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HomeMy WebLinkAbout051309HAWAII FIRE COMMISSION FIRE CHIEF’S REPORT May 13, 2009 Budget: • FY 2009/10 Budget: Submitted some amendments to our budget to include 2 part time ocean safety lifeguards to start up services at Punalu’u Beach Park. To get off ground, unfunded 3 Volcano positions for 6 months. Benefit: protection at beach, reduction of calls and tax of our fire services. Alternative Funding and Grants: • FEMA FY 2007 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: (Video Teleconferencing Equipment) Equipment has been installed at all sites except for new Pahoa station. Awaiting installation of bridge. Already seeing benefits of having hardware in place; stations are now able to have meetings via VTC, i.e., 2 rescue or haz-mat stations. So many possibilities with technology. With fire science program starting up this fall and them having VTC capabilities, will try to partner and get that going. • FEMA FY 2008 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: (Health/wellness program, total budget is $531,203) Garrett struggling with purchasing of equipment & diagnostics. • State Department of Transportation Safe Highways: Applied for 25 EZIO units (Neil Yoshioka) to establish IV access and 20 digital cameras for medic units (Ralph Yawata). • FEMA FY 2009 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant: Will be applying for PPE to finish up project. • Other Grants: With the President’s stimulus package, there will be the possibility of applying for construction costs for Makalei fire station. On SAFER grant, there is talk of waiving the County’s match. - 2 - Capital Improvement Projects: Makalei Fire Station: • On April 16, 2009, met with Planning, Corporation Counsel and GKK Makalei representatives (Tom Yamamoto, Scott Settles and Brian Abbott) regarding Makalei properties. Dedication deed executed, however there are couple minor changes necessary to wording regarding time frame for County to complete an appraisal and the inclusion of language regarding the septic discharge requirement per an agreement with Kukio development owners makai of project. Pahoa Fire Station: • On April 30, a pre-final inspection was conducted with general contractor and consultants. Outstanding items will be submitted to Public Works who will establish the punch list of outstanding items and submit to the contractor for resolutions. Fire Administration & Support Facility: • On April 21, we submitted comments on preliminary drawing and furniture schedule. Central Fire Station: • No new updates. Still awaiting status of disposition from HUD. Captain Cook: • Per Public Works, punch list for project was completed by contractor. Final inspection conducted on April 9, and project deemed completed. Plans are now being prepared for the window upgrade project that will upgrade all windows and doors to large missle impact resistant rated products. Will discuss with Public Works to include resurfacing of carport area. Paauilo Volunteer Fire Garage: • Will be meeting with Our Lady of Lourdes Church parishioners on May 15 to open discussions regarding the parcel. - 3 - Pohoiki Radio Relocation: • Re: relocation of repeater site to geothermal site, which should result in better coverage. Corp Counsel has received signed Grant of Easement from Helco, and the MOA signed by Police. Both documents to be forwarded to Mayor for signature. Once completed, all easements and agreements will be in force to proceed with project. Promotions and Hiring: Open-Competitive Recruitment • Ocean Safety: Seasonal hires for WSO I temp positions. Date of hire will be June 1, 2009. Internal Recruitment • Fire Captain: Assessment Center completed. Targeted promotion date is May 16, 2009. • Fire Prevention Captain: Promotions effective May 1, 2009. Are soliciting for TA Inspectors on rotational plan. • Fire Rescue Specialist: Physical assessment exercises held on May 4, 2009; interviews/skills assessment on May 5. Emergency Operations Division • KOH drill with CST completed April 30, 2009. • Fleet management teleconference May 7, 2009 with Main Star to review the data input provided to them by HFD and Automotive. Next step would be the training phase. • Working on changing of incident numbers for multi-day incidents (trial period). Ocean Safety • Report by Captain John Kapsky. - 4 - Support Services Division EMS Bureau: • Personnel from Medic 15A Shift participated in Kohala Hospital’s MASH Camp on April 1, 2009. • Inventory conducted at Captain Cook M-6 on April 8, 2009. This completes all medic units (15) that are now on the All Battalions usage sheet. • Provided Blood Pressure screening along with Captain Gerald Kosaki for this year’s “Take It Off Hawaii” campaign on April 9, 2009. • Attended quarterly Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (EMSAC) meeting held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott on April 15, 2009. • Monthly Base Station Meeting held in conjunction with this year’s Hawaii EMS Information Systems (HEMSIS) Conference at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott on April 16, 2009. Topic was patient care report documentation and refusals. • 2009 HEMSIS Conference held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott from April 15-17, 2009. HFD was the host provider and had a static display of apparatuses & Chopper 2. • Begin Pandemic Flu & Bloodborne Pathogen training for all Operation, Support and Administrative staff on April 20, 2009. Training conducted by DOH educators. • Chopper 2 training and North Hawaii & Kona Community Hospital ER orientation conducted for (3) FFR’s that are going through the evaluation process on April 28, 2009. • Quarterly QA/QI meeting conducted with Kau Hospital staff, AMR, Naalehu medic personnel and the EMS Bureau on April 30, 2009 at Kau Hospital regarding patient transfers. - 5 - Auxiliary Services Communications: • Presentation by Corp Counsel’s William Brilhante on Uniform Information Practice Act. • April 30, 2009: FASO and FRD II Penny Goo participated in HazMat Exercise at Hilo Pier. Penny provided dispatch communications on tack I and maintained the minutes of the exercise. FASO provided the communications hook ups and provided logistics. Distribution Center: • Raised lights in distribution center to make room for fork lift. Maintenance Shop: Apparatus and equipment repair 95 total repairs/service 14 of these were road service calls or trouble calls Refurbishment Project HFD 349 – T 7 –Body repair HFD 342 – E 16- Strip down procured motor for rebuild Other Projects • Continuing work with Data Systems for Fleet Management software implementation. • Chief Mechanic Glenn Maesato and FRS Tad Fujii traveled to E-One in Orlando, Fl. to inspect and accept 2 light rescue trucks • Fire Equipment Mechanic Kirk Roark, FEO Garret Kim, and FEO Gifford Masaoka traveled to Pierce in Appleton, WI for a preconstruction meeting for 2 Heavy rescue trucks. - 6 - New Vehicles • HFD 492 – 2008 Toyota Tacoma - Sayre Foundation • HFD 493 – 2008 Ford F 350 – Prime mover • HFD 494 - 2008 Ford F 350 –Prime mover • HFD 491 – New brush Truck 7B – in service Training Bureau: 38th Recruit class: • 10 FF recruits from the class began their EMT-B training on April 6, 2009 • There are 2 FF recruits (Jeffrey Maki and Andrew Miller) that had obtained State of Hawaii reciprocity and began their evaluation period on April 6, 2009. There was also 1 FF recruit (Donovan Roque) who still possesses his EMT-I certification and is also being evaluated beginning on April 6, 2009. 37th Recruit class: • FF recruits Marcus Helm and Eddie Abe is still on their IP until June 30, 2009 due to their performance problems. There have been no further instances regarding their behavior or deviation of departmental policies or procedures. Other Training: • The STICO (Strategies and Tactics for Initial Company Officers) class in Hilo was held on April 2 and 3, 2009. The STICO class in Waimea is scheduled for May 18 and 19, 2009. • Working on a Rescue Basic Training program for our personnel to TA or get promoted to a FRS position. • Hazmat training proposal submitted and is awaiting memo to be sent out to begin implementation for our company personnel as well as our hazmat technicians. - 7 - Volunteer Section • East Hawaii: 31 hours of company training. • West Hawaii: 27 hours of company training • Volcano Volunteer Building Restoration Project • Report by Tom Brandt. Prevention Fire protection systems insp: 19 Fire Investigations: 7 Business inspections: 120 Complaint investigations: 9 Occupancy enforcement: 6 School inspections 7 Certificate of Occupancy insp.: 13 Safety classes to public: 6 Agricultural burn site inspections 2 Tent inspections 6 New Projects/Business • Retirements: To date received 20 letters of intent to retire, most effective end of May. Memo went out to staff to explain position with retirement; faced with challenges as losing a lot of our management team; will get through this and survive. Have been keeping Mayor informed. No one knows what will happen with benefits; all speculation at this time. • Legislature: No concrete legislation to share regarding employee benefits. - 8 - • Swine Flu: Working with Christian Wong, put out a guidance for employees (copy attached). State DOH will not come out with standard; Hilo medical center requiring mask of all patients with flu like symptoms. Public health working with airport and harbors for protocol. We may end up being a safety net for the time being that may make challenges initially. BCs may be first to ID when we see something—problem and pattern so we can make contact with DOH to temper and fix problem. • UXO Issues-Waikoloa: At March meeting, Browne inquired on UXO issue in Waikoloa. Need to provide general update. • Replacement Chopper 1: Purchasing has specs for replacement helicopter. Has not yet been posted. • HFCA Conference 2009: Hilton Waikoloa Village, November 19-21, 2009. Employee/Public Relations • Baskin-Robbins 31 Cents Scoop Night: Annual event; held April 29 at both stores. All proceeds from event goes to the National Junior Firefighter Program. • Reuse a Shoe Project: Recycling program sponsored by Nike. Partnership with DOE and Environmental Management. Campaign targeted for month of April. Fire stations – collection sites. Very successful first year. Project has helped to keep about 4,000 pairs of shoes out of our landfills. • EMS Week: Sunday, May 24, at Liliuokalani Gardens.