning the Department or its personnel,and if necessary, make recommendations to the fire chief on appropriate corrective actions; • Submit an annual report to the Mayor, Managing Director and Council on its activities. This report is respectfully submitted pursuant to County Charter 7-4.6(g), documenting the Commissions' activities in 2018 and recommendations for 2019. Fire Commission Activities Commission Membership and Meetings The Commission conducted nine (9) meetings in 2018, four (4) meetings were held in Hilo and five (5) in Kona.One Commission member position was vacant the entire year and two positions were filled in May,which affected the ability to meet quorum three times.The Commission worked diligently to meet its obligations and continues to encourage the prompt appointment of commissioners when vacancies occur. Two commissioner's terms ended December 31 but they agreed to remain on the Commission through March 2019 per current rules. There are three vacancies to be filled as of this report. Citizen Complaints In 2018, no citizen complaints were filed with the Commission. Annual Evaluation of the Fire Chief The Commission completed the Chief's 2018 performance evaluation in December 2018 and transmitted the evaluation to the Mayor, Managing Director and County Council.The Chief was rated on the following performance elements: leadership, communication,strategic planning, resource allocation,safety and emergency management operations.The Commission rated the Chief's 2018 performance as superior. Commission's Review ofthe Department and Recommendations One of the Commission's duties is to provide oversight over the Department. In this regard,the Commission reviewed Department activities to determine whether there are improvements that can be made with regard to the Department's performance,leadership,staffing and services rendered. A. Commission Goals Relating to the Department In 2018,the Commission discussed goals and emphasis areas that it believed would assist the Department in fulfilling its mission to the public. The Commission worked with the Chief to create a 2018 Program of Work for the Department that not only satisfies the Department's goals,but those of the Commission including input from the public. The goals and emphasis areas included: 1) firefighter and public safety, 2) improvement of Department administration, policies, procedures and operations, 3) improved facilities and equipment,4) Department leadership and executive management, and 5) communications between the Department, public, Commission and elected officials. The Commission worked with the Chief and the Department on annual updating of their Continuity of Operations Plan and volunteer firefighter training. B. Department Budget The Commission reviewed the Department's FY 2018 budget,and determined the budget was well managed. Department expenditures came in within the allocated budget,grants and private contributions.A summary of the Department's budget appropriations, expenditures and funding sources are provided in the tables and charts below. Fire grant appropriations, expended and balance amounts are shown for illustrative purposes, but not included in the grand total balance because grants are multi-year funds,remaining balances were carried over to FY 2019. FY 2018 Hawai'i Fire Department Budget 0/0 Account Appropriation Expended Encumbered Balance Balance Fire Protection 1) $29,545,164.40 $29,302,272.70 $129,766.84 $113,124.86 0.4% EMS Services 2) $13,833,218.23 $13,503,850.43 $200,447.90 $128,919.90 0.9% Fireworks $ 77,630.00 $47,732.07 $29,897.00 $0.93 0.0% Enforcement Ocean Safety 3) $3,174,604.74 $2,666,073.56 $ 135,253.56 $373,277.62 11.8% Fire Prevention $ 638,546.00 $ 624,726.67 $ 13,819.33 2.2% Fire Equip.Maint.4) $488,670.00 $454,326.51 $ 34,343.49 7.0% Training&Volunteers $475,961.00 $428,509.69 $47,451.31 10.0% Misc.Fire- Helicopter $ 783,636.00 $674,178.19 $ 109,457.81 14.4% Services 5) Fire Grants 6) $402,176.12 $ 122,970.18 $ 115,388.91 $ 164,167.03 40.8% TOTAL 7) $49,419,906.49 $47,824,640.00 $610,704.21 $984,562.28 Notes: 1) Fire Protection-Includes Local Emergency Planning Commission(LEPC) Funds 2) EMS Services-Salaries&Wages and Operating Expenditures Only 3) Ocean Safety-Includes State funded Hapuna State Beach Recreation Area 4) Fire Equipment Maintenance-Includes EMS Equipment Maintenance 5) Misc. Fire(Helicopter Services) -Includes EMS Aeromedical Ambulance 6) Fire Grants-Grants are multi-year,balance rolls to next FY 7) Total-Balance does not include multi-year fire grant funding that rolls over into the next fiscal year Fire Expenditures by Function - FY 2017-18: $47,824,640 Fire Protection • EMS Services Fireworks Enforcement • Ocean Safety • Ocean Safety- Hapuna Fire Prevention • Fire Equipment Maintenance • Training&Volunteer • Misc Fire (Helicopter Services) • Fire Grants- Federal FY 2018 Hawai'i Fire Department Budget Funding Source Expended Percentage County General Fund $33,788,034.57 70.6% State Grants $13,949,635.25 29.1% Federal Grants $122,970.18 0.3% TOTAL $47,824,640.00 100.0% Fire Expenditures by Funding Source - FY 2017-18: $47,824,640 0.3% •County General 29.1% Fund ■State Grants 70.6% Federal Grants C. Department Performance The Commission reviewed the Department's performance and considered the enormous task of providing fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to a growing population throughout an area exceeding 4,000 square miles.It is also worth noting that the Department is the only fire department in the State of Hawaii that provides EMS services,maintains 20 paid and 19 volunteer fire companies and their apparatus,and has an arson canine.The Department also is one of the few in the state that funds and manages an ocean safety program.Additionally,the Department has active aviation, fire prevention,fire inspection,hazardous materials, ocean safety,water rescue and heavy rescue programs. Overall the Department responded to 25,232 calls and their performance was considered superior. The followin'g is a breakdown of all calls received by the Department in 2018 logged by incident type. Hawai'i Fire Department 2018 Incident Call Log by Type Type Fire EMS Rescue Hazardous Community Good False Severe Citizen') Condition Service Intent Alarms Weather Complaint Number 768 17546 198 205 1830 4261 378 43 2 Of 3% 70% 1% 1% 7% 17% 2% <1% <1% Calls TOTAL 25,232 CALLS Note: 1) Citizen complaints are complaints citizens make against each other,not complaints against members of the Department D. Selected Department Operational Highlights The Commission noted Department operational highlights including the following: • Effectively responded to and mitigated incidents related to the Lower East Rift Zone and Kilauea Volcano summit eruption event • Received a new 4x4 heavy-duty tanker apparatus for West Hawaii,stationed at the Waimea Fire Station • Production completed on new replacement fire pumper apparatus for the Waikoloa and Keauhou Fire Stations. Delivery is February 2019 • Received a new replacement fire pumper apparatus for the Pahala Fire Station through a Federal Community Development Block Grant of$650,000 • Received new replacement 4x4 SUV response vehicles for the East and West Battalion Fire Chiefs • Replaced all HazMat response suits • Replaced all of its Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) through Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant of$1,500,000 • Provided 8 sessions of the Junior Lifeguard Program to island wide youth over the summer. • Dedicated the new Waimea Volunteer Company 9 Bravo Fire Station • Graduation of the 45th Firefighter Recruit Class of 16 firefighters • Hired 21 new Firefighter Recruits for the Department's 46th FFR Class • Reestablished the Fire Appeals Board through County Bill 91 • Continued the hands only CPR program in schools and communities totaling 10,500 persons trained during the life of this program thus far • Effectively worked to receive approval for 2019 funding for a new Advanced Life Support Ambulance for the Puna District • Graduated 8 new Licensed Mobile Intensive Care Technicians (paramedics) • Fire Prevention Bureau conducted 40 public safety events throughout the county E. Firefighter/Public Safety Related Funding, Observations and Specific Commission Recommendations The Commission reviewed the Department's funding and believes that firefighter and public safety items must be adequately funded to protect the health and safety of our community. The Commission notes that during the period from 2010-2017 (most recent data available),the county population increased by 8.3% and the Department's emergency call volume during the period from 2010-2018 increased 21.5%while the level of funding for the Department has remained static. Salary increases mandated by collective bargaining agreements have been included in available funding although the related associated costs for overtime have not been matched resulting in an overall lowering of actual available funds for non-salary uses. Over 85% of the Department's budget goes to salary costs compared with only 62% in departments county-wide leaving little flexibility in the budget to maintain existing equipment and training levels,let alone programmatic innovations and new requirements. Funding levels are such that further budget cuts will result in reduced services to the public that is unacceptable. The Commission will continue to work with the Department,the County administration,and the County Council to support appropriate funding to protect the health and safety of our community. The Department staffing is 529 paid personnel and over 130 volunteers performing well and meeting recent demands satisfactorily. Staffing levels need to be monitored for adequacy and additional positions need to be seriously considered. Operational Battalion Chief positions are over-spanned at ten companies per Chief on duty and battalions are physically half again the size of Rhode Island.Those posts have been difficult to fill because of the workload and what has been perceived to be inadequate incentives for company officers to move up. The training office has no permanent resident or continuity. A dedicated permanent Training Battalion Chief is needed to design and implement a department-wide training program,seek appropriate methods and materials,manage training records,and evaluate employees for training needs and operational effectiveness. There was a chief training position in the Department but it was eliminated over ten years ago to accommodate an operational reorganization and was never replaced. The Department is large and active enough to justify a dedicated Information Officer to manage its press releases,safety alerts and messages,website products,social media, newsletters, and internal department communications to keep this large roster of employees informed and engaged. The public should be seeing and hearing much more from one of the premier public safety agencies in the state. It's an effective business practice that would assure continued good will and support,and keep public safety in the public conversation. These are the Commission's recommendations: • Increase funding to staff Paradise Park, HOVE,Waikoloa, and Laupahoehoe Fire Stations to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimum staffing requirements for the safety of the public and firefighters • Support the Department vehicle replacement initiative by providing funding for the lease purchase replacement apparatus program • Support the funding requests for required hazardous materials response equipment, various safety equipment,training,and the Ocean Safety Division • Support the Department's request to create and fund 5 additional Fire Prevention Inspector I positions to meet NFPA 1730 Standard work load and inspection requirements created by increasing businesses in Hawaii County • Establish and fund a Training Battalion Chief position to administer an appropriate training program for a department of this size and the levels of technical expertise and skills needed • Establish and fund a dedicated Information Officer position • Fund a third operations Battalion Chief position and necessary chiefs to bring the span of control in field operations to a manageable size and improve the supervision of line companies • Fund a fire shelter training and implementation program for paid and volunteer firefighters • Enroll all county employees with leadership and emergency management responsibilities in the U.S.Department of Homeland Security(DHS) Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and the Wireless Priority Service (WPS or equivalent corporate program) to facilitate interagency communications in emergencies • Create and actively support a countywide all-hazards Incident Management Team to manage large events involving more than one county agency lasting two or more operational periods to increase efficiency and decrease incident costs • Integrate the Department's Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) into the countywide COOP planning,testing,training and evaluation program Conclusion The Commission has worked to serve the public per the requirements of the County Charter and provided oversight of the Department as noted above. The Commission completed the 2017 Annual Report,the Chiefs 2018 performance evaluation,reaffirmed performance elements for the Chiefs 2019 evaluation,provided input for the 2019 Department Program of Work, and reaffirmed the Chiefs 2019 position description. The Commission continued implementation of an internal Commission calendar and a Program of Work in 2018 and updated those documents for 2019. Additionally,the Commission provided requested input to the Fire Department and Fire Commission portions of the 2020 County Charter revision as well as requested input to the Salary Commission regarding the Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs salary. The Commission Chair provided Department funding recommendations to the County Council and the Managing Director. Individual Commission members provided specific information on available grants, federal programs and training that were acted upon by the Department to their benefit. The Commission recommends additional funding to meet the Department's needs to serve the public effectively and efficiently. The Commission anticipates a productive year in 2019.