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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-25 Fire Commission Minutes HAWAI`I FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 HAWAI`I COUNTY BUILDING, COUNCIL CHAMBERS 25 AUPUNI ST., SUITE 1401, HILO, HI CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Kosaki called the meeting to order at 9.00 a.m. Present: Gerald Kosaki, Chair Steven Hirakami, Vice Chair Wayne Perrin Jr., Commissioner Les Hanano, Commissioner Shon Magsalin, Commissioner Wesley Mattos, Commissioner Rick Porter, Commissioner Carlene Wolf, Commissioner Absent: Brian Cushnie, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also present: Kazuo Todd, Fire Chief Daniel Volpe, Deputy Fire Chief Lono Lindsey, Battalion Chief Bradley Young, Battalion Chief Sinclair Salas-Ferguson, Deputy Corporation Counsel Charisse Correa, Secretary PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS There were none. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes for the August 28, 2025, regular session were approved. FIRE CHIEF'S REPORT Chief Todd highlighted items from the Fire Chief's Report. A detailed report is on file. He noted that some data is unavailable due to the county's transition to a new system. • Fiscal & Grants: The total department budget is approximately $76.8 million, with about $12.8 million (16.74%) expended year-to-date (YTD). A formal offer was received for the FY25 SAFER grant, which is a $4.3 million grant, not $1.3 million as stated in the written report. The FY25 HMGP-PF grant for power redundancy is an $11 million grant, not $3.2 million for structural mitigation as listed. Brush trucks from the 23 CDBG grant are expected by October 9. Trucks and a mobile service trailer from the 24 CDBG-MIT grant have arrived and are being outfitted. The bid for the mobile command vehicle was pulled by finance for specification review and will be put back out for bid. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 2 (Vice Chair Hirakami arrived at 9.04 a.m.) • Human Resources: There are currently 41 total vacancies in the department. Numerous recruitment processes are underway. The department promoted its first female Operations Battalion Chief in the history of HFD. The report's data on internal investigations was corrected; there are five active investigations, not zero, and the average completion time is closer to 90 days, not five. The department is considering using external investigators to expedite the process. • Emergency Operations: Salaries and wages total $34,967,000, and current expenditures are at $7.5 million. The target expenditure rate is 20.8%, and they're currently at 21.66%, largely due to an active fire season, particularly in Hamakua, which has experienced 80 fires compared to the typical 30 for this time of year. In August, the division responded to 2,692 calls: 104 fire calls, 1,908 EMS calls, and 608 classified as "other." Year-to-date, the department has responded to 21,889 calls and is on track for approximately 31,000 by the end of the year. The "other" category, representing about 25% of total calls, includes welfare checks, lift assists, and other non-fire or EMS public service responses. Average response times in August were 9 minutes and 13 seconds for EMS, and 12 minutes and 54 seconds for Fire. There were 36 wildland fires, burning a total of 58 acres, and six structure fires (49 year-to-date). • Special Operations: OCE is at $161,000, and equipment expenditures are at $192,000. Aircraft operations achieved 90% uptime in August, meeting the department's goal of maintaining over 90% (93.3% year-to-date). There was a discussion regarding the minimum proficiency training requirements for Rescue and HAZMAT personnel for August. A discrepancy in the report was noted between the year-to-date EMS call count (15,434) and the AILS transport count (16,513). This was likely due to a data entry error. • Ocean Safety: Salaries and wages total $3.9 million, with approximately 18.53% expended, compared to a target of 20.83%, due to staffing vacancies. In August, there were 323,569 beach visitors, with 235 preventable actions, 202 minor medical aids, five major medical aids requiring transport, and 34 rescues, for a year-to-date total of 458. Currently, there are three rescue watercraft operators, with a goal of nine. The department aims to staff the towers at greater than 80%; current staffing levels are at 75%. • EMS: Salaries and wages are at 18.16%, below the target of 20.83%. The Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) rate for August was 4.8% (year-to-date 7.3%). The EMS Branch conducted 1,927 transports in August. Four new paramedics completed their training, and five more began the program during the month. EMS Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 3 continues its collaboration with the Hawaii Opioid Initiative and participated in a three-day FEMA-supported enhanced sports and special events incident management training. The branch is also implementing the updated American Heart Association algorithms for CPR in anticipation of upcoming changes. EMS store supply orders for August totaled 68, with approximately $44,000 in sales. • Training Services Branch: Training addressed a possible contamination issue with SCBA bottles. The 54t" recruit class is completing the requirements of FF1 ProBoard certification. Salary and wages are currently at 13.45%, with the goal of 20.83%. Chief Todd stepped out briefly for a meeting, and Deputy Chief Volpe presented the remainder of the Chief's report. • Volunteer Services Section: Salary and wages are at 12.98% with a goal of 20.83%. there was one volunteer added this month, with a total of 112. There's been positive growth. Compliance with online training continues to be a challenge due to limited access to technology, as some stations lack electricity and internet. Efforts are underway to encourage online training where possible and to provide in-person training as a supplement when needed. They've been actively working to maintain at least one spare qualified driver at each volunteer station. • Fire Prevention Section: Salaries and wages are at 19.06%, slightly below the target of 20.83%. They're currently fully staffed. In August, Prevention conducted three inspections, oversaw two public events, reviewed 46 plans, investigated two fires, and handled two complaints. The average plan review time was 10.5 days, meeting the program objective of reviewing plans in less than 14 days, an outcome that benefits the community. Public education goals require a minimum of two sessions per month, and the division met this goal with two sessions in August. • Auxiliary Services Section: Salaries and wages had an adjusted appropriation of $446,000, with $77,000 expended to date. The section is currently staffed, though the lower expenditure may reflect a previous vacancy. A fire maintenance worker was recently hired and has been on the job for approximately one month. In August, a total of 131 orders were processed, with gross products sent to the department totaling $81,000 (year-to-date $134,000). • Vehicle Maintenance: A new fire maintenance worker, Jon Mitsuda, has been hired and has been addressing the backlog of equipment repairs. In August, there were 279 repairs, 42 service calls, and 15 contracted work or tows. An agreement was made with the Department of Environmental Management to store disposal-ready vehicles at the Hilo landfill, helping to free up space at the maintenance shop. • Emergency Communications: The section remains understaffed, with nine dispatchers currently working and four additional hires expected to begin in December. In August, there were 2,627 calls, with an average duration of 185 Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 4 seconds; 86.4% of calls were answered in under 10 seconds. The objective for Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocol compliance is 70% or higher; current compliance is 26% (45% year-to-date). Low staffing levels continue to impact key performance metrics, including call processing times and EMD protocol compliance. • Snapshots and Stories: Emergency Operations Highlights: Responded to numerous large brushfires across the island, a 1,000-gallon propane leak at the Kekuanaoa wastewater plant, and a hiker rescue in Waimanu. Deputy Chief Volpe highlighted the critical role of volunteers, whose ability to respond outside their assigned districts is a significant asset during major incidents. Fire Prevention: The section continues its public outreach and education efforts. The drone program has proven invaluable for providing real-time intelligence, aerial mapping, and data collection. New Apparatus: Three new brush trucks (5, 11, and 17) have arrived. Truck 17 has already been placed in service. Safety Program: An after-action review of the July 29th tsunami warning is underway. Several policies are under review or in development, including for OSHA two-in/two-out, pre-planning for vacant/hazardous buildings (Code-H), and severe event response. A new program is being established for NFPA-required ground ladder testing. In August, there were five incident/accident reports, two vehicle/property damage reports, and two toxic exposure reports. The monthly Safety Committee meeting was held. Ocean Safety: The Junior Lifeguard Program took second place in the state competition on Maui. Ocean Safety provided water safety support for the Hawaii County/Okinawa Haari boat race and participated in the Duke's Ocean Festival Lifeguard Challenge. The commission referred to the Fire Chief's report and asked questions regarding its contents. Discussion included errors in some data, such as EMS call numbers, as well as ALS and BLS transport figures. Additionally, Operating Expenditures (OCE) numbers were missing. Deputy Chief Volpe explained that the new Oracle reporting system has made it challenging to generate reports, an issue that is occurring county-wide. Recess was called at 10.15 a.m., and the meeting reconvened at 10.28 a.m. NEW BUSINESS Fire Chief's Annual Evaluation. The commission discussed finalizing the evaluation form. A revised, simpler version submitted by Commissioner Hirakami will be amended to include charter requirements Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 5 as suggested by Deputy Corporation Counsel. The final form will be presented for approval at the next meeting. NEW BUSINESS Correspondence No. 25-02: Hawaii County Salary Commission's Inquiry to the appointing authorities concerning proposed salary adjustments. The commission discussed a request from the Salary Commission regarding proposed salary adjustments. Chief Todd stated that he had already submitted a response and that the Salary Commission had already held its meeting on the matter. No further action was taken. NEW BUSINESS Review of the Fire Department's operations related to rescue training for the purpose of recommending improvements. Chair Kosaki inquired whether a rescue training schedule was established and raised concerns regarding a recent rescue training incident. Battalion Chief Lono Lindsey, head of Special Operations, which oversees rescue training, explained they're currently using the same off-duty training program developed in 2012, which consists of eight hours monthly. Chair Kosaki expressed concern for the safety of personnel and the public, noting that the recent incident could have had serious consequences. He asked whether it was one of the five internal investigations and emphasized the need to ensure the issue was addressed and corrective measures implemented. Chief Todd clarified that the incident did not rise to the level of an internal investigation. It was a non-disciplinary, fact-finding review intended to determine what happened and identify areas for improvement. Further discussion focused on training programs, standards, and certifications. BC Lindsey reported that corrective actions have been taken, including reinforcing safety and procedural protocols for pre-dive checks and oversight, providing remedial training for the individual involved, and requiring all rescue companies to conduct both tabletop and hands-on drills. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Discussion regarding the Fire Department's watercraft program for the purpose of recommending improvements. The commission discussed the watercraft program with Ocean Safety Battalion Chief Bradley Young. One original rescue watercraft is being decommissioned, and another in storage is being prepared for use. Two new rescue watercrafts are expected to arrive to support training efforts. The Sayre Foundation funded the $5,000 cost for initial operator certifications. The department also entered a new U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA) recertification cycle and will participate in a national certification conference in mid- October. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 6 Chair Kosaki inquired if the training curriculum is finalized and emphasized the urgency of implementing the program. BC Young agreed and explained that the curriculum is set to go, and noted that, with the anticipated reopening of Isaac Hale Beach Park, a high volume of activity is expected, as well as conflict. He reported nine tower vacancies and explained that implementing RWC training could temporarily impact staffing, as it would require removing up to eight personnel from line duty during training. Commissioner Hirakami inquired about personnel, asking how many vacancies exist and how many individuals are qualified to assume the role. BC Young responded that there are currently three operator vacancies. The goal is to train six candidates, allowing them to maintain baseline staffing at the towers while conducting training. This would fill the existing vacancies and provide three additional certified operators to cover as needed. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING Chair Kosaki asked if there were any suggestions for the next agenda and stated that he would like to continue the discussion on the rescue watercraft training. Chief Todd stated that at the next meeting, he would like to bring all chief officers who oversee specific sections of the department to present their reports. This would provide the commission an opportunity to meet the chief officers, allow for leadership development, and enable the commission to ask questions regarding their reports. Vice Chair Hirakami noted that the current report did not include OCE data. Chief Todd explained that due to issues with the new county-wide computer system, they are currently unable to generate those reports and have no available OCE data at this time. He was unsure when the reporting functions would be restored. DCC Salas-Ferguson reminded the commission that at the previous meeting, the agenda had been amended to include discussion on the development and implementation of an evaluation process allowing Fire Department employees to provide feedback on the performance of the department head. A permitted interaction group (PIG) was formed to explore the matter further, consisting of Chair Kosaki, Vice Chair Hirakami, and Commissioner Cushnie. However, he explained that he's been told that the agenda should not have been amended at that time. To correct this, the item will be properly included on the next meeting agenda to allow for public comment, and the commission will revisit the matter. Commissioner Wolf noted that the chair had previously drafted and sent a letter to the Mayor's Office regarding the secretary position and requested a follow-up on the outcome. Chief Todd stated that the letter would have been directed to Micah Alameda, head of Boards and Commissions in the Mayor's Office, and suggested inviting him to the next meeting to discuss the matter. He added that the decision ultimately depends on funding and was uncertain where the Mayor's Office stands on the issue. The commission agreed to include this topic on the next agenda and to invite Mr. Alameda Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes September 25, 2025 Page 7 to attend. Commissioner Wolf emphasized the need for feedback, noting that the matter has been pending for several years. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Kosaki announced that two Hawaii Fire Department teams were recognized in the Department of Health's "Unknown Sample of the Month" hazmat competition. Kaumana Station 4, B Shift, received second runner-up, and Makalei Station 21, C Shift, received first runner-up. Chair Kosaki also thanked the commissioners who attended the recent Sayre's Foundation Awards Dinner, noting the event's strong display of community generosity. Chief Todd added that the foundation funded the purchase of three LUCAS automated CPR devices for deployment on fire engines at remote stations: Station 17 (Laupahoehoe), Station 20 (Ocean View), and Station 15 (North Kohala). Chair Kosaki announced that the next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 9.00 a.m. at the West Hawaii Civic Center. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 11.22 a.m. SUBMITTED BY: CHARISSE CORREA, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: GERALD KOSAKI, CHAIR