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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-09 Fire Commission Regular MinutesHAWAII FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 HAWAII COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING 1055 KINO`OLE ST., SUITE 101, HILO, HAWAII CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Yamada called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. PRESENT: Robert M. Yamada, Chair Kyle Keamo, Vice Chair Benjamin Agdeppa, Commissioner Gregory Henkel, Commissioner Corey Luke, Commissioner Merrick Nishimoto, Commissioner Daniel Paleka, Commissioner Absent: Donna Payesko, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also present: Darren Rosario, Fire Chief Robert Perreira, Deputy Fire Chief John Bertsch, Volunteer Commander Craig Masuda, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (None.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 18, 2020 • Regular Session Minutes: Commissioner Henkel motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Paleka seconded, and it carried unanimously. • Executive Session Minutes: Commissioner Henkel motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Agdeppa seconded, and it carried unanimously. FIRE CHIEF'S REPORT Chief Rosario introduced John Bertsch, Volunteer Commander, who works out of the Kalaoa volunteer station. Chief stated that the volunteer sections were started mostly in rural areas where they didn't have fire stations. Commander Bertsch is the captain in Kona at one of their most active companies. He is the liaison to Chief's Office who speaks to him directly about the volunteers and comes to the commission meetings to provide a report and answer questions from the commissioners. They have 15 volunteer stations and have anywhere from 130 to 200 volunteers. John's company is one of the most stable with 12-15 volunteers. Hawaiian Paradise Park has another very active volunteer company. They have a career station at that location. Chief Rosario highlighted items from his written report: Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 9, 2020 Page 2 Budget FY 2020/21: There were no significant updates or changes. EMS has a County and State budget. Due to Covid-19 and lack of transit accommodations taxes, the State Director of the Department of Health asked all EMS providers to submit 10%, 15%, 20% cuts to their existing budget which they submitted. That would eliminated 2-4 ambulance units on Hawaii Island. They have been actively seeking support from the Lt. Governor and legislatures. In light of Covid, he cannot see cutting the EMS budget. But, if they have to make cuts, they would have to cut EMS units. They would also look at their helicopter funding. They have a budget shortfall for Paradise Park and have been using Cares money to keep it running. They have been 90% successful with the grants they apply for. Alternative Funding and Grants: The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation that assists with funding for equipment, cancelled their annual awards dinner and held a virtual event. They were awarded $50,000 for the USDA USFS Wildland matching grant. USFA FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant awards and disbursements were postponed to 2021 due to Covid. Their Shippers Wharf Grant application was approved. The Department of Homeland Security provided a grant for four infrared cameras to identify hotspots in buildings and smoke-filled rooms. Human Resources Division: They have internal recruitments for Fire Captain, Fire Equipment Operator, and Assistant Fire Chief. Open competitive recruitment for Account Clerk and Fire Fighter Recruit is ongoing. They are utilizing Target Solutions for on-line employee development and training. Emergency Operations Division: Funeral services for FEO Eric Hayashi is pending. FMS Jonathan Hara's funeral service was live -streamed. AC Okinaka participated in the final apparatus inspections for E-7 and E-17at the KME plant in Pennsylvania. ✓ Hazmat: The Kaumana in-service training was cancelled again due to Covid because instructors come from Oahu. The Hazmat technician basic training course was also cancelled due to Covid. ✓ Ocean Safety: They are working on a donation of equipment and labor from Metzler Construction to finish the groundwork for the storage container at Hapuna. The County's permitting process has been challenging and may affect the timeline for that donation. ✓ Rescue: AC Okinaka worked with USCG on scheduling a biennial SAREX, search and rescue exercise. However, due to Covid, they are doing table -top exercises. Support Services Division ✓ Training: Personnel are working on Target Solutions quarterly assignments. The 48th recruit class completed their medic requirements and can now run as Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 9, 2020 Page 3 EMTs. Two MICTs and two EMTs completed their requirement evaluations and certifications and have moved to 24-hour shifts. ✓ Volunteer Training: Volunteer Commander John Bertsch stated that he has been a volunteer firefighter for 23 years. They usually have 180-200 members, but due to Covid, they currently have about 138. Many of the volunteers are applying for firefighter recruit. The volunteer section is strictly a force multiplier for the front line fire crews. The volunteer program is equipped with specialty equipment, oftentimes with four-wheel drive brush trucks and tankers that give them the ability to go off-road. That was the cornerstone of their wildland fire fighting within the county. Through grants and forward -thinking of the Chief, the frontline companies are now being equipped with those same vehicles. Because of the drop in their numbers on the volunteer side, it has become apparent and incumbent on them to start actively recruiting. Anytime they do recruiting, it requires some funding for posters, distribution of material, and community outreach. Even a little of the Cares funding would help. Hopefully, somebody would give them a couple hundred dollars to start actively recruiting. In response to a question about being a force multiplier, Commander Bertsch explained that that their additional manpower and equipment enables the incident commander to prioritize his resources and oftentimes is able to send back into district the companies who came out to give support. Chief Rosario added, that when the volunteers come out, it expands the amount of personnel and equipment. In response to questions, Chief Rosario stated that all the volunteers are trained firefighters, but they do not don an air tank and do not do entry. That requires constant training and evaluation. John's company is mostly young, and they do well. They are trained and equipped. They have the same PPE that the career personnel have. However, a lot of times they get the hand-me-downs. They have four volunteer stations in Puna — Paradise Park, Ainaloa, Hawaiian Acres, and Volcano. Commissioner Paleka stated that he likes concentrating on recruitment, and it needs more discussion. Chief Rosario stated that the Volunteer Program is not funded in the county budget. They are only funded for two career positions that train the various companies and $10,000 that the captains use for such things as shirts. He has not been successful at getting additional monies for the volunteers. The Council has to approve the startup of a volunteer station. It would cost about $1 million for land, building, and equipment. The volunteers have always been the stepchild who gets the hand-me-downs. A new pumper costs $700,000. If their apparatus breaks down, it could sit for a long time waiting for repairs. The Ironman Foundation bought a brush truck for them. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 9, 2020 Page 4 ✓ EMS Bureau: Four MICT students passed the written NREMT exam. Skills testing will be in September. The spring 2021 MICT class has been pushed back to fall. ✓ Prevention Bureau: The bureau has been assisting the Covid-19 Task Force and doing community outreach. Covid has been an everyday changing event. They started their own contact tracing because the Department of Health takes too long. Over the weekend they had two personnel test positive for Covid. With contact tracing, they placed 30 personnel in 14 -day quarantine. They mitigate with education and sure use of PPEs. ✓ Auxiliary Services: They released a training video for enrolling volunteers. ✓ Dispatch: DPW continues to work on the design of the new dispatch center. New Projects and Business: They continue to working on getting a new roof for the Pahala station and applied for a grant. DPW continues to work on the new dispatch center. They continue with Coronavirus assistance. • Employees, Public Relations, and Commendations: Commissioner Paleka inquired about a letter that HGEA Director Randy Perreira sent to Chief Rosario regarding the Mayor's nominee to the Fire Commission. Chief Rosario stated that the letter was not favorable, but he responded to Mr. Perreira in a very professional manner, educating him on the work he has done to protect the interests of members of the Fire Department. He reminded Mr. Perreira that when the State eliminated funding for two State beaches, Hapuna and Kua Bay, he met with the Mayor and Finance Director to find funds to keep the Water Safety Officers working there. There was no way they could not have Water Safety Officers in one of the most popular beaches and second most dangerous beach. He was very grateful that the Mayor supported their position and with the Finance Director found a way to keep those beaches funded through this fiscal year. Commissioner Paleka stated that he has been working with the unions for 40 years and believes they need to have a good working relationship. Chief Rosario stated that he has an excellent relationship with the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association. He pointed out to Mr. Perreira that he made his concerns privately, and it blew up because someone made it public. He knows that the union is important. As the Chief, he understand that you don't do everything the union wants you to do. The union doesn't run the department. Chief Rosario explained that the Fire Commission is the boss of the Fire Chief. The person nominated to the Fire Commission is an officer of the union. The Fire Chief is the sole person that hands out corrective action on union members. If there is a Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 9, 2020 Page 5 grievance, he would be working with that person who is a Fire Commissioner and his boss. Chief Rosario further stated that he expressed his concerns as a private citizen, not as the Fire Chief, which he has the right to do. If the Committee had moved on with the process, he would have accepted their decision. But, the nomination was withdrawn. CHAIR'S REPORT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION (No report.) EXECUTIVE SESSION Commissioner Henkel motioned to meet in executive session to discuss the hiring of a new Fire Chief and to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities pursuant to HRS 92-5 (a) (2) and (4) and the Hawaii County Charter Section 13-20 (b). Commissioner Paleka seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 10:38 a.m. Open session reconvened at 1:00 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Yamada announced that the commission will hold a special meeting on September 22, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. in the Hawaii County Office of Aging Conference Room, 1055 Kino`ole St., Hilo, Hawaii. At this meeting, the commission will continue to work on the selection of the new Fire Chief and take public statement on the selection of the new Fire Chief. Chair Yamada also announced that the commission's next monthly meeting is scheduled for October 14, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. in the West Hawaii Civic Center, Building G Conference Room, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 1:04 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: ROBERT M. YAMADA, II, Chair