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COUNTY OF HAWAII FIRE COMMISSION
FIRE CHIEF’S REPORT
November 8, 2006
Budget
FY 2007/08 Budget: Continuing to work on budget submittal, which is due to
Finance Department on November 15. Will provide Commissioners with our
submittal at December’s meeting.
Alternative Funding and Grants
• FEMA FY 2005 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: (Plymo-Vent) Vendor awarded
bid is receiving equipment. Already got bill for first shipment. FF Neil Yoshioka
working with vendors to get permits to start installations. Will probably do Central
first as it is the most complex installation. Trying to see if they can increase work
crew capacity with a local company to speed up process.
▪ FEMA FY 2004 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: (Burn Trailer)
Chief Honda and FEO Hayashida are working on protocol for training and program
delivery schedule. Hopefully in the month will start doing training.
• FEMA FY 2006 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: Awards have been made but
none to Hawaii thus far.
• 2006 Department of Transportation-Safe Highways Grant : The specifications for
generators, 100’ extension cords with GFCI protection, remote work lighting, and
portable highway safety signs have been written, reviewed by purchasing and ready
to go out to bid. Will be submitted for bid in March 2007 (next cycle).
• 2006 Fire Prevention & Safety Grant: Grant period has not yet opened.
Capital Improvement Projects
• Makalei Fire Station: Allotment request submitted for additional $205,000 for design
funds. Fee proposal of $551,112 received from Kajioka, Yamachi Architects Inc.
• Pahoa Fire Station: Outstanding issues with DOT and DOH should be resolved in
two weeks.
• Fire Administration & Support Facility: Submitted an allotment request for $1.7
million to cover the design proposal. Finance Department is trying to find us
$700,000 that we were short from our projection. Design consultant for this project is
Anbe, Aruga & Ishizu Architects, Inc.
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• Captain Cook Fire Station: Durant Media 5 consultant awaiting fee proposal.
• Central Fire Station: Awaiting Federal HUD approval of “change of site use” from
housing to public facility.
• Central Fire Station Retrofit Project: Contractor assembling material (purchasing)
prior to actual start of repair work. Contractor will receive Notice to Proceed prior to
start of repairs from DPW.
• Naalehu Fire Station: No new developments since last report.
• Paauilo Volunteer Fire Station: A meeting is planned for Finance, Highways, and
Fire to explore a new site on the same property.
Promotions and Hiring
Active recruits include:
Open-competitive recruitment
Fire Fighter Recruit Identified 20 candidates for start date of 35th recruit class.
Not all contacted to offer formal offer. 18 thus far confirmed.
Internal recruitment
Fire Equipment Operator Written examinations were administered by the Department
of Civil Service (Hilo and Kona) on 10/3/06. Working on
assessment center phase and once completed,
assessments will be scheduled.
Emergency Operations Division
• Earthquake – October 15, 2006
County is now going through recovery phase with FEMA, insurance carrier. County
will be working to submit proper documentation to insurance and FEMA for
restoration and force work costs associated with earthquake. Damages to Captain
Cook and Honokaa fire stations; other minor damages noted to various stations.
Station personnel have been out in public to conduct assessments and quell
rumors/fears, as well as assist with moving of patients from Kona hospital to
Sheraton Keauhou Hotel and Hilo Hospital.
• Battalion Chiefs have scheduled their station visitations for HIOSH compliance this
November along with station cursory inspections.
• AC Murasaki attended Homeland Security conference held at Hapuna Prince Hotel
Oct. 31-Nov 2. Information provided as to what is happening around the world and
how it would affect nationally or even the state.
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Support Services Division
Auxiliary Services:
• Dispatchers Goo, Arias and Bargamento began call taking. Working with
Wagatsuma on call taking and creating calls in CAD. ½-1 hr. per day practice
sessions with supervisors.
• L. Kapahu participated in the Job Fair at the UHH on Oct. 16.
• AC Mento acknowledged his dispatchers for their commitment to duty during
earthquake disaster. (Sandee Muranaka , Leanne Kapahu, Darryl Willis, Cassie
Fernandez, Dori Sugihara, Karen Bugado, Melissa Silva, Penny Goo and Joni
Bargamento.)
• As requested by Commissioner Bertsch, we are continuing to research background
to utilize Department of Water Supply funding source for hardening/retrofit of our
radio towers.
• Visit of Fire Communications Center: Tour of our Fire Communications Center by
Vivian Arai will follow this morning’s meeting.
EMS Bureau:
• MICT class began October 31, 2006. 10 students
• Electronic Patient Care Report forms: Training will begin in early December.
Training Bureau:
• 34th Recruit Class: Half of class is on line (0700-1500) for station orientation; other
half presently doing driver training.
Laurie, A training bureau report was not submitted. This was my fault. AC2 did asked me for one. The
34th recruits are completing driver training and station orientation and are scheduled to start EMT on Dec.
4th. Chris Honda and Lance Uchida will be helping as instructors. The roster for the 35th recruit class is
nearly completed, with the last formal offers scheduled to be tendered by the end of the week. This class
is scheduled to start on December 1, 2006.Training on the Mobile Live Fire Trailer took place on the 28th
and 29th of October. A tour of the trailer can be arranged for those Commissioners who wish to see it. I
would like to recognize FEO Richard Fong for stepping up in my absence. His professionalism and work
ethic are commendable. Also, FF Stacy Domingo has spearheaded our training documentation process
and has made the training Bureau a very organized and productive office.( Maybe you can reword this )
And lastly, A request has gone out to solicit interest in training bureau opportunities in the areas of
Training Captains and Driver Training. Thank You Glen Honda
Volunteer Training Section:
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• Capt Enriques is possibly retiring; program will continue.
• Unable to electronically capture incident responses by Volunteer companies at this
time. Working to extract data to drop into RMS from CADS.
• Report from Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Brandt.
New Projects/Business
• Transition period with Deputy Chief Honda.
• Request to present end of year report at December’s Fire Commission meeting.
• New format in statistical incident response report as requested by Commissioner
Bertsch. At this time, have not input comparison in year-to-date same time last
year column.
• Commissioner Bertsch inquired on participation at HFCA conference. HFCA
conference to be held November 16-18 on Kauai this year. We included in last
year’s supplemental budget a request to amend our budget to include travel
expenses for Fire Commissioners associated with attendance at conference.
However, was not approved. Will request again this year.
• Name Change: Charter amendment passed by voters; official name is “Hawai’i
Fire Department.”
Employee/Public Relations
• 5th annual KTA/HIUW Bag Brigade: Concluded; raised a record amount of
$6,714.22 in this year’s campaign.
• County Employee of Year Program: Held October 27 at Nani Mau (Vivian, Glenn,
Gerald) Thanks to Chief Mento for nominations. Way of saying thanks to our
employees who go above and beyond their normal job duties.