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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFire Commission Agenda 8-27-26Gerald Kosaki, Chair C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D. Mayor William V. Brilhante Jr. Managing Director Merrick Nishimoto Deputy Managing Director Les Hanano, Vice Chair Brian Cushnie, Member Derwin Ignacio, Member Eric Inouye, Member Wayne Perrin Jr., Member Rick Porter, Member Rollin Rabara, Member Carlene Wolf, Member COUNTY OF HAW Al'I Fire Commission c/o Office of the Corporation Counsel, IOI Aupuni Street, Suite 325 • Hilo, Hawai 'i 96720 Phone: (808) 961-8251 • Fax: (808) 961-8622 MEETING AGENDA Notice is hereby given of the following matters to be considered by the Fire Commission of the County of Hawai'i (Commission) in accordance with the provisions of Hawai'i Revised Statutes (HRS) § 92-7. Additional meeting instructions and information are located at the end of the agenda. DATE: TIME: PLACE: THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 9:00 A.M. WEST HAWAl'I CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUILDING A 74-5044 ANE KEOHOKALOLE HIGHWAY KAILUA-KONA, HAWAl'l 96740 ATTENDING THE MEETING AND ORAL TESTIMONY: This meeting will be held as an in-person meeting with the option for the public to attend and orally testify remotely as a courtesy. Persons wishing to attend the meeting and/or orally testify may do so in person at the physical location designated above or remotely via Zoom Webinar using the following link: Zoom Webinar Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1659358735 Zoom Webinar ID: 165 935 8735 ----. -·-i :.~ ~ ..... :::.~ Although not required, those intending to testify remotely may register in advance by emailing Emily.Hirayama@hawaiicounty.gov prior to the meeting, and those intending to testify in person may sign up with the Commission secretary at the meeting. In accordance with HRS§ 92-3, interested persons who want to provide oral testimony may do so at the time public statements are called for at the top of the agenda or at the time the agenda item is called. Public testimony may be limited to five (5) minutes in length per agenda item per testifier consistent with Rule 5(8)(1 )(a) of the Rules and Regulations of the County of Hawai'i Fire Commission (Fire Commission Rules). Please state the agenda item you are testifying on before you begin. If participating remotely, please set your settings to mute, except while testifying. To testify remotely, use the "Raise Hand" function in Zoom when the Chair calls for The County of Hawai 'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Hawai'i County Fire Commission Meeting Agenda August27,2026 Page 2 testimony on your item. The host will unmute you when it is your turn. As this is an in-person meeting, it will proceed if the Zoom connection fails. I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL II. PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS Interested persons wishing to provide testimony on any agenda item may do so now or at the time the applicable agenda item is called. Ill. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. August 6, 2026, special meeting regular session IV. FIRE CHIEF'S REPORT Temporary Fire Chief Volpe or designee will report on the following departmental matters: • Administrative Update: Budget, grants, and human resources. • Operational & Divisional Reports: Summary of activities from emergency operations, special operations, ocean safety, EMS, training, prevention, and other branches. • Program Updates & Highlights: Safety program, emergency operations highlights, and snapshot/stories. V. NEW BUSINESS As to each item below, the Commission will receive a report from the Temporary Fire Chief or designee on the subjects described and may review and discuss those subjects, ask questions, request that further information be provided at a future meeting, and initiate an inquiry under Rule 7 of the Fire Commission Rules. The Commission may also discuss, deliberate, decide, and take action to recommend improvements to the Fire Chief, and to make related budgetary recommendations to the Mayor, the Managing Director, and the County Council. A. Ocean Safety Staffing and Recruitment Current ocean safety staffing levels and vacancies, the status of recruitment and hiring efforts, factors limiting the number of qualified applicants, and measures underway or under consideration to generate greater interest in these positions and to streamline the recruitment process. B. Rescue Water Craft (RWC) Program Training and Expansion The Department's RWC program, including the number and island-wide distribution of certified operators, the date and scope of the most recent operator training, any plan for recurring and refresher training and recertification, current response coverage, and any plan to expand the program and the resources it would require. C. Incident Involving Medic 11 During Hurricane Lala The response in which Medic 11 sustained damage in flood conditions during the August 2026 Hurricane Lala storm event, and the departmental policies and procedures tht apply, including any policy governing the commitment of apparatus and personnel in flood, storm, or other hazardous conditions; the Department's social Hawai'i County Fire Commission Meeting Agenda August27,2026 Page 3 media policy as it applies to the recording and posting of images or video of active incidents; and the Department's post-incident review process. D. Department Overtime Policy and Practices The Department's policies and internal controls for authorizing, documenting, reviewing, and reporting overtime, including officer-level overtime and overtime incurred for station coverage, with reference to the August 2026 Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road) wildland fire and the recent Hurricane Lala flood response, and overtime expenditures measured against the current fiscal year appropriation. E. Department Morale Issues Employee morale within the Department, including among ocean safety and fire personnel; the mechanisms the Department uses to assess morale and to receive employee concerns; the general nature of the concerns received; and measures underway or under consideration to address them. VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Consideration of the Process to Appoint a Permanent Fire Chief The Commission may discuss the process for interviewing, selecting, and appointing a permanent Fire Chief in accordance with Rule 11 of the Fire Commission Rules. The Commission may also discuss, deliberate, decide, and take action, including action to affirm, amend, rescind, or replace any decision previously made as it relates to the following subjects: written and oral interview procedures; evaluation and scoring; selection methodology and voting; notice to candidates; schedule, location, and notice of proceedings; and post-selection procedures. The Commission will also receive an update from the Department of Human Resources (OHR) relating to the status of the notice to candidates, candidates' status, and other tasks delegated to OHR. The subjects and examples described above are not exhaustive, and the Commission may discuss and act on matters within each subject described above, including procedural and implementing matters necessary to give effect to any decision made under this item. VII. EXECUTIVE SESSION (CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC) A. Relating to Agenda Item Vl(A) -Consideration of the Process to Appoint a Permanent Fire Chief The Commission anticipates convening an executive session pursuant to HRS§§ 92-4 and 92-5(a)(4) to consult with the Commission's attorney on questions and issues pertaining to the Commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities relating to Agenda Item Vl(A), including the legal requirements applicable to the process for interviewing, selecting, and appointing a permanent Fire Chief. VIII. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION AND EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORT Upon reconvening in open session, the Commission, through its attorney, will provide the executive session report in accordance with HRS§ 92-4(b). Hawai'i County Fire Commission Meeting Agenda August27,2026 Page 4 The Commission may return to Agenda Item Vl(A) or agenda items in which an unanticipated executive session occurred, for further discussion, deliberation, decision- making, and action. IX. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING Consideration of items to be placed on the upcoming agenda. X. ANNOUNCEMENTS The Commission's next meetings will be for the hiring of the Fire Chief and are currently scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2026, and Friday, September 25, 2026, both at 9:00 a.m. in the Hawai'i County Building, Council Chambers, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1401, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720. XI. ADJOURNMENT Hawai'i County Fire Commission Meeting Agenda August27,2026 Page 5 Additional Meeting Instructions and Information Submitting Written Testimony: Those wishing to submit written testimony at the meeting are requested to bring ten (10) copies for distribution. Written testimony may also be submitted prior to the meeting by: (1) mail to Fire Commission, c/o Office of the Corporation Counsel, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720; or (2) by email to Emily.Hirayama@hawaiicounty.gov. Please submit separate testimony for each item and indicate which agenda item your testimony pertains to. All oral and written testimony will be public record. Notice to Lobbyists: If you are a lobbyist, you must register with the Hawai'i County Clerk within five (5) days of becoming a lobbyist in accordance with Hawai'i County Code (HCC)§ 2-91.3(b). A "lobbyist" means "any individual engaged for pay or other consideration who spends more than five hours in any month or $275 in any six-month period for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials." HCC§ 2-91.3(a)(6). Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1402, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720. Board Packet: Pursuant to HRS§ 92-7.5, if there is a board packet for this meeting, it is available for public inspection at least three full business days before the meeting date, during regular business hours, at the Office of the Corporation Counsel, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720, and may also be accessed online at https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/fire/fire-commission. Special Assistance: The in-person location for this meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation or auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, contact the commission's secretary by phone at (808) 961-8251 or by email at Emily.Hirayama@hawaiicounty.gov as soon as possible, preferably three (3) days before the meeting date. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate/accessible formats.