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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 Chief's Report for September MeetingCHIEF’S REPORT (09/10/2014) I. Budget • FY 2014/2015 II. Alternative Funding and Grant • FY 2012 Assistance to Fire Fighters Prevention Grant Application o • FY 2013 CDBG Grant for Waiakea Quint o • FY 2013 Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant o • FY 2014 CDBG Grant for Ka‘ū Brush Truck o • FY 2014 State Highways Grant o • Capital Improvement Projects o Kawailani Fire Station Replacement III. Human Resources Division 1) Recruitments a) Open-competitive recruitments • Water Safety Officer I – Performance Assessment Exercise tentatively scheduled for September 24, 2014. • Account Clerk – recommended hire forwarded to SRC for approval. Targeted start date is September 16, 2014. b) Internal within department recruitment • Fire Equipment Operator – one vacancy will be filled effective September 1, 2014. • Fire/Hazardous Materials Specialist – one vacancy will be filled effective September 1, 2014 2) Classification a) Four new Water Safety Officer II positions created effective August 16, 2014 for Personal Water Craft Program. IV. Emergency Operations Division OPERATIONS: West Hawai‘i: 1) West side EOC manning for Hurricane Iselle. 2) Assist in Recruit Training on Helicopter and Ladder operations 3) Assist with annual HazMat technician retraining East Hawai‘i: 1) Assist CD with daily Aerial surveillance of the July 27th lava flow. 2) Development of SOP’s for the HFD Extractor 3) Online training for Fireground Survival class 4) Recertification of personnel to Hazmat Technician Level 5) Assist Civil Defense with distribution of Ice and water in District 10 6) After Action review for Hurricane Iselle. 7) Assist Kevin Kodama of National Weather Service with Aerial evaluation of damage caused by Hurricane Iselle. SPECIAL OPERATIONS: Hazmat: 1) Equipment status – we have completed all of our monitoring equipment that needed to be repaired and calibrated. We are currently assessing our budget status for the updating of equipment. 2) Conducted a drill at the PGV facility to identify specific locations that our AreaRaes would be deployed in the event of a chemical release at the PGV facility. 3) We will be implementing a Hazmat Operations recertification program for our personnel who are not trained to the technician level. Discussed this new process and material with the Hazmat Captains who are all in concurrence. 4) Hazmat technician recertification guidelines have been implemented to recertify all of our personnel. Rescue: 1) We have received contingency funds from some Council members to purchase more equipment and supplies for the Project Lifesaver program. Met with Councilmember Brenda Ford who is finalizing a news release regarding this program. We are still awaiting the arrival of these supplies. 2) A memo soliciting personnel who would like to participate in the Dive Rescue I class was submitted and will be sent out soon. This is targeted for rescue personnel and all personnel who may be temporarily assigned there. We now have a dive instructor in-house to conduct this training. 3) The Sayre Foundation dinner is coming up on August 30 and 12 of our personnel will be honored at this event for their heroic acts in the line of duty. To date, the Sayre Foundation has donated over $700,000. Ocean Safety: 1) We have begun the process in moving toward a Personal Water Craft (PWC) program. We have begun the procurement process for all of the equipment that includes the PWC, dual trailers, and (?) vehicle(s) to transport this equipment. We are currently working on the training curriculum to adhere to all standards, regulations, and other compliance and union concerns. 2) We are awaiting the arrival of 5 new surveyor type lifeguard towers to replace the current wooden towers in east Hawaii. We still need to work on the necessary permits and the logistical issues in erecting these towers. The first towers anticipated to be replaced are for Ahalanui and Honolii. The first towers are scheduled to arrive in September. All of the necessary permits are being completed. 3) The Jr. Lifeguard state championships were held in Kauai on August 2. This was in conjunction with the Ocean Safety Drowning Conference held on July 31 and August 1. The Big Island Jr. Lifeguards came in 2nd place overall. V. Support Services Division TRAINING BUREAU: 1) The 43rd Fire Fighter Recruit class is almost half way through the fire portion of their training. They have completed 15 of 23 chapters in the Essentials curriculum. They have also conducted rappelling and had their week long Rescue Systems I course. The recruits also participated in disaster relief efforts post TS Iselle, they participated in distribution of water and ice on the weekend after Iselle hit in Pahoa and Mt View. 2) Annual Haztech refresher training is just about complete. We have most of the personnel retrained and just need to get those who were on leave during the retraining period. 3) We are making strides with our proposal for a web-based online training system for all of our personnel. We hope to be able to move ahead with that plan as it will provide our department with a lot more training opportunities in various disciplines and can be specifically assigned to each and every individual separately. Due to the limited personnel we have in our training bureau an online training system will provide a multitude of training opportunities at our personnel’s finger tips. The programs that we are looking at provide training for Fire, EMS, HazMat, Safety, and more, we can even include our own training curriculum to the program to gear the training to our department’s needs. EMS BUREAU: 1) Three personnel completed the KCC MICT Program on August 14th, 2014. Personnel are awaiting receipt of their temporary State of Hawaii MICT license and completion of their National Registry written and psychomotor testing. Following receipt of their MICT license, personnel will undergo ten (10) shifts of FMS Orientation, shadowing a mentor and seasoned FMS. 2) Targeting the August 2015 MICT class with an MICT Orientation meeting set for September 26th, 2014. Our plan is to meet with perspective MICT Students to review prerequisites, discuss MICT Prep classes and how to best prepare for MICT training. Fifteen personnel have expressed interest in attending the 2015 class. 3) On August 26th, 2014 trained the principals and area superintendent from the Waiakea - Hilo Complex in Hands Only CPR. The DOE Administrators provided positive feedback of the HFD Hands Only program. It’s our hope and intent to gain the buy in and support at the Administrators level to have all high school seniors trained in Hands Only CPR prior to graduation. 4) Our 14th annual EMS Fun Run Event was held at the Liliuokalani Park in Hilo on August 23rd. The event drew an estimated 500 participants and over 25 vendors. The event was a tremendous success due to the countless number of volunteers from HFD and the community. 5) Ambulance specifications are moving forward on three separate projects. The remount ambulances have scheduled ship dates of September 11th. The Notice to Proceed was awarded for our new Medic – 5 ambulance, and our new medic specs for M - 20 ambulance will be going out to bid. PREVENTION BUREAU: 1) Smoke detector program implemented and is currently ongoing. 2) Multiple structure fires investigated, with the Arson K9 used. AUXILLIARY SERVICES Dispatch: 1) Continued Fire Radio Dispatcher I training; familiarizing in Hamakua, Kau and Volcano districts. 2) Continue to work with vendors and IT to update equipment focusing on usage while under generator power. Maintenance Shop: 1) Received New E-9 and E-15. Warehouse: 1) Received 40 beds from Yamada Furniture, in process of assigning. New Projects/Business 1) Daniel Sayre Foundation Dinner on August 30th at the Fairmont Orchid 2) HFD EMS Run and family event on August 23, 2014. Employee/Public Relations 1) Attended the Kulani Prison Grand Re-opening on July 1, 2014. Will be assisting staff with Firefighting training. 2) July 16-19, attended Arbitration Hearing for Water Safety Officer who was suspended twice for failure to appear at work. 3) Met with United States Forrest Service Region Representative on the awarding of a $100,000 grant to HFD for Wildland Fire Fighting and Volunteers. 4) July 21, 23, 25, 28, 29, and 31st, HFD participated in partnership with the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization in hosting Community Wildfire Preparedness Workshops in various communities along West Hawai‘i‘, Waimea, Ka‘ū, and Volcano. 5) Attended the Ground Breaking of the new Pahoa Regional Sports Complex on July 31, 2014. 6) Assisted the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association with the annual MDA Fill the Boot Campaign.