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HomeMy WebLinkAbout101106COUNTY OF HAWAII FIRE COMMISSION FIRE CHIEF’S REPORT October 10, 2006 • Introduction of new dispatchers who began on July 17: - Richard Arias - Joni Bargamento - Penny Goo - Dan Wagatsuma • Overview of HFD organizational structure (as requested by Maedo) Budget FY 2007/08 Budget: All County departments met with Director of Finance on September 26, 2006 and received instructions and packet information for FY 2007-08 budget submittal. We will be allowed to include for salary requirements in accordance with CBA, and a 3% inflationary rate increase. However, new County-funded positions must be part of our supplemental budget requests. Deadline for submittal of budget reports is November 15. Alternative Funding and Grants • FEMA FY 2005 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: (Plymo-Vent) The equipment shipment is due to arrive in Hilo on October 16. The contractor, Air-Con, will then apply for building permits, and following the permitting approval process, construction will begin starting with Central fire station, then the remaining Hilo stations. Page 2 of 8 ▪ FEMA FY 2004 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: (Burn Trailer) On September 19 to 24, Captain Glen Honda and FEO Michael Hayashida went to Toronto for pre-delivery inspection and visit. Trailer was originally scheduled to arrive in Hilo on October 9, however, it was not loaded on the barge as scheduled and therefore the next shipment will leave San Diego on October 17 and is scheduled to be unloaded in Hilo on October 23. Captain Honda and FEO Hayashida are working on protocol for training and program delivery schedule. Battalion Chiefs met with Captain Honda regarding the training of personnel for the burn trailer and to get names of personnel that will be trained along with input from the BCs to the type of evolutions to be conducted with the companies. • FEMA FY 2006 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: No new update on our grant proposal. On October 6, Department of Homeland Security announced first round grant awards totaling $91.8 million. No Hawaii awards during this first round. A total of $485 million to nearly 5,000 fire related organizations nationwide will be awarded through the FY 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant. • Department of Transportation-Safe Highways Grant: Following our grant award notification for $33,299 (generators purchase), grant application submitted to DOT for further processing. • 2007 CDBG Grant Proposal: Submitted our proposal requesting funding for the plans/design of Paauilo Volunteer Fire Station. • 2006 Fire Prevention & Safety Grant: Strategic planning committee Public Education/Public Relations working on grant proposal for a prevention & safety trailer that will be used to go into schools and communities islandwide in an effort to provide fire and safety education, as well as disaster preparedness, to our youth and elderly. On October 4, 2006, Inspector Robert Perreira and Captain Dennis Rocha visited and researched Maui Fire Department’s Fire Safety House acquired through the Assistance to Fire Fighters grant. Their visit will assist in grantwriting for our County. Page 3 of 8 Capital Improvement Projects There are no new updates to report on any of our CIP projects. The information that follows is last month’s updates: • Makalei Fire Station: Informed by Public Works that new design consultant selected, Kajoka, Yamachi Architects Inc. – they will submit new fee schedule in a month. • Pahoa Fire Station: Three issues need to be resolved: 1. DOT received plans form Imata & Assoc. 8/24 will take 2 weeks for evaluation. 2. DOH septic system issue, word expected in three weeks. 3. DWS, as errors are found in the plans, the plans are sent back to the designers for correction. • Fire Administration & Support Facility: We’ve been answering technical questions to assist consultants on developing the scope of work for the project. Design consultant selected – Anbe, Aruga & Ishizu Architects, Inc. – they will now put together fee proposal – earmarked $1.0 mil for design cost. • Captain Cook Fire Station: Submitted allotment request for design money $100,000. • Central Fire Station: No new developments since last report. • Central Fire Station Retrofit Project: No new developments since last report. • Naalehu Fire Station: No new developments since last report. • Paauilo Volunteer Fire Station: Submitted request for Plans/Design funding under FY 2007 CDBG program. Page 4 of 8 Promotions and Hiring Active recruits include: Open-competitive recruitment Fire Fighter Recruit Agility test conducted on 9/23/06 to fill 35th FFR class (tentative start date is December 1, 2006). Currently conducting departmental screening process which includes background checks, COMPASS test, and an interview. Internal recruitment Fire Equipment Operator Written examinations were administered by the Department of Civil Service (Hilo and Kona) on 10/3/06. Applicants will be scheduled for the assessment center exercises after the examination results are received. Emergency Operations Division • Brush Fires: - As of October 9, 2006, conducting periodic checks of the Mana Road brush fire. Incident is not closed as of this date due to underground burning and flare ups. - Kohala Mountain Road fire is closed down. - HFD participation with the Puuanahulu brushifre has ceased at the end of the work day on October 6, 2006. DOFAW has continued their watch and overhauling. • Battalion Chiefs to start to their visitations to address the issue of the HIOSH inspection deficiencies of stations. They will have the stations complete the repairs that are repairable by the line company and put in a request to FASO for other repairs that will have to get completed by either Public Works or private vendors. • Working with Captain Honda on the driver training program for line personnel to bring standardization to the department. re: criteria for TA FEO, tanker driver, brush truck drivers, and recruits. Page 5 of 8 Support Services Division Auxiliary Services: • Visit of Fire Communications Center: As requested at last month’s meeting, any Commissioners desiring to visit our Dispatch Center may contact Assistant Chief Quince Mento at 961-8094 to schedule a date and time that is mutually agreeable. • 9-1-1- Presentation: FRD II’s Cassie Fernandez and Karen Bugado gave a 9-1-1 presentation to Hawaii Community College Intensive English Language Program classes. There were 18 students and 8 teachers. Their presentation explained the 9-1-1 system and how to call 9-1-1 during an emergency. • Vivian Arai and AC Quince Mento attended a Statewide Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP – “911 providers”) meeting on Wireless 9-1-1 and a Geographic Imaging System mapping software presentation by Positron Corp. in Honolulu. We are agressively pursuing the implementation of wireless 9-1-1. Funding is available through the State of Hawai’i. Included in the implementation of wireless 9-1-1 is an up-grade of our dispatch mapping system. Warehouse: • Meeting held to start a program to issue a second set of personal protective equipment for personnel. Maintenance Shop: • In addition to routine apparatus and equipment repairs, Maintenance Shop personnel have been actively continuing refurbishing projects on three apparatus (new pump & fabricate plumbing, install new tank, refurbish Amertek); as well as working on Mako compressor procedures and responsibilities. Page 6 of 8 • New apparatus received: - Two 4 X4 crew cab p/up trucks for Stations 2 & 7 - Two Pierce Dash 1500gpm pumpers for Kalaoa and Volcano Fire Stations - 1 - Type 42 fire truck from DLNR EMS Bureau: Ambulance Report Forms: Accountability and processing of ambulance report forms as per contract with the EMSS Branch of the State Department of Health. This includes sending copies of the original ambulance report forms involved with transport of patients, to the State billing contractor on the mainland. There were a total of 1,596 ambulance report forms processed during September of which 1,092 were transports. EMS Training: Met with Dr. Judith Fitzgerald on the feasibility of distributing Continuing Medical Education (CME) materials via DVD. Training Bureau: • 34th Recruit Class: 34th recruits have completed their Essentials curriculum, they have also completed their water safety and Urban Search and Rescue training and will be moving on to Wildland, Hazmat and Driver training. Volunteer Section: Capt Enriques conducted a fire hose repair class for six fire personnel. Capt. Enriques and Battalion Chief Rosario met with the Ainaloa Community Association regarding the establishment of a volunteer fire company in Ainaloa. Unfortunately, sign up is slow—only three as of last week per the President of the Association. Page 7 of 8 Prevention Bureau: • SFC NFPA 1 code amendment meeting Oahu (attended by Pacleb and Lee) • Prevention Bureau personnel have been actively reviewing plans for and participating in meetings on several high profile projects, to include: - Barnes & Noble (Old Woolworth’s space) - Wailuku Village Affordable Housing project (Adjacent to Clem Akina Park Wainaku) - Additional tenant improvements to Pahoa Marketplace - Target Stores (Proposed location: adjacent to Kona HPM. Bldg. to be 160,000 s.f.) - 3 building 4-story condominium project on Ali’i Drive (also borders Kuakini Highway) Other Support Activities: We are working on the transfer of our radio tower from the Kapoho site to Puna Geothermal. Plans and specifications submitted to Public Works for emergency generator for Ocean View Fire station. A request for a boundary survey of Maunaolana St. was submitted to Public Works for the development of a permanent fire engine pump testing site. This is necessary to begin drafting an agreement with HELCO for use of their Wailuku Stream property as a site for testing County of Hawai’i Fire Department pumpers. New Projects/Business • Temporary Fire Administration Office: Date of move has been delayed until late November. Page 8 of 8 Employee/Public Relations • 5th annual KTA/HIUW Bag Brigade: Ongoing. Bag Brigade held at five stores. Last store is KTA-Kailua on October 28. Thus far have raised over $5,000. Good public relations and community service event. • Fire Prevention Week: Islandwide poster contest held; open to all elementary school students. Judging held (Prevention Inspectors, Mayor’s Office, Fire Commissioners (Maedo and Okabe). Winning posters to be displayed at WalMart Hilo during month of October. Sponsored through Good Neighbors grant. Prevention Inspectors and on-duty companies to visit schools during Fire Prevention Week to award students with their prizes.