Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 FIRE CHIEFS REPORT FY21-22 SEPTEMBER1 Hawai’i Fire Department kazuo.todd@hawaiicounty.gov 808-932-2900 25 Aupuni St, Hilo, HI, 96720 FIRE CHIEFS REPORT THE GREATEST WEALTH IS HEALTH 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TO THE FIRE COMMISSION ______________________________________ 3 Wellness, More than a workout ______________________________________________ 3 Department Member Focus _________________________________________________ 4 Highlights _______________________________________________________________ 5 Community Outreach ______________________________________________________ 5 BUDGET ______________________________________________________ 6 FY 2021-2022 ___________________________________________________________ 6 HUMAN RESOURCES ___________________________________________ 7 Internal Recruitment within Department: _______________________________________ 7 Internal Recruitment within the County: ________________________________________ 7 Open-Competitive Recruitment: _____________________________________________ 7 Classification: ____________________________________________________________ 7 Labor Relations: __________________________________________________________ 7 EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DIVISION _____________________________ 8 BATTALION 1, East Hawai i: ________________________________________________ 9 BATTALION 2, West Hawai i: _______________________________________________ 9 Hazardous Materials: ______________________________________________________ 9 Ocean Safety: __________________________________________________________ 10 Rescue: _______________________________________________________________ 10 Sayre Foundation: _______________________________________________________ 10 SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION __________________________________ 10 Emergency Medical Services Bureau: ________________________________________ 10 Training Bureau: _________________________________________________________ 11 Volunteer Bureau: _______________________________________________________ 11 Fire Prevention Bureau: ___________________________________________________ 12 Maintenance Shop _______________________________________________________ 12 Auxiliary Services and Fire Communications Control Center ______________________ 12 In Memoriam __________________________________________________ 14 Perseverance __________________________________________________ 15 Chief’s Briefing and New Business: _________________________________ 16 3 TO THE FIRE COMMISSION Wellness, More than a workout When someone hears the word wellness, their mind is drawn to physical fitness. Where fitness plays a huge role in what we do as firefighters that is but one aspect in the overall concept of wellness. Wellness is defined as, “the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving.” This is a tall order for a management staff to put into effect. The wellness of the individual must be tailored to the individual. Although wellness can be divided into many different areas of improvement, the following three have been shown to have a positive effect on improving the wellness of participants within the program. Wellness Spheres: Preparing the Mind Preparing the mind is one of the most important steps that an individual can take to establish resiliency in their work environment, as well as their day-today lives. It seems like there a million ways to diet and stay in shape, but the programs to help a firefighter hone their coping mechanisms are few and far in between. The rigors, stress and horrific incidents that firefighters are subjected to account for a 5-times higher incidence in suicide than the general public. Strengthening the ability to cope and relieve mental stress remains one of the highest priorities in the emergency response community. The following sphere encompasses the potential areas of improvement to attain a stronger mental status. Mental Health - Cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave. Areas of Improvement: Financial Health Physical Health Mental Health 4 Stress relief Techniques Counseling Coping Mechanisms Peer Reviews Relational Concepts and Training Conflict resolution Generational Differences THINK and DISC Training (Human Relations Training) To help combat the stressors which negatively impact emergency response professionals, Fire Departments have been reaching out to peer groups, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Teams, mental health professionals, and local clergy/religious organizations. Through these initiatives, emergency response workers are better able to handle the stresses of the job. Department Member Focus Chaplain Renee Godoy Chaplain Renee Godoy also known as “Pastor Renee” has been proudly serving the needs of first responders since 2007 when she became a police chaplain with the Hawaii Police Department. In 2012 she was appointed as the Police Chaplain Coordinator for the Police Department. Her passion for Law Enforcement grew to include a desire to help our Fire Department. In 2015 she was asked to assist the Fire Department in the formation and training of its CISM team also known as Peer Unit. In 2016 she was formally appointed as Hawaii Fire Department’s Fire Chaplain and is currently working on establishing a Chaplaincy program to meet the needs of the entire department. Prior to her work with first responders she served in full time ministry for 15 years and became an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God in 2010. Her most recent endeavor was forming Friends of First Responders – a non-profit committed to the health and wellness of first responders. More importantly, she is the proud “Nana” of four beautiful grandchildren ages 4 to 7. Their daddy is Firefighter Keoni Soares who is currently stationed in Keaau and married to her daughter Erica. 5 Highlights The following are the highlights from September 2021. The complete list of responses will be provided in the Emergency Operations Division Update. September 11, 2021 marked the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center where 343 Fire Fighters loss their lives. Due to COVID-19 and the influx of infections at that time, we elected not to hold a mass ceremony, but informed each station to recognize the date with individual events. Many stations did PT workouts to memorialize the day. The family of FEO Eric “Buta” Hayashi (who passed away in the line of duty last August 2020), also held his public funeral service on 9/11, our department provided Honor Guard for the service. Buta was also recognized in this year’s National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Roll of Honor on Oct 3, 2021. (Info we be in next month’s report) The Hawaii Fire Department lost a veteran member due to COVID-19 this month. FEO Lane Keoki Lindsey, loss his battle to COVID while being treated in at the Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu. He was a 20 year veteran of the department and last station assignment in Waikoloa. Community Outreach September 11th Memorial Mutual Aid Agreement with the National Park Service Honor Guard for Fallen Firefighter Funeral Kukakuka Video with Tim Richards Mental Health Meeting with Alicia Rodrigues Unified Command Meeting Rules Committee Meeting Haweo Award Completed Station Visits Chopper 2 Donation 147K Match Grant Opportunity Street LG Roll Out Fire Prevention Initiative with Hawaii Wildfire Management Office Fire Department Memorial Lighting of the County Buildings Honuapo IMU survey and mitigation Interagency Communications Workshop 6 BUDGET FY 2021-2022 FY 2021-2022 - County Budget: Total spending through September 30th is at 30.97% with 25% of the fiscal year completed. Salaries and Wages Closed at 31.99% Fire and 28.99% EMS. OCE expenditures closed at 40.21% in Fire, and 22.87% in EMS. State Funded Budget Items: EMS reimbursements for FY 20-21 have been completed. Authorization for this year’s reimbursements have not been given, but paperwork is being completed. Alternative Funding and Grants SAFER Grant – Grant submitted for six (6) Captain Positions and three (3) FF positions has been approved and has passed acceptance with County Council. National Forest Service Grant (50/50 matching for $50,000). Submitted for reimbursement for FY 19-20 (Pending). Submitted for reimbursement for FY 20-21 (Pending). Working on application for FY 21-22 (approved and being expended). o An additional $147k has been granted for FY 21-22 o We will be pursuing the purchase of a brush truck and fire shelters FEMA AFG for Covid-19 – grant period extended another year. No Updates. FEMA AFG for 2021 has been completed and submitted we have submitted for extractors for all of our fire stations. This grant has been denied. Grant from State of Hawai’i, Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division. Training has started. Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and the Flood Mitigation. Assistance Grant opens on September 30, 2021 thru January 28, 2022 for submittals. 7 HUMAN RESOURCES Internal Recruitment within Department: Battalion Chief (Auxiliary Services) – Two candidates scheduled for the assessment center on October 19, 2021. Battalion Chief (Prevention Bureau) – One candidate scheduled for the assessment center on October 19, 2021. Fire Captain (Emergency Operations) – Assessment center was held on September 27, 2021 for 14 candidates. Pending results of assessment center. Fire Equipment Operator – 21 candidates passed the written exam. Pending interview/assessment center. Fire Prevention Inspector II – Two candidates scheduled for the assessment center on October 19, 2021. Fire Prevention Inspector I – Four candidates scheduled for the assessment center on October 19, 2021. Fire Rescue Specialist – 16 candidates referred to participate in the Physical Assessment Exercise. PAE to be announced. Accountant I – Recruitment closed on September 28, 2021. Pending referred list from Department of Human Resources. Internal Recruitment within the County: Account Clerk – One candidate scheduled for interview on October 8, 2021. Open-Competitive Recruitment: Fire Fighter Recruit – 17 FFR candidates were given conditional offers. Medical appointments, hearing exam, and back x-ray are being scheduled. Targeted hire date is February 1, 2022 Classification: One Human Resources Program Specialist position temporarily reallocated to Human Resources Specialist I effective October 1, 2021. One Water Safety Officer I (1/2T) reinstated to a Water Safety Officer II (1/2T) effective October 16, 2021. One Water Safety Officer II temporarily reallocated to a Water Safety Officer I effective October 16, 2021. Labor Relations: Verbal Reprimand – Seven verbal reprimands for noncompliance with COVID-19 testing requirements. Written Reprimand – Two written reprimands for noncompliance with COVID-19 testing requirements. 8 EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DIVISION Total Calls for CY 2021 Type September YTD Fire 96 788 Rescue and EMS 1,720 14,554 Hazardous Cond. (no fire) 19 169 Service Call 188 1,568 Good Intent calls 374 2,867 Fire Alarm / False calls 34 247 Severe Weather 0 11 Special Incident Type 0 4 Other 7 8 Totals 2,452 17,779 Updates: We received tentative approval from the Planning Department, through the use of the PGV – Geothermal Relocation and Community Benefit Fund. To fund a new SCBA compressor, spare tanks, and a tow vehicle for the Pahoa Fire station. Awaiting community meeting with Councilmember Kierkiewicz and Council resolution to transfer funds into HFD budget. A second compressor is also in the procurement process. Invitation for Bids (IFB) went out and bids starting to be received. Planning for a Post Incident Analysis for the Mana Rd Brush Fire. Many lessons learned from an incident of that magnitude. AC Okinaka has been working with R&D to plan for CDBG-MIT grant funds that the County will be receiving totaling more than $6 mil. Highest priority is Wildfire Mitigation, so we have requested for apparatus and Equipment that would support our response capabilities. Also being considered if installation of Fire Breaks and Dip Tanks in high risk areas. Ongoing discussions regarding the relocation of Company 1 (Central). Decision made to look for a new site and build a new Central Fire Station. Have not identified a suitable site for temporary relocation yet. The impacts of COVID-19 on Personnel and Emergency Operations have stabilized and we haven’t seen much of any recent infections. Apparatus updates Rosenbauer build (BT-17), Status Quo: Awaiting parts for warranty repair and quote from paint shop. Ongoing mitigation planning for Honuapo Brush Fire scene. Multiple people receiving burns after falling into “IMU’s” in the old fire area. Requested blocking off the area with fence to keep people out until larger mitigation efforts can be conducted. 9 BATTALION 1, East Hawai i: September 7, Inc# 18406; Fire: 812 Iolani Street/District 2, contents only fire at a residence/care home, no injuries or fatalities. September 9, Inc# 18648; Structure Fire: Black Sands Subdivision/District 10, no injuries or fatalities. September 16, Inc# 19130; Structure Fire: Laupahoehoe Gym/District 17, fire on the stairs and floor, no injuries or fatalities. September 17, Inc# 19175; Structure Fire: Auwae Road/District 3, no injuries or fatalities. September 17, Inc# 19259; Structure Fire: South Puni Mauka Loop/District 10, no injuries or fatalities. September 18, Inc# 19323, Structure Fire: Pohai St/District 3, no injuries or fatalities. September 19, Inc# 19352, Structure Fire: Waiakea Villas Apartments/District 2, stove fire with extension to window treatments, no injuries or fatalities. September 22, Inc# 19664, Structure Fire: Kahakai Blvd/District 10, probable arson, no injuries or fatalities. BATTALION 2, West Hawai i: September 11, Inc# 18748; Structure Fire: Walua Rd. origin suspicious in nature, no injuries reported September 18, Inc# 19316; Wildland Fire: Kanehoa Dist. 9, brush fire in the dry stream bed behind Kanehoa. Two teenagers accidentally started fire playing with ignitable materials. HPD started arson case. Fire extinguished before spreading despite very windy conditions. No reported injuries September 22, Inc# 19623; Rescue: Swimmer in Distress Honl’s beach – Dist. 7. Units responded for 61y.o. female 200yds offshore. FRS able to swim out to party and assist to shore. No EMS assistance needed September 29, Inc# 20177; MVA: Waikoloa Rd. Fuel Tanker struck tree. Dist. 16, units responded for a fuel tanker with 8,000 gallons of jet fuel, ran off the road, hit tree causing hairline crack in holding tank which began leaking fuel. Co.16 contained spill until Co.21 arrived and temporarily patched tank. Fuel then off loaded to an empty tanker. No reported injuries. Hazardous Materials: Working on replacing aged equipment and supplies for Hazmat companies o New cell phones, iPads and Laptops o Sampling test kits for various substances Confined Space Training on schedule for October for all HazMat personnel Continuing to work on CAMEO training opportunity for HazMat personnel. Radiation Meters annual calibration completed and are back in service 10 Ocean Safety: Street LG program for Ocean Safety incident reporting will be commencing shortly. RWC procurement status: First SKI ready for service, second SKI in transit to HFD from Dealer. Planning for RWC Operator Training for Water Safety Officers. Working to get a used surplus trailer for Punalu u Beach office space. Received Annual OluKai footwear and Vertra products (Sun Screen, hand sanitizers, face masks and water bottles) donations for Water Safety Officers Rescue: Rescue Boat 7-7 (Force). Awaiting scheduling availability with Force marine. Status quo on scheduling with Force Marine. Confined Space Training for Rescue Personnel has been scheduled for October. Sayre Foundation: Discussions are ongoing to possibly purchase a replacement for Chopper 2. Chief Moller provided a presentation to the Sayre Foundation, identifying the various options, pro/cons, cost comparisons. Funding of additional Apparatus. Preliminary discussions ongoing for a new Engine at South Kohala, and additional Wildland Tanker apparatus (location TBD). SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION Emergency Medical Services Bureau: Braun Northwest Ambulance has been awarded our current fiscal year ambulance build. This ambulance estimated completion date is early next year and will be assigned to the N. Kohala Fire Station. Our community paramedicine program has been awarded a $25,000 grant through the non-profit organization Community First. This grant money will be used to purchase durable medical equipment that our community paramedic personnel can distribute into the community. This will help our patients live a safer lifestyle while living at home. The goal is to keep them safe in their homes and out of the EMS system and care home settings. Our first paramedic class of 2021 has started their 4th and final rotation for their paramedic training. Our second paramedic class of 2021 is entering into their advanced cardiovascular life support training. During this portion of training they spend two days a week at Hilo Medical Center where they rotate through the emergency room, intensive care unit and the cardiac catheterization lab. During the month of September, the 50th fire recruit class participated in an Emergency Medical Responder training which involves 80 hours of advanced first aid training. Following this EMR training, the 50th recruit class also went through a multi-agency 11 active shooter training with HPD. EMS Bureau personnel assisted with instruction for both of these classes. EMS Bureau personnel assisted with honor guard at the funeral service for Fire Equipment Operator Eric Hayashi on Saturday September 11, 2021. An EMS Bureau presentation was done for our newly hired dispatchers. The department’s new patient care report program with ESO will go live on September 29, 2021. The EMS Bureau along with the State Dept. of Health and our Hawai‘i County IT Department have been diligently working to coordinate the implementation of this new charting system. The EMS Bureau continues to work with our local hospitals on various COVID issues. We continue to assist with HFD personnel contact tracing and positive COVID patient transport screening. During the month of September the EMS Bureau has participated with career presentations at Hilo High School and Waiakea High School. These presentations were for students in the emergency services career pathway programs at these schools. Training Bureau: The 50th Fire Fighter Recruit Class completed Emergency Medical Responder. Eight Water Safety Officer I (WSOI) personnel also successfully completed EMR. The 50th Fire Fighter Recruit Class completed active shooter training with the HPD recruit class. A battery-powered extrication tool demonstration was conducted by Genesis Rescue Systems. Demonstrations were held in Kailua-Kona, South Kohala, Waimea, and Hilo. Feedback from personnel regarding the equipment and training was largely positive. The tools will remain on island for a few months to allow other companies to trial and provide feedback. Annual HAZMAT Technician retraining has been completed and recertification cards are being issued. Budget preparations for fiscal year 2022-23 are currently underway and shall be submitted shortly. Training Bureau staff attended two virtual budget training sessions presented by the Department of Finance. Requests for training through the National Fire Academy (NFA) were submitted for Incident Command for High Rise Operations and Decision Making for Initial Company Operations. Volunteer Bureau: Personnel Accountability System card distribution and training complete for all current volunteers. Portable and mobile radio project nearing completion, expected to be completed at the end of next month. 12 Added two new volunteers to Company 11-D Pahala. We currently have 22 volunteer candidates in various stages in their recruitment process. This month’s training has been focused on HAZMAT and HAZMAT response. Provided Emergency Response Guidebooks and a NFPA 704 handout. Companies also conducted wet drills. Began researching acquisition of emergency fire shelters and training for all Fire personnel. Began working on budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the Volunteer Training Division. Fire Prevention Bureau: The Fire Prevention Bureau finalized preparation for Fire Prevention Week which will be held the week of October 3, 2021. This year’s theme is “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”. Public outreach will include fire safety education information sent out to all Hawaii Island kids from grades K-6th, Radio Ads, and social media posts on the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s Instagram and Facebook page. The Fire Prevention Bureau has transitioned to the County’s new electronic plan review system. The transition continues as we learn about the capabilities of the new system as well as finding solutions to any challenges that arise. Considering the recent Mana Road Brush fire, the Prevention Bureau has begun working with large land owners as well as community partners to reduce the potential risk of such catastrophic events in the future. Work on the County of Hawai‘i fire code amendments continues to progress. The Prevention Bureau has been working closely with Corporation Counsel on language and legal content. The Fire Prevention Bureau has been soliciting for T/A interest with the anticipation of upcoming promotions in October. Maintenance Shop Apparatus and equipment repair Seventy-three (73) total repairs/service. Seventeen (17) service calls or trouble calls. Seven (7) contracted out and tows. Auxiliary Services and Fire Communications Control Center Capt. Hara and Capt Domingo have been working to cover the position of FASO after Capt Minami returned back online. We are currently awaiting scheduled interviews to fill FASO position. There are currently 2 qualified applicants. Several meetings have been held with representatives from Dispatch and HGEA to discuss alternative schedules to support dispatchers during this time of limited staffing. A new R&M protocol was established to have work orders come through one location. 13 Staffing adjustments have been prepared to accommodate an unexpected leave of absence in the warehouse. Capital Improvement Projects: Hawai‘i County Emergency Communications Center o Ground Preparation has commenced on this project Waiakea Fire Station Electrical Upgrade o Engineering Partners Inc (EPI) is the engineering firm. o HELCO application for service upgrade submitted on June 28, 2021. P hala Fire Station o Engineering Partners is the architect/engineer. o Contract and funding approved. Awaiting schedule by consultant. Hawaiian Paradise Park Fire Station Dormitory Addition o Department of Public Works (DPW) is the lead. EPI is the supporting the engineering firm for mechanical and electrical. o In receipt of civil and plumbing proposal. According to the Purchasing Division, we have to go thru procurement again for the civil engineering portion. Central Fire Station Rehabilitation Project o Scott Fleming is the Architect. o The design contract has been approved and funding for the design phase has been allotted. Kailua Fire Station o Will be purchasing a new generator through emergency procurement. o Civil Defense will loan us a generator. DPW to install temporary transfer switch. Waikoloa Fire Station/ Civil Defense Antenna o DPW is the architect/engineer. o The design is complete. Drawings are in the pre-final stage and being reviewed by project coordinator. Kaumana Fire Station Plumbing Improvements o Inaba Engineering is the engineering firm o Design contract approved and we are waiting on the schedule for the design phase. Kaumana Fire Station Improvements o Scott Fleming is the Architect. o The contract has been awarded. o Awaiting funding. Waiakea Fire Station Improvement o Scott Fleming is the Architect. o The contract has been awarded and we are waiting for funding for the design phase. 14 IN MEMORIAM It all started in 2001. Lane (Keoki) Lindsey, who was known for hanging around at his father’s fire station threw in his hat to follow in his brother and father’s footsteps in becoming a Hawaii Firefighter. As is the case with many of us in the fire service, Keoki choose a life of public service. Keoki seemed destined to his participation as a firefighter at a very young age. His good natured sense of humor and sincere caring for those around him made him a valued part of the Fire Department family. Keoki’s career spanned over 20 years and saw him at stations in Waimea, Makalei, and his final assignment as a Fire Equipment Operator at Waikoloa. In mid-August, Keoki was diagnosed with the COVID19 virus and was admitted to the North Hawaii Community Hospital. His conditioned worsened and he was transferred to the Queens Hospital in Oahu. On the morning of 25 September 2021, the Hawai’i Fire Department was notified that Brother Keoki Lindsey was called home to be with his mother in heaven. While we had all been tracking his status as he battled illness, no words can express the sense of loss that comes with his passing. His genuine kindness and easy going attitude will be sorely missed. Keoki leaves behind his long-time spouse Kanoe Bertelmann and three sons, Paniau, Kinohi, Kinamai. “I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do believe that his is a noble calling. Our proudest moment is to save lives. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even of supreme sacrifice.” -Chief Edward F. Croker- 15 PERSEVERANCE On September 3rd, a report of smoke and some flaming was reported at the fire area at Honuapo. Company 11 and 11A were dispatched to the scene. While advancing a hose to extinguish the fire, Lizzy Stabo from Company 11A stepped into an ash pit and sank up to her waist. (A ash pit is an area where the fire has transitioned to burning underground, which can result in a superheated void or quicksand style hidden holes. Locally we often refer to this as an imu fire but it is often referred to as either a stump fire or ash pit nationally.) Lizzy fell to one side and received full thickness burns to her legs. Captain Keawe, who was assisting with the advancing of the line quickly hauled Lizzy out of the hole and carried her back to the medic, which transported Lizzy to the Pahala Medical Center. Due to the severity of the burns, Lizzy was transported to the Straub Medical Center Burn Unit where she has been since the accident. The treatment for full thickness burns is excruciatingly painful and will take months to heal and rehabilitate. On 8 October, Chief’s Todd and Moller were able to visit Lizzy in Honolulu to get an update and express the well wishes of the entire department. Lizzy has an amazing attitude and outlook on the whole process. Lizzy has been getting regular visits from our brothers and sisters on Oahu and support groups that specialize in burn patients. During our visit, Dr. Schulz, one of the founding Physicians for the Burn Center gave the Chief’s a tour of the Burn Unit and the state-of-art equipment utilized to treat burn victims. The burn Unit staff has offered free classes on initial preparation of burn patients by emergency responders which aims to limit injuries and provide a better outcome for patients. This would be a free class offered on the Big Island. In summary, Lizzy is an incredible person going through a very trying time. Her positive attitude and strength throughout this process has been an example for all. She is anticipated to be at Straub for the next two weeks and then she will be returning to the Big Island to start the slow process of rehabilitation and recovery. We will be planning a welcoming home celebration for Lizzy for when she flies back. 16 CHIEF’S BRIEFING AND NEW BUSINESS: 1. Fire Commission meetings in Council Chambers: a. Options are on the 4th or 18th of November if held in Council Chambers. 2. Fire Prevention: a. 2018 Code first draft is complete. Will be assigned to new BC once promotion is complete. 3. Currently starting the fiscal needs departmental analysis in preparation for the start of FY 22-23 planning. Initial meeting held to start the internal process. 4. Radio meeting for interoperability first meeting held. 5. Station Visitations completed (round 2) and met with East and west Hawaii Ocean Safety. 6. IT Position approved through committee and one general reading at County Council. 7. Dispatch looking at alternative schedules to manage staffing issues. 8. Chief Todd @ EFO class January 3-14. 9. PPE cleaning contract has been routed to get updated signatures. End of Report