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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-11-06 Fire Commission Regular MinutesHAWAII FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES NOVEMBER 6, 2020 HAWAII COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING 105 KINO`OLE ST., HILO, HAWAII CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Yamada called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Present: Robert Yamada, Chair Kyle Keamo, Vice Chair Benjamin Agdeppa, Commissioner Gregory Henkel, Commissioner Corey Luke, Commissioner Shon Magsalin, Commissioner Merrick Nishimoto, Commissioner Daniel Paleka, Commissioner Donna Payesko, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also present: Robert Perreira, Acting Fire Chief Darwin Okinaka, Assistant Fire Chief Ian Smith, Assistant Fire Chief Craig Masuda, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS LINCOLN ASHIDA came before the commission. He stated that he is an attorney in private practice, and prior to that was the County's Corporation Counsel for 14 years. He spoke in support of Robert Perreira as Fire Chief, someone he has known professionally for over 20 years. JOHN BERTSCH, Volunteer Commander, came before the commission to advocate for the Fire Department's Volunteer Program in the commission's Fire Chief Selection Process. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF OCTOBER 14, 2020 • Regular Session Minutes: Commissioner Paleka motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Henkel 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 Acting Fire Chief Robert Perreira highlighted items from his written report and answered questions: Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes November 6, 2020 Page 2 Budget: FY 2020/21: Chief stated that they are right on track. Regarding Ocean Safety and EMS, they don't know if the State will provide funding. They have not gotten a new contract for Hapuna. They are finishing up the current contract for Kua Bay. His understanding is that DLNR does not have the funding and have not paid the County for the last quarter. The Mayor has agreed to provide funding until June. Their lifeguards are there for the safety of the community. Providing services without a contract is a legal issue that has to be addressed by Corporation Counsel. The towers for Kua Bay was from the previous fiscal year's funding. They were told they could use Cares Act funds for anything related to Covid such as monitoring the beaches, gatherings, and masks. EMS collects about $40 million from patients, but that money goes into the State's general fund. Chief Perreira introduced Assistant Chiefs Smith and Okinaka who were there to answer any questions about their areas of responsibility. • Alternative Funding and Grants: Through the Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation, a private citizen will be donating funds for an off-road tanker for South Kohala. They are working on the application for USFA FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant for Covid-19. They were not able to obtain the grant for extractors for the stations. • Human Resources Division: A firefighter was arrested and put on administrative leave. They will be consulting with Corporation Counsel on this matter. They have an ongoing recruitment for Fire Hazmat Specialist, Account Clerk, and Fire Fighter Recruit. Training sessions for Critical Incident Stress Management has opened up with limited room size. Hazmat Technician training is scheduled for November. • Emergency Operations Division: Apparatus E7 and E17 have arrived. The E20 is waiting to be shipped from the West Coast to Hawaii. The BT -17 build has begun. AC Okinaka attended a quarterly HISSPA meeting. AC Okinaka is working on building a new training site. They had a couple large brush fires in Puna. ✓ Special Operations ➢ Hazmat: They have an agreement with Diagnostic Labs to do all their baseline and annual medical monitoring for all Hazmat personnel. They submitted request for funding to purchase replacement Tyvek suits. ➢ Ocean Safety: The ground work that Metzler Construction donated for the storage container at Hapuna was completed. Work to replace the Hapuna Alpha tower and relocate it to Spencer Beach was completed. ➢ Rescue: AC Okinaka continues to work on planning for confined space training. They continue to work on supplemental funding for their rescue boat. ➢ Sayre Foundation: Will be receiving funding for a Big Dog apparatus which is expected to be completed in January 2021. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes November 6, 2020 Page 3 • Support Services Division ✓ Training: The 49th recruit class had their swearing in ceremony. They will be moving to different stations. ✓ Volunteer Training: All east side volunteer companies received training on Community Risk Reduction. They began communications with the State to participation in the Federal Excess Personal Property and Firefighter Property Programs. They are waiting to view available federal surplus apparatus. West Hawaii Today published a very nice article on their Volunteer Firefighter Program. Volunteer Commander Bertsch reported that all volunteers carry portable radios at all times. He brings this up because they had a brush fire in Kona last night. A volunteer responded, and was able to report the status of the fire. Commissioner Magsalin stated that she lives in Laupahoehoe and is a CERT member. She asked about expanding the volunteers in her areas. Commander Bertsch will get the information to her. ✓ EMS Bureau: The 49th recruit class successfully completed EMT training and all have been license. Five personnel have successfully completed paramedic school. HFD is partnering with private and public agencies to become a "Heart Safe Community". The State is requesting budget cuts. They are using Cares funding for shortages. They are working on getting bids for Medic 14 in South Kohala. ✓ Prevention Bureau: The bureau assisted with the Covid-19 Task Force and community outreach. Six personnel completed fire alarm inspections and testing and fire alarm plan reviews. In response to questions, Chief stated that he implemented the 24-hour program. On the 24-hour schedule, personnel have time after 4:30 to continue working, and can do fire investigations and training after 4:30 without overtime. They review plans, but they cannot tell people what to do. They can only tell them what's wrong. When they had the 8 -hour program, not many people wanted to work that schedule. More people are willing to work the 24 -hr shift. They work in county facilities and stations at night. They have a location in East and West Hawaii. They number of plan reviews varies. It could be as high as 180 or as little as 100 each month. This 24 -hr shift has been going on for almost 2 years. ✓ Auxiliary Services: They are finishing up their equipment inventory. Two fire dispatchers have moved to up to shiftwork on the dispatch floor. • New Projects and Business: The new fire/police dispatch center went out to bid. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes November 6, 2020 Page 4 CHAIR'S REPORT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION (No report.) EXECUTIVE SESSION (Closed to the public. Commissioner Paleka motioned to meet in executive session to work on the selection of a new Fire Chief, work on the evaluation of the Fire Chief, and may 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 Agdeppa seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 10:15 a.m. Open session reconvened at 12:27 p.m. WORK ON THE SELECTION OF THE NEW FIRE CHIEF Commissioner Paleka motioned that in the process of selecting the new Fire Chief, they move forward in accordance with all the Charter Amendments voted on by the people in the affirmative. Commissioner Nishimoto seconded, and it carried unanimously Discussion: Vice Chair Keamo agreed that they should approve the Charter amendments, but he doesn't want to stop the Fire Chief Selection Process. Mr. Masuda expressed concern that the motion was too broad, and they should have a more precise language. The motion carried with Chair Yamada voting no. Commissioner Henkel stated that if the system is broken, you might want to bring someone in from outside. He would rather have someone within the organization than bringing in someone from Indiana who doesn't understand. Commissioner Henkel motioned that they retain the one-year residency requirement for the Fire Chief. Commissioner Payesko seconded. Ayes were called by Henkel, Payesko, Keamo, Magsalin, and Yamada. Nays were called by Paleka, Nishimoto, Luke, and Agdeppa. The motion to retain the one-year residency requirement carried. Commissioner Henkel motioned to revisit the questions adopted at the October 14, 2020, meeting in order to amend them. Commissioner Luke seconded, and it carried unanimously. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes November 6, 2020 Page 5 Commissioner Paleka motioned to return to executive session to work on the annual evaluation of Fire Chief Darren Rosario. Commissioner Henkel seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive Session convened at 12:49 p.m. Open session reconvened at 12:53 p.m. WORK ON THE ANNUAL EVALUATION OF FIRE CHIEF DARREN ROSARIO Commissioner Paleka motioned to accept the Chief's evaluation with everyone's input as reviewed and discussed with averages inserted and names deleted. Commissioner Henkel seconded, and it carried unanimously. CHAIR'S REPORT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION Chair Yamada stated that they will be voting on the Chair and Vice Chair of the commission for 2021 in the December meeting. They will talk about special meetings when needed. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Yamada announced that the commission's next monthly meeting is scheduled for December 9, 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 Commissioner Agdeppa motioned to adjourn. Vice Chair Keamo seconded, and it carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 12:57 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: ROBERT M. YAMADA, II, CHAIR