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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-14 Standardization Committee MinutesMINUTES COUNTY OF HAWAI'l STANDARDIZATION COMMITTEE Monday, November 14,2022 County Building Finance Conference Room 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2103 Hilo, Hawaii CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Deanna Sako at 1:30 p.m. ATTENDANCE There was a quorum with the following committee members and staff in attendance: Deanna Sako, Director of Finance J Yoshimoto, Assistant Corporation Counsel Reid Sewake, Business Manager of Parks & Recreation Lisa Faulkner -Inouye, Business Manager of Office of the Prosecuting Attorney Sherise Kana'e-Kane, Information & Education Specialist Il of Public Works Also present: Diane Nakagawa, Deputy Director of Finance Daimen Hisashima, Fire Captain of Fire Chad Urabe, Fire Equipment Operator of Fire Nikol Lonokapu, Accountant IV of Fire Crystallene Pacheco, Private Secretary of Finance Absent: Stephen Pause, Director of Public Works Those present at the meeting were introduced by Ms. Sako. MINUTES OF OCTOBER 26,2022 MEETING Mr. Yoshimoto moved to approve the minutes of the October 26, 2022 meeting. Mr. Sewake seconded. Motion carried. There were no written statements from the public. NEW BUSINESS Agenda Item 1: Standardize the purchase of Personal Radiation Monitors for the County Fire Department. Members of the committee reviewed the written request and attachment submitted from the County Fire Department. Mr. Hisashima — Personnel wear these monitors on themselves when going on any radiation calls or calls that we don't know what's going on. This is not a monitor, it's more accumulative; how much radiation we get over time and limits on how much radiation we can get as workers. Depending on what we do whether it be life or property it's all there as to how much we're supposed to be able to take. Ms. Sako, — Is it one monitor per person? Mr. Hisashima — Yes. It will accumulate over the career of that personnel in the Hazmat division. Mr. Hisashima — The main reason we are going with this model because Department of Health (DOH) uses the same one and they have the capability of calibrating for us and does it on an annual basis for free. DOH also comes to train with us once a year. Ms. Sako, — DOH brings there equipment here? Mr. Hisashima — Yes, normally. Mr. Hisashima -- Any Hazmat call we go to; the ultimate end authority is DOH's HEER (Hazard Evaluation & Emergency Response) Office. We've had these monitors for 20 years therefore familiar with them as well. Ms. Sako — This is the newer model? Mr. Hisashima — Yes, new model with a life span of 10 years, the same as our old ones it's just we've never been on it. Our initial order is 15 monitors, and we will get more every year until we fill out and have that cycle continue. Ms. Lonokapu — The LEPC committee approved purchase of $18,000 and that covers 15 units, so we won't be spending any of our money on it this year. I believe future years they will approve more, Ms. Sako, — How many personnel are going to need these monitors? Mr. Hisashima — There's 5 personnel a shift, there's 3 shifts and 2 stations. Total 30 workers. Mr. Hisashima — Once you get into Hazmat, you're supposed to be assigned to a monitor and that monitor stays with you if you are in Hazmat. We cannot afford to purchase a monitor for every Firefighter. Ms. Sako — Generally we would expect the Hazmat personnel to be the ones more likely to be exposed. Ms. Lonokapu — The monitors are $1,250 each. Ms. Sako — Any questions? Ms. Nakagawa — Are these the only monitors that DOH know bow to or is willing to calibrate for us? Mr. Hisashima — We have this equipment because that's the one DOH use, and they offer that to us on an annual basis when we do out training. I haven't done research of any other, but I know they must be calibrated annually otherwise we would have to send the monitors to the mainland. The only reason we have this monitor is because that's what DOH uses. Ms. Sako — In some ways it makes sense, if that's what they are familiar with, and everybody will be reading it correctly and DOH is the main agency in charge using the same device. Mr. Hisashima — DOH will have a record on their end of our machines used. It's easier it the same one is used across the board. Mr. Sewake — Does the data download to a computer? Mr. Hisashima — I don't know how this monitor works, the old ones didn't. Data stays on the device and they've been slowly not working. Ms. Sako — Right now, you must look at the monitors to make sure you're not exceeding levels? Mr. Hisashima — It will alarm you. Ms. Sako — It's not uploading data to DOH or somebody? Mr. Hisashima — The current monitors are not. Mr. Sewake — Will the data transfer to the new monitors? Mr. Hisashima — I'm not sure. Ms. Sako — They must somehow get the baseline in because it's supposed to be over the Firefighter's lifetime. Ms. Kana.'e-Kane — When you say it's not working, what does that mean for the ones you have now? Mrs. Hisashima — Current monitors are 20 years into a 10-year life span. We've been having them calibrated every year and we are down to about 10 monitors now. Mr. Urabe — Yes, 10 if you count the ones in Kona. Every year we lose a few, Ms. Sako — Not everyone has a monitor? Mr. Urabe — Right now everyone shares. Mr. Hisashima — When we're on shift, we must manually track. Ms. Sako — You track your start amount and end amount and have this huge spreadsheet. Please ask Darwin about the logging of these exposures. It would be nice if it automatically uploaded, especially if something happens to the monitor, at least you'll have the data. Ms. Kanae-Kane — Until you have 30 monitors you'll have to continue sharing. Mr. Hisashima — Correct. Mr. Sewake — I thought initially these monitors was for when you first respond, to assess the conditions. Mr. Hisashima — If we go to an unknown call, it's part of the process. We have monitors that would pick it up and tell us how much the concentration is. These personal monitors we always keep on ourselves to record how long we were in there and how much of a dose we're getting. It also has the capability of telling us there's something in the concentration. Ms. Sako, — I see it updates fast. It doesn't say if it can upload data. Ms. Nakagawa — It does say it's downloadable via optical infrared. Ms. Sako — Let's make sure we get that version. I'm guessing this will be a supplemental budget request for the other 15 units. Ms. Sako — Any other questions? None. The committee voted and motion was carried. ANNOUNCEMENTS None. F41 1XIIIJ 9004 1 D)a li There was no further business. Mr. Yoshimoto made a motion to adjourn the meeting and it was seconded by Mr. Sewake. The meeting adjourned at 1:39 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Crystallene Pacheco