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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011_0207_Minutes Open_APPROVED COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting REGULAR MEETING—OPEN SESSION Approved as circulated 3/7/11 Board/Committee: FIRE COMMISSION Meeting Date February 7, 2011 Location Meeting Room 2A/2B, Mo'ikeha Building Start of Session: 2:00 pm End of Session: 3:37 pm Present Commission Members: Basilio Fuertes, Jr.; Wayne Mukai; Darnney Proudfoot; Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Guy Croydon; Also, Fire Chief Robert Westerman; Attorney Mauna Kea Trask; Secretary Barbara Davis; Boards &Commissions Administrative Aide Paula Morikami Excused Commission Members: Jan Rudinoff; George Simpson Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair Fuertes called the meeting to order at 2:00 pm with 5 members present Approval of Ms. Proudfoot moved to approve the agenda as Agenda circulated. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 Approval of Open Session Minutes of January 3, 2011 Mr. Croydon moved to approve the minutes as Minutes circulated. Mr. Mukai seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 Chief's Monthly Overview for the month of December, 2010—Chief Robert Westerman Report The Department received a phone call from an injured hiker thanking the rescue crew from Waimea Red; the Chief sent his thank you to the crew. Operations: the call load to date is running a little behind but is actually gaining momentum as we go through the year. The status page for the vehicles still shows a couple of vehicles that we will be removing from the report; we will show only the Engines and the Trucks for each of the stations which are the main service apparatus and the spare engines. We will be removing the SAAC Truck, the Military Tender and Jet Boats because even if they are out of service for the day it does not put the Station out of service. We will be adding reports for the Hazmat 3 and the Heavy Rescue 3. Asked how many vehicles the Department has, the Chief said there are 8 Engines and 8 Trucks (1 for every station), the Hazmat Truck and trailer at Kaiakea, the heavy rescue truck in Lihu'e and the air truck that carries portable air in Lihu'e, 2 tender brush trucks that are loaners at Station 2 and Station 4 and about a dozen small service pickup trucks; each Station is in charge of the vehicles assigned to them. Lihu'e also has the boat and the spare engines. The helicopter is under the Deputy. The Department also does not have any aerial vehicles at this time. Station 1 had the (Hanalei) Bridge closure due to flooding which we will be addressing when we update the Strategic Plan. Station 2 is still encountering problems with getting toned out several times for the Kaiakea district. Station 5 did some community service by cleaning mud and debris from the highway. They also did community service by escorting Santa to a children's Christmas party. Station 5 made some equipment swaps when they helped out with the Koloa fire. Station 7 indicated they participated in the Waimea Christmas light parade but they also decorated their flag pole and placed some automated deer with fire hats which won recognition for their Christmas lights and decorations. Station 8's Hazmat crew did a familiarization inspection of TREX with Station 3. The Training Bureau continued with FEMA funded training on the mainland for prevention and response to suicide bombing incidents and incident response to terrorist bombings. The Prevention Bureau had a lot of fireworks inspections but no major incidents to report. Sparky participated in the Lights on Rice parade as well as the Waimea and Kukui Grove Christmas parades. Ocean Safety Trainin Bureau: Randy Ortiz participated in an update in San Diego for Emergency Cardiovascular Care where some significant differences Kauai Fire Commission Regular Meeting—Open Session February 7, 2011 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION are being proposed by the American Heart Association for performing CPR; it is a reduction in the breathing exercise because a lot of people are afraid of the personal contact. We are in the process of training everyone with the new standards. The County conducted training in Dealing with Unacceptable and Difficult Employees. There was a significant injury at Po'ipu. The Department is still working on how to come up with the stats to report ocean drownings, even though all drownings are tracked. Administration: there was 1 retirement in December. There was a lot of budget preparation work, compiling and finishing up paperwork on the Conference and coordination of random drug testing among many other duties. ■ Budget report as of December 31, 2010 Reporting period is 50% of the year. Administration is running at 49.01% for salaries with overtime at 82%; overall Administration is at 55.92%which includes the encumbrance of leases. The Operations Bureau is the biggest personnel cost line item but salaries are running at 49.57% and overtime is at 53%. The 'other services' line item which shows 6.97% spent is for the helicopter. The Department had to encumber the entire amount for the helicopter in December as well as obligate the funds for the pilot contract which was let late Friday (2/4) afternoon to Airborne Aviation. Airborne Aviation will begin their familiarization right away with the aircraft because we have some pretty intense training that has to come about almost immediately. Overall Operations is only at 48.30% spent. Prevention Bureau is at 50.64% on salaries but their overtime is at 153%which is attributable to the several fires we have had. Overall Prevention is running at 52.72°/x. Training Bureau is at 45.78%for salaries and 28.14% in overtime. This year the Training budget is about one-fourth of the normal Training budget so the next fiscal year's budget is projected to be significantly more because of the cycles and nature of the required training that the Department has to conduct. Training's overall budget is 50.73%. Salaries for Ocean Safety Bureau are 49.92%with overtime running at 44.68°/x. There was a significant increase in Worker's Comp because that line item is budgeted at$1 since we have no way of knowing how many injuries might be sustained in the Bureau. Overall OSB is running at 48.69%for the year. Fire Commission has expended 50.56% for the year. Overall budget for the entire Fire Department is 49.04% for the first half of this fiscal year with an estimated $102,000 to help in any area of shortfalls that may come upon the Department. ■ Monthly Report on Building Permit Information for December, 2010 Looking at the Open Applications for Building Permits,other than the Commercial Application that has been discussed before which shows over 90-days, most of the turn-around has been 30 to 60 days on the outside with more than 400 at less than 30-days turnaround on the applications reviewed by the Fire Department. The Department does not really review Residential applications except for CPRs and had 1 application which took between 30 to 60 days. For actual permits issued during December, the Fire Department reviewed 10 Commercial permits with average da s for review being 1 and maximum being 4 days. Business KFC 2011-02 Discussion and decision-making on submitting a position paper to Chair Fuertes extended his and the Commission's various State and County lawmakers and agencies supporting appreciation to the Chief and his Staff and Madame proposed new laws governing residential fire sprinklers (ongoing Secretary for the preparation of the Fire Sprinkler 1/3/11) position paper. a) Proposed resolution by the State Building Code Council to the State of Hawai'i House of Representatives requesting support to require the installation of automatic fire sprinklers in the new construction of one-and-two family dwellings in the State of Hawaii b Position Statement on Fire Sprinklers in new one-and-two family Kaua'i Fire Commission Regular Meeting—Open Session February 7, 2011 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION dwellings as adopted by the IAFC Board of Directors on March 13, 2008 c) Proposed resolution drafted by the International Association of Fire Chiefs for consideration by the Kaua'i Fire Commission supporting approval of the International Residential Code to require the installation of fire sprinkler systems in all new residential structures. Chair Fuertes noted that time was of the essence with this item since it is not known when the Legislature will meet to propose a fire sprinkler law so it is fitting and proper that the Commission discuss and make a decision to submit a position paper. Mr. Croydon made a motion that the Fire Commission adopt the resolutions and position statements as being those of the Commission as a body and authorize a person or persons to utilize the statements as needed at the time when they are needed and being sent to the Attorney Trask requested the Commission address items a), b), and c) under 2011- bodies or agencies as needed. 02 separately for clarity of the record since a) is a proposed resolution by the State Building Code Council to the State of Hawai'i House of Representatives, the second item is a position statement as described by Commissioner Croydon and third is a proposed draft resolution by the IAFC that is being proffered for the adoption and passage by the Kaua'i Fire Commission. The reason these items need to be addressed separately is in accordance with the Rules governing this Commission, specifically Charter Section 12.05 and Rule 5-9 c of the Rules, Practices and Procedures of the Kaua'i Fire Commission. Item b), the position statement can be adopted today and when the issue comes up the Commission can authorize sending out that position statement. The Fire Commission cannot pass item a); it is a resolution in front of the State Legislature. There is nothing the Commission can do to adopt a resolution such as the one in item c)since this Commission is not imbued with the authority to propose legislation either to the Council or the State Legislature. To support a resolution such as is proposed under item c)the Commission would have to wait until either a Councilmember proposes or sponsors an ordinance or resolution before the County Council or the Mayor proposes a similar thing in front of the County Council but this body cannot lobby or adopt a resolution itself. Attorney Trask suggested that if the Commission wanted to act today they could approve item b)with a further motion to forward their position statement to the State of Hawai'i Legislature to support item a)and take no further action on item c) because it is outside of their scope. Mr. Croydon asked Attorney Trask if the Commission could send a letter to all the Kaua'i Fire Commission Regular Meeting —Open Session February 7, 2011 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION County Councilmembers suggesting that they make a resolution along the lines of item c). Attorney Trask said no; the Commission has the authority to review and selectively support appropriate legislation and rules and regulations relating to or materially affecting the Fire Department. However under the Charter and under the Rules of this Commission they do not have the authority to propose legislation because according to the Charter that is done by the Administration through the Mayor. If the Fire Department wants to do this they could work with the Mayor to sponsor or to propose that type of legislation or the Fire Department could work with the Council's Public Safety Chairperson after doing the appropriate preliminary legwork and ask that they propose the resolution. The Fire Commission could then review and selectively support the legislation if they so chose to. Mr. Croydon noted they did not have the authority as a body to talk to the Public Safety Chair but as an individual, any of them could approach any Councilmember to talk with them about anything. Attorney Trask agreed that any individual could approach any Councilmember but advised the Commissioners they should not indicate their affiliation at all with the Fire Commission. Attorney Trask said that the Commission could essentially adopt item b) as written for their position statement and allow the Staff to proof and format it appropriately and authorize the Chair to sign off on it for the Commission. Commissioner Croydon amended his motion to the position statement KFC 2011-02 b)to be utilized in an appropriate manner by the Fire Commission and to be sent to the appropriate agencies and or individuals. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto seconded the motion. Mr. Mukai asked that the position paper state that the deaths of 3000 citizens and 100 firefighters cited in that paper are national figures and not State figures. The motion as amended for item KFC 2011-02 b) carried 5:0 KFC 2011-04 Discussion and decision-making on possible nomination of the Kaua'i Fire Department for the Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award (organizational award; nomination due 3/4/2011) (ongoing from 1/3/11) KFC 2011-05 Discussion and decision-making on the possible nomination of Chief Robert Westerman for the Mason Lankford Fire Service Leadership Award (individual award; nomination due 3/4/2011) (ongoing from 1/3/11) Ms. Proudfoot noted that she had met with a member of the Fire Department and Barbara Davis early last week to discuss the application for the Sarbanes award. Kauai Fire Commission Regular Meeting—Open Session February 7, 2011 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION After carefully reviewing the information, we noticed that most of it had been included in our application to Sarbanes last year and there wasn't really anything that could be added to it. In light of that Ms. Proudfoot asked the other Commissioners if they had anything to add to the application from last year or if they should forget about Sarbanes and go for the Lankford Award which would be an individual nomination for leadership for the Fire Chief. Ms. Proudfoot said there is a correlation between training, the new helicopter and that the rescue team performs successfully. Chief Westerman said because of the training, the helicopter will provide a reduction in risk which makes it a safer operation than in the past. The helicopter provides that increased margin of safety with a reduced risk to the Fire Department, the firefighters and the community. While Mr. Croydon did not want to highlight that there was more risk before, the Chief said that is what the award is, the safety margin; improve the safety of the Department to the members. Ms. Proudfoot said there are also 16 health, welfare and safety initiatives with Sarbanes that have been adopted by the IAFC but it is hard to state something that definitively sets our Fire Department apart from everyone else because the initiatives have been adopted and supposedly everyone in the State and throughout the nation has been working on these. The Chief said the Department just received their wellness and fitness report since starting that initiative and we have had significant strides in improvement to the health and safety of the firefighter. In comparison to Los Angeles, the biggest county that does the wellness and fitness initiative, their average firefighter is 50 compared to our average at 52.75 which is more fit than the average in the firefighters and our percentage of participation is extremely high. Ms. Proudfoot suggested the Commission wait a year or two to give the Department time to do something really significant since we are just starting on the initiatives. Ms. Proudfoot also pointed out that the uniqueness of KauaTs environment provides more need and use for the helicopter than other places due to rescues at sea or people who get lost on a ridge and that needs to be tied into what the training is for and the initiatives we are trying to achieve. Mr. Croydon agreed they should hold off on the awards and focus on providing the best service we can now. Mr. Mukai moved that the Commission revisit this award consideration in January, 2012. Ms. Kaauwai- Iwamoto seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 Attorney Trask asked for a clarification for the record on 2011-02 as he did not recall a motion to support item a). Mr. Croydon moved that the Commission support the current House Resolution under item KFC 2011-02 a). Ms. Proudfoot seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 Kaua'i Fire Commission Regular Meeting—Open Session February 7, 2011 Page 6 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Next Meeting Monday, March 7, 2011 —2:00 pm, Meeting Room 2A/2B, Mo'ikeha Building Recess Attorney Trask stated the guidelines under which the Commission is able to conduct a site inspection and which was properly noticed on the agenda. No business or deliberations of matters under the purview of the Commission will be discussed. Chair Fuertes called for a recess at 3:00 pm Call to Order The meeting was called back to order at 3:08 pm at the Lihu'e Station where a tour was conducted of the facilities. Adjournment Ms. Proudfoot moved to adjourn the meeting at 3:37 pm. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 Submitted by: Reviewed and Approved by: Barbara Davis, Secretary Basilio Fuertes, Jr., Chair ( ) Approved as is. ( ) Approved with amendments. See minutes of meeting.