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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-10 Fire Commission Regular MinutesHAWAII FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES FEBRUARY 10, 2016 WEST HAWAII CIVIC CENTER, BUILDING G CONFERENCE ROOM 74-5044 ANE KEOHOKALOLE HIGHWAY, KAILUA-KONA, HAWAII CALL TO ORDER Chair De Luz called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: David De Luz, Jr., Chair Robert Becker, Vice Chair Carol Ignacio, Commissioner Carol Kitaoka, Commissioner Kimo Lee, Commissioner Absent: Mapuana Waipa, Commissioner A quorum was present. Also Present: Darren Rosario, Fire Chief Gantry Andrade, Assistant Chief Paul Lakin, Volunteer Commander Jennifer Ng, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Carol Ignacio motioned to approve the agenda. Commissioner Lee seconded, and it carried unanimously. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (None.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES • December 21, 2015, regular session: Commissioner Ignacio motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Kitaoka seconded, and it carried unanimously. • December 21, 2015, executive session: Commissioner Ignacio motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Kitaoka seconded, and it carried unanimously. COMMITTEE REPORTS • Budget and Finance (Ignacio): No report. • Office Management and Staffing (De Luz): No report. • Rules and Policies (Kitaoka): No report. • Public Relations (Lee): No report. • Training and Education (Waipa): No report. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes February 10, 2016 Page 2 Rules and Regulations Review Committee (Kitaoka): Commissioner Kitaoka stated that this still needs work. Ms. Ng will research on whether Commissioner Kitaoka may continue working on this after she leaves the commission. NEW BUSINESS • Work on Fire Commission's 2015 annual report. Vice Chair Becker reported that the Chair assigned him to work on the annual report. Commissioner Kitaoka stated that this is the Fire Commission's report and should be about things the Fire Commission did, not what the Fire Department did. She stated that the goals are the commission's goals, not the Chief's goals. She questioned which goals the Chief would be evaluated on. She asked how the Police Commission does its annual report. Ms. Pelayo (secretary to the Police Commission) stated that the Police Commission reports only on its activities. Chair De Luz stated that this should be an advocate report. The report should have what the commission did and what the commission would like to work forward on. He looks at this as an advisory role. Ms. Ng stated that under the Charter, part of the commission's duties is to make recommendations to the Chief. • Review draft of 2016 Fire Commission's goals and objectives. • Review draft of Fire Chief's position description. • Work on Fire Commission's 2015 annual report. Vice Chair Becker asked the commissioners to review the above documents and send suggestions to Ms. Ng. They need to discuss the Chief's position description with him. INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINT • Complainant Russell Acantilado alleged that an unidentified employee neglected him and left him at the fire station. Mr. Acantilado and his wife came before the commission. He stated that he gets things mixed up. He was lifting weights at the high school. His pressure came high. He went to the fire station. The guy took his pressure. He calmed him down. He didn't ask if he wanted to go to the hospital. When they had a call, they left. He was in the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen. No one was there. He called his dad. He called 911. They said they would call Waimea. When he got there. They did a blood draw. They gave him IV. He was dehydrated. In response to questions, about what happened, Mr. Acantilado stated that he crawled around to the ambulance. He vomited mucous. He wanted to call his dad, but he couldn't see the number. He went to the police department, and they called his dad. He vomited mucous, not food. At the fire station they took his pressure. The police didn't call 911. He called 911 from home. He called his dad on his cell phone at the fire station. The dispatcher talked to him, and then said would transfer Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes February 10, 2016 Page 3 him to a medic. He went from the fire station to the police station. His dad picked him up at the fire station. The medic's name is Fernandez. (Acantilado exited.) Recess was called at 11:05 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 11:16 a.m. DISCUSSION ON FIRE CHIEF'S WRITTEN REPORT Chief Rosario highlighted items on his written report: Budget and Finance: Salaries and Wages will be short due to pay increases, but they will be reimbursed. They project to be ahead by approximately $146,000. Two Battalion Chief's vehicles, a tanker, and an apparatus were recently cut from their budget, although it was approved by the Mayor and Council. He asked for the commission's assistance in getting these reinstated into their budget. It takes about a year to build a custom apparatus. It would be a lease -purchase program. After five years they would own it. He has tried for years to have a line item added for vehicle replacement, but it is always denied. Alternative Funding and Grants ✓ 2014 AFG Operations Grant: Driver Training Simulator Project has started. ✓ 2014 CDBG: Pahala Brush Truck went into service. ✓ 2015 CDBG: Pahoa brush truck apparatus notice to proceed was issued. ✓ 2016 CDBG: Application submitted for Wildland Pumper Apparatus. ✓ 2016 AFG Operations Grant: Application submitted for replacement equipment. Human Resources Division: Seven new Fire Radio Dispatchers started on February 1. They hope to hire an Account Clerk on March 1. Promotions of Fire Prevention Inspector II and Battalion Chief of Emergency Operations are effective February 16. Assessment Center for the Battalion Chief of Auxiliary Services was completed. Fire Chief Rescue Specialist recruitment was conducted in January. • Emergency Operations Division ✓ Operations: Hawaii Island All Hazards Incident Management Team support with completing incident action plans for the Dengue outbreak. ✓ Special Operations: Hazmat team Captains and Battalion Chiefs will attend a Medical Preparedness and Response to Bombing Incidents class in April. They are setting up class for confined space rescues. Met with Admiral Vince Atkins of the USCG to discuss SAR missions in the ocean and waterways. BC Kosaki will attend the Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee on March 1 to identify a task force to help curb drownings and spinal injuries. They submitted a proposal to expand the Rescue Water Craft Program, but it was denied by the Finance Budget Review. The notice for bid to replace the Kahalu`u beach tower will go out soon. The Rescue Water Craft Crewperson (Grabber) classes will start soon. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes February 10, 2016 Page 4 Support Services Division ✓ Training: The 44th Firefighter recruit class is progressing on schedule. All recruits passed the driver training closed course. The Driver Simulator arrived in January. Selection made for Hazardous Materials Technician class. ✓ Volunteer Training: Twenty volunteer companies completed the first half of first aid training. The County's policies and procedures is being reviewed. Volunteer award money from the County Council was distributed. They are consulting with Corporation Counsel on benefits and protections for volunteers. Volunteer Commander Paul Lakin reported that they continue to get volunteers through their website at www.hvfca.net. Requirements are on the website. They are working on written standards and procedures. The next captains' meeting will be in February in Ocean View. ✓ EMS: The EMS Bureau continues to support the "Fight the Bite" campaign in Miloli`i, HOVE, Waipi`o Valley, and Kapoho with education and screening. Will be meeting with the State EMS Chief Dr. Bronstein to discuss proposal, funding, and a pilot basic life support ambulance for Puna. MICT class is wrapping up its clinical training on the island and is scheduled to move to Oahu for specialized clinical and internship training. They are hoping to have four new paramedics in seven months. ✓ Prevention Bureau: 1,649 firework permits were sold this New Years. They continue with the smoke detector program and maintenance inspections of commercial businesses. • New Projects: They are increasing grant research and applications due to the FY 2016/17 budget outlook and are looking for in-kind, non-matching grants. • Public Relations: The Exchange Club of Hilo Annual Firefighter of the Year Award ceremony is set for March. The department was cited by HIOSH for extricating a victim in a confined space. As a result, personnel are now being trained for confined space rescue. Union instructors will be doing the training. They want to make sure they protect their department by having everyone certified. EXECUTIVE SESSION Commissioner Ignacio motioned to meet in executive session to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities; to consider charges against an employee of the Fire Department, and to consider sensitive matters relating to public safety pursuant to HRS 92-5 (a) (2) (4) (6) and the Hawaii County Charter Section 13-20 (b). Commissioner Kitaoka seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 12:30 p.m. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes February 10, 2016 Page 5 Regular session reconvened at 1:50 p.m. ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTERS Investigation of Complaint HCFC 15-02: Commissioner Becker motioned that the complaint is unfounded. Commissioner Lee seconded, and it carried unanimously. CHIEF'S REPORT ON BUDGET AND FINANCE (continued) Chair De Luz asked for the commission's approval on requesting that the Mayor and Council support reinstating a new pumper, tanker, and two battalion chief vehicles into the Fire Department's budget. Commissioner Ignacio motioned that the Chair, Vice Chair, or designee represent the commission before the Mayor and Council to request that the pumper, tanker, and two BC vehicles be reinstated into the budget and to support the Fire Department's 2015/16 and 2016/17 budget. Commissioner Lee seconded, and it carried unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair De Luz announced that the meetings in March and April will be rescheduled. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Lee motioned to adjourn. Commissioner Ignacio seconded, and it carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 2:05 p.m. SUBMITTED: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED: DAVID DE LUZ, JR., CHAIR