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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-12-12 Fire Commission Minutes Harry Kim Dixie Kaetsu Mayor Managing Director Barbara J. Kossow Deputy Managing Director HAWAI‘I COUNTY FIRE COMMISSION C/O 25 Aupuni Street #217, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 Phone: 961-8316; Fax: 933-1521 Email: Firecomm-agenda@co.hawaii.hi.us REGULAR SESSION - MINUTES December 12, 2007 Liquor Control Conference Room Kailua-Kona, Hawaii CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Brazier at 10:00 a.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT: John Bertsch Stephen Bowles James Browne Neil Brazier, Chair Karen Kudlo Karen Maedo Wil Okabe Henry Pomroy Bill Rosehill A quorum was present. ALSO PRESENT: Laurie Beers Tom Brandt Kaycie Carter Laurie Kaneta Darryl Oliveira, Fire Chief Noni Sanford Chris Stellfox Betsy Tranquilli Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Commissioners: John Bertsch, Stephen Bowles, Neil Brazier, James Browne, Karen Kudlo, Karen Maedo, Wil Okabe, Henry Pomroy, Jr., Bill Rosehill STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS (Open to the Public) None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Okabe moved to accept the November 14, 2007, regular session minutes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bertsch and unanimously carried. APPROVAL OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS None CHIEF’S REPORT Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira acknowledged outgoing charter members, Chair Brazier and Commissioner Maedo, for their valued support over the years. Thank you gifts were presented to both outgoing charter members. On behalf of Mayor Harry Kim, Commissioner Okabe presented both commissioners with Certificates of Appreciation. The Fire Commission expressed its admiration and gratitude to them. Budget FY 2007/08 Budget: The program budget of approximately $35,649,000 was submitted to the Department of Finance. The supplemental budget request totaled over $8 million. Alternative Funding and Grants State Department of Transportation Highway Safety Grant: Received notification that the grant proposal of $29,500 for the purchase of three electronic message boards was not approved. The department will continue to pursue the project. Capital Improvement Projects Makalei Fire Station: Continues with the design phase. Received and reviewed the preliminary drawings with the architect. The architect was asked to revise the site plan in order to incorporate a number of facilities, such as female quarters, an exercise room, a classroom and a work room. A copy of the revised drawing was distributed to the commission. It will be used as a template for future stations. Pahoa Fire Station: Construction continues. As of November 20, 2007, the construction framing was 90% complete, and the roof installation had begun. Anticipating completion by May 2008. 2 Fire Administration and Support Facility: Continuing to meet with the design consultant and the Police Department. Police Dispatch provided its space requirements in order to incorporate their needs into the design. The Fire Department’s goal is to complete the design phase and move forward into the bid for construction by the end of 2008. Central Fire Station: The Department of Public Works continues to negotiate a design contract. At the present time, the department is working with two design consultants and has begun the environmental assessment. The design consultants are KYA Design Group and PBR Hawai'i. Central Fire Station Retrofit Project: The roof renovation is complete. However, there were some repairs that were not done by the contractor. The Department of Public Works Project Coordinator is putting together a punch list of those discrepancies that need to be finished. Among those repairs is the plastering of some of the interior walls. Captain Cook Fire Station: Chief Oliveira and Commissioner Rosehill met with the personnel on November 28, 2007, to discuss and address the personnel’s concerns with the project. The staff was advised that although the project will be delayed because funds were not available to move forward with the construction of the additional apparatus bay, the department will be able to proceed with the ADA improvements and the hazmat abatement because those monies were allocated. Other discussions included suggestions of alternative accommodations for the duration of the project. Keaau Fire Station: Met with Mayor Kim, Department of Finance, and the Police Department on November 28, 2007, in order to revisit the site options for a Keaau Fire/Police Complex. The Mayor’s directive was to have the County’s Real Property Manager open discussions on cost with both Shipman and Kamehameha Schools’ landowners, whose properties are being considered. Promotions and Hiring Active recruits include: Open-Competitive Recruitment th Firefighter Recruit: 37 Firefighter Recruit Class is scheduled to start in January 2008. There is a total of 19 candidates. Their family orientation is planned for this Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 1:00 p.m., at the Aupuni Center Conference Room. Commissioners are welcome to attend. Ocean Safety: Interviews are scheduled for Thursday, December 13, 2007, to fill four Water Safety Officers. Storekeeper: As part of the request from the State’s EMS contract, the department was able to secure funding for a storekeeper. Recruitment will be conducted and the target hire date is February 1, 2008. 3 Internal Recruitment Fire Captain: Presently establishing the assessment process. Fire Apparatus Trainer: Pending interviews and selection process. Emergency Operations Division Employee Support and Guard Reserve Award: Chief Oliveira requested that an award presentation be placed on the Fire Commission’s January agenda for the Hawai'i National Guard. Kona Flood: In November, the most significant flooding occurred between Honalo and Ho‘okena. Crews responded and were partnered with the Department of Public Works. Currently, assessments are being conducted in order to establish the cause factor. Missing Hiker: A man was reported missing on Mauna Kea just before a blizzard hit. As of yesterday, December 11, 2007, search efforts were terminated. Search and Rescue crews were unable to clear the areas that are covered several feet deep with snow. Until the snow melts and weather conditions improve, the department is unable to put forward a 100 percent search effort. Approximately 50 rescue personnel searched for the hiker on foot and with all-terrain vehicles. It’s been confirmed that all the lower elevations levels were searched. Support Services Division Fire Auxiliary Services Bureau Communication Section Battalion Chief Michael Gahan attended a Reverse 911 demonstration class at the Emergency Operations Center. Warehouse Section Continuing to make progress on the issuance of the Personal Protective Equipment. Received 450 Fire Rescue Step – In Gear Bags, and 50 Fire Rescue Equipment Bags. Emergency Medical Services Bureau Eight MICT Interns have completed their rotations and will be taking their National Registry written exam sometime this month or early January. The Department has identified seven candidates for the next class scheduled to begin on January 14, 2008. HFD Medical Director Judith Fitzgerald conducted the first quarterly EMS/Quality Assurance Committee meeting. Prevention Bureau Prevention Inspectors participated in an Electrical Investigation Training Program. In order for Inspectors to attend the class, it was necessary to shutdown both prevention offices for a period of four days. 4 Training Bureau th 35 Firefighter Recruit Class: Graduation Ceremony was held at Nani Mau Gardens on November 28, 2008. Appreciation was offered to Commissioners Maedo and Brazier who attended. th 36 Firefighter Recruit Class: Presently completing their driver training and will begin EMT-B training in January. th 37 Firefighter Recruit Class: Scheduled to begin on January 2, 2008. Explorer Program: The first group of 12 cadets is presently participating in engine ride-a-longs. The next phase the department would like to offer is the first responder training, which will allow them to ride-a-long in the ambulances. This would provide the cadets with the basic fundamental understanding of medical conditions, assessments, and the terminology. The Second Explorer classes’ final demonstration day for their parents was held on December 1, 2007. Volunteer Section Report provided by Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Brandt. Chief Brandt thanked both Commissioner Brazier and Maedo for their support of the volunteer program and stated that the program is evolving. Chief Brandt shared an overview of the Volunteers 2007 activities which included ADA/CPR training, HELCO training, Chopper training, and the CERT program. Ocean Safety Division PowerPoint presentation provided by Captain Chris Stellfox. (See Attachment “A”) Employee/Public Relations Station Decorating Contest: To be held again this year. Judging will take place on December 22, 2007. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Fire Chief’s Evaluation – Distribution of forms. Commissioner Maedo instructed the commission to return their completed evaluation forms to Chair Brazier so that he may aggregate the results of the annual performance of the Fire Chief and submit a report to the Mayor. The commission agreed on a one week deadline. Chair Brazier will report back on the outcome next month. COMMITTEE REPORTS Budget & Finance (Kudlo) No report. Office Management and Staffing (Bertsch) No report. 5 Rules and Policies (Rosehill) No report. Public Relations (Pomroy) No report. Training and Education (Maedo) No report. RECESS At 11:03 a.m., Chief Oliveira requested a 5-minute recess. The meeting resumed at 11:08 a.m. NEW BUSINESS End of the year Strategic Plan report – provided by Chief Oliveira. Chief Oliveira apologized to the commission for not providing them with the original strategic plan. The Hawai'i Fire Department’s goals and objectives were identified in that document and he previously indicated to the commission that he was trying to obtain a new draft. Chief Oliveira stated that he would like to emphasize the word “draft,” because the strategic plan should be perceived as a document that could possibly change. These changes may include environmental factors in the community that alter the HFD’s mission. According to Chief Oliveira, since his administration started, this is the first time that all of its management positions are filled. The department is finally able to get the participation and input of all the different program’s managers and directly involve them with the strategic planning process. It is necessary to revise the strategic plan because the original document distributed to the commission in 2002 was the department’s outcome and program implementations at that time. Therefore, he asked the Fire Commission for its patience as the department finalizes the draft, and assured the commission that a hardcopy will be provided soon. The Fire Chief continued with a PowerPoint presentation that provided an overview of the Fire Department 2007 accomplishments, and its future goals and projections. (PowerPoint not available) 6 Election of Officers for 2008. Commissioner Maedo moved to nominate Commissioner Bowles as the Chair for 2008. Commissioner Bertsch moved to nominate Commissioner Okabe as the Chair for 2008. Commissioner Maedo moved to close the nomination. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bowles and unanimously carried. Chair Brazier asked whether the nominees would like to make a presentation. Commissioners Okabe and Bowles presented the commission with brief statements on why they should be considered as the Hawai'i County Fire Commission’s Chairman for 2008. Chair Brazier called for a show of hands. Voting results: Commissioners’ Brazier, Bowles, Maedo, and Rosehill raised their hands in favor of Commissioner Bowles. Commissioners’ Bertsch, Kudlo, Okabe and Pomroy raised their hands in favor of Commissioner Okabe. Commissioner Browne left prior to the vote. Therefore, the election will be postponed until the January meeting, and Chair Brazier will remain as the Chair. Commissioner Bertsch moved to postpone the election for the Vice-Chair until January. Commissioner Bowles seconded the motion and it was unanimously carried. The election was postponed until January 9, 2008. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 9, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. in the Aupuni Center Conference Room, Aupuni Center Building, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo, Hawai'i. Set agenda for January 9, 2008, meeting. 7 Meeting was adjourned at 12:42 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: __________________________ KAYCIE A. I. CARTER Secretary 8