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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-03-14 Fire Commission MinutesHAWAII COUNTY FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES MARCH 14, 2012 WEST HAWAII CIVIC CENTER (BLDG. G) CALL TO ORDER Chair Taniguchi called the meeting to order at 10:04 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Toby Taniguchi, Chair Gregory Henkel, Commissioner Carol Kitaoka, Commissioner Kimo Lee, Commissioner Byron Moku, Commissioner Luahiwa Namahoe, Commissioner Scott Stabo, Commissioner Excused: Kaloa Robinson, Vice Chair Laurie Bass, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also Present: Darren Rosario, Fire Chief Lincoln Ashida, Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary Chair Taniguchi introduced Ms. Carol Kitaoka, the new Fire Commissioner from Council District 7. Ms. Kitaoka took the Oath of Office as Fire Commissioner. Chair Taniguchi stated that this was Commissioner Scott Stabo's last meeting because he will be moving back to the mainland. He thanked Commissioner Stabo for his service on the commission and wished him well. Chair Taniguchi introduced volunteer Fire Captains, Terry James from Discovery Harbor (11 C) and Ron Ebert from Pahala (11 D), as well as thanked them for their attendance. APPROVAL AGENDA Commissioner Namahoe moved to approve the agenda. Commissioner Henkel seconded, and it carried unanimously. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS There were no statements from the public. Hawaii County Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes March 14, 2012 Page 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Moku moved to approve the minutes of February 8, 2012, regular and executive sessions. Commissioner Henkel seconded, and it carried unanimously. CHIEF'S REPORT Chief Darren Rosario came before the commission and highlighted items on his written report: BUDGET Their fiscal year 2012 -13 budget was received back from County Finance. It is set at $37.3 million, an increase of 1.8% (percent). The County Council has the budget and will review it. On April 2, the Department of Finance will conduct a mock hearing in preparation for going before the County Council. They are studying the budget and want to be prepared. • ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AND GRANTS The SAFER Grant pays 100% for positions for two years, and the county takes over after the two years. They put in an application for 32 positions. On Saturday he flies to Baltimore to do a peer review of the SAFER Grant. This is a good opportunity for him to see how FEMA reviews the grants, and this should help them in the future. The Peer Fitness Committee pretty much completed all evaluations. The Pahoa fire apparatus is proceeding. Capital improvement Projects: The Makalei Fire Station is about two months ahead of their anticipated August 1 opening date. The Na`alehu and Pahala volunteer garages are going out to bid, but they are awaiting Public Works to put the project out to bid. The Punalu`u lifeguard tower build time will take about 6 -8 months. The new tower will be able to be secured, and it will be more appealing to the area. They will also have a tower in the north end of Hapuna. • HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION They have had a lot of movements and recruitments. The Fire Communications Supervisor position was delayed to May 1 because the company who does the certification has been unable to do it. • EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DIVISION Operations: They had two major brush fires. One was along the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and one in Waikoloa. Since then, they have received a lot of inquiries from landowners on how they could get their neighbors, who are not Hawaii County Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes March 14, 2012 Page 3 residents, to take care of the wildlife vegetation. They have enforcement powers and will send letters to the property owners to cutback the vegetation. Operations incident command trailers are being worked on, and desks and storage areas are being built. Hazmat: Companies are doing individualized training with their equipment. They started doing baseline medical screening which is an OSHA requirement. They are still looking for funding sources for their Multi Rae equipment. They are working with the LEPC to receive 50% funding. Rescue: They are working on the equipment list for all rescue personnel and providing personnel with adequate training. Ocean Safety: Personal Protective Equipment (UV protection garments) will be distributed to water safety personnel. They are updating equipment lists for all WSOs and identifying mandatory equipment needed on a daily basis. They purchased required ocean warning signs as required by Act 190. Having the signs up affords them more legal protection. Public Works is putting up the signs. For areas that are not manned, they have fixed, permanent signs. The beaches that are manned have signs with various warning placards that can be changed by WSOs as conditions change. Senate Bill 2967 was introduced to create a bargaining unit for water safety officers. • SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION EMS Bureau: They have had problems with Kapiolani Community College maintaining their level of training. They approached Mayor Kenoi to allow them another position, thereby allowing the Fire Department the ability to manage their own EMS training. The goal is to make sure the remaining 11 people get certified. FMS II Honda is working with the MICT Class on a daily basis. Test scores have gone up significantly. Chief Rosario attended a meeting with the Fire Science Program Coordinator Jack Minassian, HCC officials, and retired Chief Oliveira to discuss incorporating the MICT pre- requisites into the Fire Science Program. They also discussed EMS educational needs and licensure. Follow -up meetings will be scheduled. Training Bureau: Training Captain Okinaka, along with four personnel, represented the department in a state -wide CERT Train the Trainer course held at Bellows AFS Regional Training Institute on Oahu. They were instructed on how to instruct and manage classes. Hawaii County Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes March 14, 2012 Page 4 Prevention Bureau: A photovoltaic training class for firefighters was conducted for dissemination to the battalions. Photovoltaic systems were designed without much electric shock safety for fire fighters in mind. Chair Taniguchi noted this is the similar precautionary training for hybrid (electric) vehicles. Volunteer Bureau: Last month Four Seasons personnel informed him that they didn't want to allow their security personnel to leave their premises during "tone outs." They had a meeting, along with former Chief Oliveira. Chief Rosario took a stance that the volunteer company is a part of the Fire Department. If management did not allow volunteer fire fighters to leave the property, he may be forced to shutdown the volunteer station. Because apparatus assigned to volunteer stations is county owned, the apparatus cannot not be assigned to service just a single property; it needs to be available to the entire community. Chief Rosario related his willingness to work with the volunteer company, suggesting if the property did not have adequate staff they would inform Fire. In addition, perhaps the property could have other staff besides security personnel participate. Fire is willing to train their other staff. The Pahala shed was inventoried, and missing parts were ordered. Chair Taniguchi encouraged the commissioners to attend the volunteer fire fighter meetings. Information can be found at htt : / /vca.et. The next meeting is scheduled for April 28, 2012 at station 18A. Maintenance Shop: They conducted interviews for the mechanic position. • NEW PROJECTS /BUSINESS They got back on the BEACON grant. This will enable them to electronically monitor the patient and transmit information to the physician. • EMPLOYEE /PUBLIC RELATIONS He attended a social styles training which taught them enhanced interpersonal skills. Terminations and disciplinary actions were briefly summarized. Chief Rosario thanked Commissioner Stabo for his hard work on the commission and in the community. He pointed out that Commissioner Stabo is also a volunteer fire fighter in Ka`u. He wished him the best. COMMITTEE REPORTS • Budget and Finance (Committee Chair Taniguchi): No report. Chair Taniguchi thanked the Chief for providing them with the budget. He told the Chief that they Hawaii County Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes March 14, 2012 Page 5 could provide testimony before the County Council in support of the Fire Department. • Office Management and Staffing (Committee Chair Stabo): No report. • Rules and Policies (Committee Chair Lee): No report. • Public Relations (Committee Chair Henkel): No report. • Training and Education (Committee Chair Namahoe): No report. Chair Taniguchi asked Commissioner Namahoe if she could work on creating a new commissioner's orientation program; she was happy to do so. INVESTIGATION AND DELIBERATION OF COMPLAINTS HCFC 12 -01 and HCFC 12 -02: Corporation Counsel Ashida stated that at the request of the complainant, and in an effort to accommodate him, his two complaints were continued to this meeting. He went outside and made three calls for the Complainant in HCFC 12 -01 and 12 -02, but complainant was not present. Ms. Pelayo stated that she did not receive notice from the complainant that he was not able to attend this meeting. Corporation Counsel Ashida stated that he was informed by the Prosecutor's office that the complainant was able to make bail and believes that he was not incarcerated. EXECUTIVE SESSION Commissioner Moku moved to meet in executive session to consider discipline and charges of employees where consideration of matters affecting privacy would be involved and a closed session is requested and to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities pursuant to HRS 92 -5 (a)(2) (4) (6) and Hawaii County Charter Section 13- 20(b). Commissioner Stabo seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 11:12 a.m. Regular session reconvened at 11:28 a.m. Corporation Counsel Ashida stated that it was 11:28 a.m. He went outside again and made three calls for the complainant in HCFC 12 -01 and 12 -02. There was no response. Hawaii County Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes March 14, 2012 Page 6 ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTERS Complaint HCFC 12 -01: Fire personnel responded to a call of illegal burning. Complainant alleged that fire personnel harassed, threatened, and intimidated him. He also alleged that personnel refused to identify themselves. Chair Taniguchi recommended a motion of exoneration. Commissioner Stabo moved to exonerate all personnel in the complaint. Commissioner Moku seconded the motioned, and it carried unanimously. • Complaint HCFC 12 -02: Complainant stated that he went to the fire station to get the names of personnel involved in a prior incident. He alleged that the personnel at the station assaulted him. Chair Taniguchi recommended a motion of exoneration. Commissioner Namahoe moved to exonerate all personnel in the complaint. Commissioner Stabo seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Taniguchi announced that the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at 10:00 a.m., in The Hilo Lagoon Centre, Suite 145, Hilo, Hawaii. • Chair Taniguchi asked the commissioners to give items for the next meeting agenda to Ms. Pelayo. • Collection of files and documents. — Done. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Moku moved to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Namahoe seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:31 a.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: TOBY TANIGUCHI, CHAIR