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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFire FY2013-2014 DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET CALL-BACKS 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 1 The departmental budget call-backs reconvened on April 19, 2013 at 2:08 p.m., and proceeded as follows: Kauai Fire Department— Ocean Safety Honorable Tim Bynum (excused at 3:14p.m.) Honorable Gary L. Hooser Honorable Nadine Nakamura Honorable Mel Rapozo Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura Honorable Jay Furfaro, Council Chair (present at 2:19 p.m.) Excused: Honorable Ross Kagawa Mr. Rapozo: The Budget Session is now called back to order. We have the Fire Department, Chief. ROBERT WESTERMAN, Fire Chief: Aloha. I have up here, with me, in this section, Randall Oritz. We apologize, Kalani is in the mainland at a United State Lifesaving Association (USLA) Conference. Since we he had to reschedule, he is not going to be here. We have a PowerPoint presentation and we will go through this one pretty quick and then give you opportunities for questions. This slide is kind of similar to what we did in the operations slide and I apologize that I did not explain. Since Councilmember Hooser has come back and Councilmember Kagawa is new to this budget, we kind of wanted to outline all the differences at all the stations and in this case all the differences all the towers. There are not just ten (10) lifeguard stands around the island. They kind of each do a little bit different. Three (3) of the towers in Hanalei Pavilion, Kealia and Po`ipu each have four (4) World Safety Organization (WSO) and jet ski and a pavilion in Po`ipu each also, additionally have a struck. Then seven (7) other lifeguard towers in Ke`e, Ha`ena, Hanalei, Pine Trees, Anahola, Lydgate, Salt Pond and Kekaha, they had four (4) WSOs with one (1) all terrain vehicles (ATV). Then we also have four (4) reserve jet skis, two (2) reserve ATVs. We have three (3) District Supervisors with the trucks, one (1) training officer which is Randy Ortiz, here with me today, and one Bureau Supervisor with the truck, Kalani Vierra. So, to kind of give you an overview of what is out there in the Bureau. I apologize that I did not explain why we had done this in operations. The p Y p accomplishments for 2012, the Keiki Junior Lifeguard Program, the Junior Lifeguard State Championship, Beach Safety Week, the Roving Beach Patrol, Multi Agency Training, our Kaua`i Lifeguard Association (KLA) Fundraiser — second wave, and drowning reductions. We will go through these and Randy and I will kind of play tag team on them. The Keiki Junior Guard Program, Randy. RANDALL ORTIZ, Ocean Safety Bureau Training Officer: Well, basically we started it last year. It has been a success. That is why this year we decided to have it at our different sites. As you all know it is ages eight (8) to twelve (12) years of age participants. This is a one (1) week long program. There are about fifty (50) kids that debuted our program last year. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 2 Mr. Rapozo: Randy let me interrupt you real quick. If you could just introduce yourself for our captioner. I apologize. I forgot to, Nadine just reminded me. Mr. Ortiz: My name is Randy Ortiz, I am the Ocean Safety Training Officer. Mr. Rapozo: Thank you. Sorry about that. Mr. Ortiz: Again, we are planning to hold three (3) different locations this year that will be at Salt Pond Beach Park, Hanalei, as well as Kalapaki Beach. Mr. Westerman: The Junior Lifeguard Program for 2012. I will let Randy explain this one too since he is the main Instructors for that program. Mr. Ortiz: Our Junior Lifeguard Program. Again, another successful year. We took the State Championships again for the ninth straight year in a row. Thank you. Going for number ten (10). But currently, we have five (5) employees working in our operations of this program. Again, two hundred (200) kids participated last year and we are kind of looking at the same. Our future goal again, participates in the 2013 National Competition which will be held in California, the first week in August. It is at Manhattan Beach. Again, it is a great, awesome program. I started it with a former lifeguard back in 1997. Again, it is a great, awesome program for the kids. Mr. Westerman: Then Beach Safety Week. This was the first in State of Hawai`i, to celebrate this long event, Kauai was. A few years ago we even got the Governor on board, to finally, declare a Beach Safety Week after our lead. The National event which ends on Memorial Day weekend, we have been trying, and Kalani again with the National United States of America (USA) group where he is at this week, again is going to try to get the President to declare a National Beach Safety Week. We are still working on that. When you bounce up against, everybody has a week for something. Anyway, Kauai has been celebrating this event for the past seven (7) years. The Roving Patrol that we started about two (2) years ago. It is still kind of a fledgling program and I will let Randy explain a little bit about that program and what we are doing with it today. Mr. Ortiz: We started it about a few weeks ago. What we started to do is station the Roving Patrol at Anini Beach due to the amount of drownings in that specific area. It has been a good thing for the people. Now, they know that we are there on Wednesdays and hopefully we will try to get that going more days in the week or really follow the surf. If there are high surfs up North, the skis are stationed there, East. During the summer months we will probably head down towards Po`ipu Beach and the West Side. Again, it has been a success. Usually, in that area we have about two hundred (200) to three hundred (300) people frequent that beach area. It has been a good thing for ocean safety to have a Roving Patrol. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 3 Mr. Westerman: We started this originally just do Wednesdays on days that we had high surf and here, in the last month or so, a couple different times we have put it on different days in the week because of the high surf and try to get it to run through the beaches either once in the morning or in the afternoon and not really be anchored like our towers are to try and hit some of the beaches that are not protected by Water Safety Officers. We are still trying to gather statistics on it and as we go through it for the next year or so, we will come up with some better statistics. One of the things that we do do is the Multi Agency training. Mr. Rapozo: Is there somebody from Council Services in the back? Mr. Westerman: As you can see there is a Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)jet ski. It says Police on the side of it and this is the DLNR Officer that jumped off the back. In this particular scene, it was a Water Safety Officer driving and we have a Fireman in the water. When we do our jet ski program, we try and include as many Agencies that we interact with as possible. In this particular case, DLNR has bought some jet skis and was wanting some training so there are using our program to provide the training to their folks. But still, annually when we our training, we not only train with just the Water Safety Officers, we train our Firefighters so that they are using to working together. That is a pretty big piece of equipment there and in the water, if you do not avoid it, it is definitely not going to avoid you. So, working together, learning all of the hand signals, and all the stuff that goes along with this program. It has just been really good for us. Some new equipment in 2012. ATVs and jet skis. The donations from the Kaua`i Lifeguard Association (KLA), through the first wave and second wave programs,we have got four (4) Yamaha Wave Runners, four (4) Honda all terrain vehicles, two (2) rescue sleds. This was all supported through KLA and given much needed equipment. It gives us a little bit quicker response time in our areas and the ability to expand service. Randy was briefing me this morning that we actually have two (2) jet skis out of service. When they are used as much as they are, it just happens. So, when they are out, they are being serviced today. But luckily we have two (2) in reserves so we have jet skis on the line. I know it sounds like a lot of equipment. But with the use that these equipments get, we definitely need reserves. So, thank you to KLA. We really appreciate them supporting us. This slide might seem a little busy. But I tried to keep it ion year after year. The purple line or the line that goes across the top is kind of a per thousand visitor rates from 2000 to 2012. The little blue lines going up, of course, are the drownings for each year. In our statistics, we average about twelve (12) which is really terrible. But we have done a lot of things. What I want I really want you to get from this slide is all of the different programs that we have put in place to try and mitigate the drownings and sometimes it seems like no matter how much we do, it happens and we know that. But still, we cannot give up. We just cannot give up. From again, the Beach Immunity Bill, the Act 190, we are still fighting the Liability Bill hoping to get that out of sunset into a permanent law. The Beach Liability Bill was kind of a sign act. Then we did our first brochures thanks to our Water Safety Task Force, Dr. Monty Downs and that group. We did our first beach brochure, Pat Durkin. Then we added lifeguards at Ha`ena Beach, lifeguards at Kealia Beach, and then we did Kekaha Beach. In last twelve (12) years we have done a lot. We 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 4 had two (2) last year. We have had eleven (11) this year. Again, we just cannot let up. It just cannot literally let up. This is our statistics in that same year. I am only using 2000 to 2012 although we have statistics all the way back to 1972. This shows you that again, the majority are visitors. We have also tracked Hawai`i and Kaua`i residents a little different just to, show you that it can happen to someone that is local. As you can see, again, we have the highest drowning rate per capita. Our average drowning rate per month for — our average of one drowning per month prior to 2012 and then of course in 2012 we had two (2). But now, in 2013 we are already back up to eleven (11). We did reduce it seven percent (7%) in the last ten (10) years. But that is really only the last ten (10) if you average this across, our average does not change very much. So far again, like I said, that slide is a little bit behind. We made this for two (2) weeks ago and w have had one (1) since then. So, we have eleven (11) drownings. Future goals. Actually number one is done. Check that off. We put the videos up there, thanks to KLA, the Kapa'a Rotary, Lihu`e Airport, Department of Transportation (DOT) Airports, through the efforts of a lot of folks, we finally got those up. We had it there about three (3), four (4) years ago. But the way it was billed and this did not kind of work. Lihu`e wanted to remodel those baggage claim areas so we just kind of backed away and the Kapa'a Rotary said do not worry, as soon as we can get in there, we will. Now they have done it actually, at both baggage claims. Originally it as only at one, so now it is at both. The Junior Lifeguard National Championships, Kalani is going to find out much what it is going to take for us to participate. The reality television (TV) show, that is moving forward and I have a little clip at the end about that. Expanding our Keiki Guard Program and just like Randy said earlier, we want to expand that. It was very successful. We have a whole age group of youth there. We want to get water wise. Believe it or not, there is a lot of youth on Kaua`i that do not know how to swim. So, what better place to do that than with a lifeguard right there at the beach and learning what the water is about and learning the dangers of it so that they can be cautious when they are in the water. Our substation storage in the East district at Kapa'a Armory, we are done. We can check that off. We are going to move Kapa'a station anyway and this now gets all of the ocean safety storage for the Kapa'a district in the central district into a facility that is secured at night, covered storage, computer office for the Supervisors to work in. As Randy had expanded earlier, expand that Roving Patrol Unit. Challenges. Well, the Kekaha Lifeguard Tower — we moved it thirty (30) degrees. We have not moved it out of its location although the beach it back. We are just hoping it will stay. Signage, again, is an issue. We know that as they get corroded, we try to get them replaced as soon as possible. We actually have a major order for about one hundred fifty (150) signs going in and we will start replacing signs around the island probably in the next month or so to update our sign replacement. There is a lot down. They get corroded and it is what it is. It is a tough environment and we just have to replace them. It is part of the Act, that in order to keep our liability, we have to comply with the Act. We have to put the signs up where they are required and we so are moving forward with that. Of course the increase in tourism, as you saw, has an effect on the drowning rate and as you saw in the operations, it has an effect on our operational call load. It is just you a 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 5 challenge. We know it and we just have to stay ahead of it and keep moving forward. Automation of our daily log and power at the towers kind of go together. The towers —they are kind of totally, I do not want to call them domestic or undomesticated. There is nothing there but the tower and a lifeguard. They have to go somewhere to find a bathroom. They have to go to get power. They have to go to get water. So, there is really nothing more than a building. We are going to try and improve that a little bit tower by tower and see what we can do. But we have to be careful because our Special Management Area (SMA), it is a very limited SMA and so connectivity's to power, connectivity's to water and things can become an issue unless we go for a full SMA on a tower and then try and do something with that. Again, the environmental effects on our equipment, as I said. It is a salty environment so our ATVs do not last very long at all because they are always on the beach; they are always running up and down the beach. Our jet skis are in the water every day and it is a challenge keeping up with that. Now, with our second mechanic, it has helped. Again, this morning, Randy and I had a conversation with the mechanics. They were actually apologizing that they had to let some things slide as they worked on the fire engines and things and they are getting back into keeping all of that equipment up. Act 170 Tort Liability, we are working on that and trying to get that sunset relieved. That is pretty much our presentation today. I do have one more little thing here and this is a clip from the four-dimensional adventures on our Junior Lifeguard Program and the upcoming reality TV show. Alright. Thank you. That is just a little, small snippet of his promotion that they are putting together so that you get an idea of the quality of work that is being done by them. That is it. Mr. Rapozo: Alright, the Chair is back. Chair Furfaro: No, why do you not continue? Mr. Rapozo: Sure. Any questions for the Fire Department — Ocean Safety Bureau? JoAnn, did you say no? Wake me up. Just remember though, when they are done, we are done for the day. I am serious. Councilmember Nakamura. Ms. Nakamura: Thank you for your presentation. I wanted to ask you on your future goals you talked sponsorship of towers by business to improve equipment and services. Can you tell us what that program is? Y p g Mr. Westerman: Well, that is one of the concepts that we have for either the third wave or the fourth wave. The idea was to get sponsors of the towers to do work at the tower provided for a business. I do not want to list any business name. But the intent was kind of like the Adopt A Highway. You have the sign that says this section of highway is adopted by West Kauai and Business Professionals. Like the one right outside of Waimea Town. It would be the same thing. This tower was adopted by and then two (2) businesses and no logo, just name, have adopted that tower. One of the things, again like we talked about, is how we are going to provide energy to the tower so we can put the MDTs in the tower so we communicate instantly out of the tower, keeping our files updated. Well, it requires solar panels. Again, since we cannot hard wire everything because we have a SMA and providing the MDT or maybe providing the communications dollars. Just like buying a jet ski, they adopt a tower and they provide some equipment for the tower. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 6 That was kind of the intent. We are behind for the third wave to do it so that means it might be next year. But it was one of the concepts that we had. Ms. Nakamura: How many towers do you have? Mr. Westerman: We have ten (10) towers. Mr. Rapozo: Go ahead Councilmember Yukimura. Ms. Yukimura: Very nice presentation, thank you. On the towers thing, why would you need an SMA just to put a photovoltaic system, that what you are thinking of? Mr. Westerman: To avoid doing an SMA. If we hard wired power to the towers, then we have to get an SMA. Ms. Yukimura: Right. Mr. Westerman: If we leave it portable like they are by putting solar on it... Ms. Yukimura: Decentralized essentially. Mr. Westerman Yes. Then we do not need to do an SMA. That is what we are trying to avoid. Ms. Yukimura: I see. Mr. Westerman: Well, we actually have an SMA minor on all of them. We were trying to avoid anything like a major SMA. Ms. Yukimura: Okay, because I mean to me, the SMA gets triggered if there is something outside of the basic use that you have been permitted for. Mr. Westerman: Right. Mr. Yukimura: So, put a set of panels and I do not know the details of this. But a set of panels, I love the concept on a lifeguard tower so you have enough power for your electronic communications. It does not seem like something that should need any kind of additional SMA regulatory issue. Mr. Westerman: That is why we want to do the panel and not hard wire the electric. Mr. Yukimura: I see the rationale in it. It makes a lot of sense. Thank you. ?� a 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 7 Mr. Westerman: You are welcome. Mr. Rapozo: Councilmember Hooser. Mr. Hooser: Can we get the slide up showing the annual drownings? There is eleven (11). This year was not on the slide though? Mr. Westerman: No, this year was not on the slide. Last year was two (2), 2012. Mr. Hooser: Do most drownings occur evenly spaced throughout the year or most of them just in the first four (4) months like it is occurring now? Mr. Westerman: No, the drownings occur - I do not have stats on time of year, I have locations. But I do not have time of year. I do not recall we have ever tracked that. We could. We could get that answer. But I do not have any slides built for that. Mr. Hooser: I think, if I remember correctly, the slide said seventy-six percent (76%) were visitors or something like that. Mr. Westerman: Yes. Mr. Hooser: I imagine most of them would be males. Mr. Westerman: Yes, males between the age of... Mr. Hooser: Forty-five (45) and fifty-five (55)? Mr. Westerman: Yes, something like that. Mr. Hooser: I want to say, I really appreciate the work that the Fire and Water Safety Officers do. I know you risk that you risk your lives to save other people's lives and it is just so valuable and the Department has done so much over the past years that I have been paying attention to it. Unfortunately, it is still apparently not enough though. Chief, when you were here before, I asked if the Office could think about whatever, like an emergency, what are we going to do? Eleven (11) people died this year and it is only four (4) months, seventy-six percent (76%) of visitors, what can we do? I know the airport is there. But I am hoping it is going to be more or there can be more and whether is it working with the Mayor to get a Task Force, not a Task Force, but a concerted effort with Police, Fire, Water Safety, and whoever. Whether it is to go out and physically visit the hotels or something. But the list of challenges, I appreciate that. I think the number one challenge is too many people are dying. So, the priorities, I would want to see — we are spending our efforts on these things. Which things will keep people from dying first and foremost? Which of those? I do not know if you have any ideas or if there is any plan to come up with ideas. I mean, we could look at legislation that requires hotels and 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 8 car rental companies to inform their visitors. We do not have a big budget to go out and hire more lifeguards and more staff that is for sure. But I really would like you all to think about what can do you with existing resources? I know Dr. Downs is and there are volunteers involved. Do you have any ideas or comments on that? Mr. Westerman: Well, I am glad you brought that up and we agree with you one hundred percent (100%). It is like there has to be something else that we can do. Like Dr. Downs says, he hates to think about the numbers because he knows zero (0) is not realistic even though we got down to two 92). But I think education is the key and one of the things that we have done last year is put a more concerted effort, like you said, into educating the concierges. We have a program that funded as part of the budget called "Wave." It is a visitor awareness put on by Pat Durkin and in the last three (3) that we just had, one (1) in Po`ipu, one (1) at St. Regis, and Kaua`i Beach, we made a concerted effort. St. Regis for example, to get the Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) folks to the table, most of the hotels run the video on their station, whatever they call their local in- house. Most of the major hotels have us come and do the Wave education program where Pat talks to the concierges about how do you talk to the tourists everyday about where they are going and what is safe? We have Kauaciexplore.com, every day, that is available. It is printed about the ocean conditions so that they can physically hand that to a tourist and say here is the best place for the day. But you are right, of the eleven (11) so far this year, I hope I am remembering the statistics right. But I think seven (7) of them came from TVRs. Mr. Hooser: TVRs, you mean independent home? Mr. Westerman: Transient Vacation Rentals, right. A home... Mr. Hooser: A home that they are renting out there somewhere. Mr. Westerman: Right. We are starting to get those companies that are doing that business to come to our training and participate. We have been very successful in some of them saying give us brochures. We will put our beach brochures in our vacation rentals. We will put them there. We will talk to our folks. Some of them are pretty big business. They are advertising on the internet and one of them, I do not want to give names. But one of them has actually put our ocean safety video on their website. They are saying come to Kaua`i and by the way, upfront, here is the ocean safety video. That is kind of partnerships we want to continue to develop and I think that is the kind of partnership going forward that will help us educate them. The bottom line Kauai is ecotourism. They are coming here for our beaches. They are coming here to walk the trails. There are not coming here to go to Disneyland at Waikiki. They are coming here for the adventure of Kaua`i. We just have to try to provide them a little bit better education about what do when they are here. Mr. Hooser: Thank you very much. Mr. Westerman: You bet. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 9 Mr. Hooser: You reassured me a lot with just the brief discussion that we have had. The fact that you are keeping track of, and I hope you continue to do so, whether they are from TVRs or certain hotels. So if certain places, like it appears to be here, are disproportionate in terms of the drowning and we need to deal with that. I am asking our staff to look into putting it as part of the TVR permitting process., some type of requirements. So, we are exploring that here to do it. Thank you very much. Again, thank you for the work you are doing already. Mr. Westerman: If I may? I just bought a TV yesterday. No, I actually I bought a TV and instead of... Chair Furfaro: To watch you guys? Mr. Westerman: To watch you guys. But instead of digital versatile disk (DVD) players that are, you can actually put a universal serial bus (usb) inside of it. We had a recommendation from someone over at a parks office about a week ago, that said we give permits to these people going to the beaches. Why do we not run the video right there by the station? Eureka, an idea was born. I went and bought the TV yesterday and now I am trying to get the DVD converted to the right format so it will run a continuous loo all day long outside of parks with no volume because it is subtitles so it p Y g p does not drive them crazy. There is a car agency that does this and it drives their folks crazy because it plays over and over. We are open to any ideas or suggestions we think will help. So, that is one that will hopefully be up and running by next week. Mr. Hooser: Great. Thank you very much. Mr. Westerman: Yes. Mr. Rapozo: Thank you, Mr. Hooser. Just one other thought. I feel like I have to say this. You know the numbers; you said we cannot give up. Cannot be discouraged because just imagine if you folks were not there, what those numbers would be. In the Police force, when we had the issues with the fatalities along Wailua Golf Course stretch, it was beyond everybody's control. We had enforcement. It is just things happen, accidents happen. But just imagine what those numbers would be if you folks were not there. So, pleased do not be discouraged. Thank you for what you do. Mr. Chair. Chair Furfaro: Chief, I think I want to echo Mr. Hooser's comments. I want to thank your team for what you have been able to track and help prevent. At the same time, I want to remind us of a couple of things. Sixty-three percent (63%) of our people that lost their lives in tragedy here have been in Transient Vacation Rentals. Okay? That has to be very clear to the Hotel Association and Sue Kanoho for the kokua, okay? Twice, past President of the Hotel Association, we have done things. Every hotel you go into here has an informational channel that will promote this. Every concierge desk has brochures and I want to again recognize again, Mr. Piko. This lifeguard is a guy who goes out on his own and talks to different resort associations. But there are a couple of other things we have done here, but did not go much farther. I want to remind everybody that Queens Pond can be closed for six (6 months at a time. I put that Resolution on the 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 10 table here. It is about safety and beach access that the Resolution was put in place. The Charter says the only one that needs to call that shot about safety is the County Engineer. I want to make sure that we keep that message going through. I served on the Water Safety Task Force with Dr. Downs for almost six (6) years, twelve (12) of those years here on the Council and then when I see something, like three (3) of the eleven (11) drownings are at Pukamoi. It is very bothersome. This is not even a beach. This is a black lava platform that goes around there the surf spot at Kalihiwai. Divers know it as Pukamoi. Locals know it as Pukamu. But there is a key spot along with Queens path that we need to take some constructive — do not be walking out on the black covered lava when the surf is coming off on top northwest swell at twelve (12) to eighteen (18) feet. It does not work that way. I am sharing that with you with my own experience. I used to be a Water Safety Instructor for the City and County of Honolulu. The fact of the matter is that these are some of the things, I think, that we really need to ask kokua. Mr. Hooser is right, since I have been in budget for twelve (12) years ,we have added sixteen (16) lifeguards, sixteen (16) staff positions since I have been on the Council because you have a need. But I think it was said, we are not a point that we cannot expand some understanding and partnerships. When you look at sixty-three percent (63%) to sixty-four percent (64%) of our people that lost lives tragically are not in the conventional hotels or condos, we have got to work and really emphasize the need to have individual outreach here. I also want to say that I am so proud our water safety guys. You have got a good team there and it is very unfortunate this year what has happened to us. But we just have to stay really focused and please reconsider the possibility that the Chief Engineer has the authority to close trails. If he feels that they are unsafe and so forth, then I think that would be our first stop. Thank you, Vice Chair. Mr. Rapozo: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Any more questions? Follow-up? JoAnn, new question? Ms. Yukimura: Yes, a follow-up too, on your chart. Scott, can you put it back up there? I too really want to encourage you not to be discouraged because I do not think it is for lack of effort and I think there are other things that can be done. But I think there are some items that I wanted to explore here. I think rather than correlate the rate with things that you have done, I would be interested in the correlation between the drownings and the number of tourists arrivals because we are having a banner year in visitor arrivals. We just recently got back to pre-hurricane levels of I think a million visitors a year. The Chair would be better than I to explain about visitor days, too. But just having so many people on the island would increase probabilities. Then the other correlation, I think and we are finding sort of the perfect storm this year, is with visitor arrivals and then ocean conditions. I do not know if there are indicators of ocean conditions that you can characterize one year as a year of really bad ocean conditions and another year of very, light, and tranquil ocean conditions. But I am guessing there might some correlation. It still does not mean that education might be the right thing to do because during calm conditions, walking on that black lava rock is not a problem. But to visitors who have no idea about the ocean, they will not know during times of high wave action that they can be pulled off the rocks, right? So, that is the education that you have to do. It is still may come down to education. But it seems to me that this year is a year of these 04-19-2013 Kauai Fire Department-Ocean Safety (aa) Page 11 converging conditions of high occupancy, high visitor arrivals, and then just very bad ocean conditions. I do not know if you have any thoughts about that. Mr. Westerman: Well, I agree with you. This chart does kind of reflect an again, the Chair did make the point about the visitor arrival days and how we might have to adjust to get the figures to be a little more reflective of what is happening. I agree that we have the high visitor count. A couple of things that came to mind while we were talking about this again is educating that visitor. We have applied a grant through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, our fire safety and education, to do our Beach Safety Guide in multiple languages. One (1) of the families that was at Pukamo did not even speak English. So, with the family there trying to discuss with them what was going on, it was difficult to have that conversation because they did not speak English. So, our visitors are not just U.S. visitors and we are not talking about Japanese visitors. We are talking about European visitors and so that is one of the efforts that we are going to put forward. The kiosk, working with the parks and County Attorneys, we finally got our kiosk maps approved for Poipu Beach Park. If we do not see it at the airport, they do not see our video, they do not pick it up our Beach Safety Guide, they get into their hotel, they do not pick it up and look at it for a couple days, and they go right to Po`ipu Beach, they will see a big sign that says this is where the rip currents are, this is where to be careful, this is where the lifeguard is, and this is even a lifeguarded beach, this is non-lifeguarded beach. Again, catch the tourists somehow to get them to read and look at where the conditions are. One (1) of the things that I think we have not done is we have not done an exit survey. We have discussed this several times. We have tried to talk with at least Hawaii Tourism Association (HTA) that is doing the one — if you fly out at night on United or American, there someone out there handing out surveys and it is tourism surveys. Folks, I am all for bringing the tourists here. But we have to protect them once they are here. Please help us and let us participate. Maybe we can get one (1) or two (2) questions that say, "What did you say about ocean safety? Did you see the banner? Did you see the video?" We can go on and on about all of the things. Did you see is the Kauai explorer website? Did you see a Beach Safety Guide? Did you talk to a concierge? Of course, they will only give me one (1) or two (2) questions. But I have about twenty (20) questions that I would love to ask our visitors as they leave besides how was your experience and what would we have done better? What is it that we could have done better? What did they not see? Maybe that will help identify, like Councilmember Hooser said, what are we missing? Where are the pukas? Where are they falling through the cracks? We have talked about it a couple of years in the Water Safety Task Force. We just have not come up yet with the survey and then the where with to do it. I am going to have to put somebody somewhere doing the survey. Ms. Nakamura: Well, the Kauai Visitors Bureau (KVB), I believe, does a Visitor Satisfaction Survey annually and that might be the opportunity to ask a few questions. The County provides, I think, this year it is two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to KVB. I think it is a valid request from the County to ask Kauai Visitors Bureau if they would consider adding a few more questions. If you could formulate your questions we could send it over to KVB to ask then to include it in their survey. Mr. Westerman: We would love to do that. 04-19-2013 Kauai Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 12 Ms. Nakamura: We should follow-up with the Office of Economic Development to coordinate that. Mr. Rapozo: Mr. Chair. Chair Furfaro: That is an excellent idea to have the exit survey. I just wanted to follow up with some comments from Councilmember Yukimura's so we all realize this. The record visitors arrivals for Kauai was somewhere around one million two hundred thousand (1,200,000). So, we are not quite there yet. We are somewhere about one million (1,000,000) now. We are about two hundred thousand (200,000) less visitors. But the flipside of that is when we were at that level, the average stay was three point four (3.4) days. So, we had one million two hundred thousand (1,200,000) staying three point four (3.4) days. Now, the average stay is seven point two (7.2) days. So, what happens? These guys feel that they want to get more involved with the island. They want to go to more remote locations and they find themselves getting into trouble. Okay? So, that is one (1) point I want to make sure that we understand and its self conversion. Then maybe you do not remember, but I sure remember Big Wednesday, 1963. It was holiday with point surf at Makaha, big, big surf. We have another one that shows these things conversing with the Eddie Aikau Waimea Tournament because they do not have it every year. They only have it in the sequence that nature provides these big swells. So in this year, what we have is we have big swells, we have increased average stay, not necessarily more arrivals, and we are trying to get some outreach to the TVRs. I think they are all kind of coming together, Chief. I just wanted to comment on that as a follow-up to Councilwoman Yukimura's. We have all of these things coming together. Unfortunately, we have this difficult situation. Thank you, Mr. Rapozo. Mr. Rapozo: It is called the perfect storm. I was not aware of the statistics on how many of these drownings occur with TVR renters. What that tells me is that the video programs in hotels are working. It seems like the simple solution is to get that message into the TVRs. But while we are all thinking out loud here, a thought came across my head. As you drive around certain jurisdictions, they will have a sign on the freeway and it says, "tune to radio station 93.4 for traffic conditions" or "for airport congestion, tune into" —when you get into that area, there is a limited frequency so it does not carry the whole island. But when you enter that area, you tune your car radio into that station and you get a pre-recorded message on traffic. I do not know what that entails. I do not know how that works. I am assuming that you have to get a frequency. But that is something that we could take a look at and within a thousand feet of every beach, the beach — that is why it is important to track where these things are happening and maybe we can start off with a few spots. As they drive in have a sign that says tune your radio into whatever station for current ocean conditions. A few of them will tune in and you can send that message on the radio. The radio message could be generic about rip currents, undertows, and do not let the calm waters fool you or however, you do it best. But that way, at least we will have that remote access because you have people that come here to camp. They do not have hotels or TVRs and they may not have rental car either. But for the ones that do, just one (1) more opportunity to infuse warning messages or information into these people. I agree with you Chief, it has education, nothing else. Police Department, with a lot of accidents can lower speed limits. You cannot lower the wave and 04-19-2013 Kauai Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 13 undertow. There is nothing we could do. Mother nature is the authority. So, just an idea that popped into my head while everyone was talking and maybe we can take a look into that. Mr. Westerman: I am familiar with that. We have done that in Waimea Town and we can discuss offline about that. Mr. Rapozo: Well, if it is not feasible, then it is not feasible. Mr. Westerman: No, we will look into it. Mr. Rapozo: Okay, thank you. Any other questions? Councilmember Yukimura? Ms. Yukimura: Before we move on, I just want to say I like your policy of closing beaches because I heard once in an advertisement, swim in safe place, calm waters, or where there is a lifeguards. But some of those beaches nobody should go in. The visitors have no judgment about it. They cannot make good judgments. So, to just close the beaches, I noticed that you were doing that quite a lot. That is really good. My question is about the jet skis, who services them? Mr. Westerman: Our mechanics. Ms. Yukimura: So, that is something that you folk do in-house so to speak? Mr. Westerman: Yes, we do internally unless it is certain things and then we go out on contract to do major repairs. Ms. Yukimura: Then your Roving Program, you are able to do that without overtime? Mr. Westerman: In most days, yes. There are occasions when we have to put people on overtime. That is why we picked Wednesdays because it is when we have the most staffing on. But these last couple of major surf days, we had to bring a couple of people on overtime on different days to do that event. Ms. Yukimura: I like the fact it is located in a region where you are experiencing high surf. I was not clear about why you would rotate it around unless you get a call? Mr. Oritz: When I was referring to was that during certain times of the year, the surf would — like for example, the summertime, the North Shore is flat. So then we would roll that specific unit to cover. Ms. Yukimura: I can see putting it in a region if it is North Shore, `Anini or someplace centralized to the region. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 14 Mr. Ortiz: Then it kind of blankets the jet skis that are in place. Ms. Yukimura: Are already there? Mr. Ortiz: Yes. We have a unit at Kealia Beach and then our unit stationed up north. It is kind of like having three (3). We are actually covering half of what it would take. For example, if there is a call at Kalawai, the jet ski at Hanalei would take about twenty-five (25) minutes. So, having... Ms. Yukimura: At `Anini, you can go fast. Mr. Ortiz: It took us a couple minutes because we are right there. We are stationed there. We put the ski n the water and people actually do come up to the lifeguard truck and talk to us. Ms. Yukimura: Maybe I misunderstood you. It sounded like some days you are moving that around from beach to beach. Mr. Westerman: Well, that is the intent. It is not to be permanent. Ms. Yukimura: Yes. But I mean for one day you just take it and locate it at"Anini? Mr. Westerman: Maybe not. Ms. Yukimura: During that day, you care moving it back and forth? Mr. Westerman: Yes. It might go to Kalihiwai that day too. It might be really bad on the North Shore. So, we get the in between areas, stop and talk with the visitors there, and then go to the next one. In the case that Randy was talking about, at couple times down at Anini there were so many people there. The decision was to stay there, there were plenty of people there, and actually we had a couple of saves the first day we were down there at `Anini. The model is actually what is done by City and County of Honolulu. They have more Roving Patrols than permanent. So, they go to the beaches with the bad surf for the day in their Roving Unit instead of having permanent ones there and having less Rover Units. Ms. Yukimura: The Roving Units always has a jet ski? Mr. Westerman: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: Okay. I see. I was curious about the amount of personnel and gas and so forth that it takes to do that Roving overtime and all of that. But 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 15 I can see that you are trying to optimize your coverage and when you are stationed in a place, you are also doing education, apparently. Mr. Ortiz: Yes. We have two (2) operators on the ski and the third person usually is in the truck. So, he might do a rove down back channel so that truck is moving around and stationed there. Then the ski would go do an ocean patrol. Ms. Yukimura: Okay. Mr. Ortiz: They would go all the way to Kilauea Lighthouse and work their way down to Secret Beach. Ms. Yukimura: As long as is there is a consciousness about conserving resources, both time and things like gas and wear and tear. Mr. Ortiz: Yes. Ms. Yukimura: I will let somebody else. Mr. Rapozo: Any follow-ups? Any other questions? Go ahead. Ms. Yukimura: Your Keiki Guard Program, it sounds really cool, actually. Now, how are you staffing that and is this an overtime draw too? Mr. Westerman: Some of is on overtime. But that is in our budget for those programs. That is not in addition to our budget, that is already in our program and that one is not a full program like the Junior Guard Program. It is only one (1) week. Ms. Yukimura: But it is several places? Mr. Westerman: Yes, and it also coincides with our Junior Lifeguard Program. So, we have our Junior Lifeguard Program and we have some of our Senior Junior Lifeguards helping with our keiki guards. Ms. Yukimura: That is good. I mean, I love that you mentioned, Chief, about making young people ocean wise or wave wise. Mr. Westerman: Yes. Water wise. Ms. Yukimura: I actually wondered because I did not see any real clear goals and objectives for the Water Safety Division. But one of the logical goals would be to help the public become more water wise. At the same time, we talked to the Police about this too; you have to stay on your core mission of water safety. I just wondered about the balance you keep in terms of how you use your personnel. Mr. Westerman: Right, and I apologize I did not put the goals and objectives for every Bureau in every one of the presentations. Something to consider. But 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 16 yes, we strive to stay within saving lives in the ocean environment is part of the main mission. How do we that? Through a variety of programs. This is one of the new programs we are hoping to install to reach our goal of saving lives in the ocean environment. Ms. Yukimura: It is a balancing act. Mr. Westerman: It is. Ms. Yukimura: I think some goals would be really nice to see. I mean, obviously, you already have this goal of minimizing the number of drownings per year and until this year, there was a fantastic performance level and yet we have to remember it is not totally within your control or anybody's control. So, some goals would be good. Mr. Westerman: Again, that is why we have decided to redo our strategic plan to help us realign what our goals to be. As public services and first responder, the goals really are not ours. The goals are the Administration, the Council, the community, what it is you want us to provide? What is the service that you want us to give you? That is what we will do. If it is put more effort into saving age groups or visitors versus locals or whatever — I am just speaking off the cuff here, which is the intent of working on our new strategic plan and involving the community in our meetings and finding out exactly what it is that they want us to do. Then we will be able to get some more performance measures on this is what the community wants, this is what the Administration wants, this is what Council wants, how do we put that together, and then how we measure that and making sure we are doing what everybody wants us to do. Ms. Yukimura: Well, it is good to hear about your one hundred fifty (150) signs because we just had Risk Management come before us and we were talking about how every Department needs to think in terms of risk management and those signage is part of that, lowering risk. Mr. Westerman: Yes, it is. Ms. Yukimura: Thank you very much. Mr. Rapozo: Thank you. Any more questions? Ms. Nakamura: I have a question. Mr. Rapozo: Go ahead. Ms. Nakamura: Can you explain the increase in regular overtime, the line item in your budget? I think there was an increase of thirty-four percent (34%) over last year's budgeted amount. It is a fifty-five percent (55%) increase over the 2012 actuals. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 17 Mr. Westerman: Well, we had, again this is one of those — in our training in this bureau and in the Training Bureau, we had some overtime dollars that were actually listed as a training item. Then the budget folks were saying that we do not have Other Post-Employee Benefits (OPEB) or any of that attached to that because you do not have it in a salary item. We had to move and maybe you do not see it on the line item of the budget, but we moved from the "training" item up to the "overtime" item so that we could track the OPEB costs, the benefits that go to that. We were not tracking them properly before. So, we have had that increase in bother here and in training. Training was a lot more significant and it was kind of an accounting thing. Ms. Nakamura: The holiday, pay is that the amount that is budgeted is pretty much what you anticipate spending this year, that range? Mr. Westerman: Holiday pay is really tough. It is our best guess. It is even more significant in operations because most people will come and work the holiday, but there are people that say I want to be with family. The holiday pay is a little bit different. It is a best guess. It is fairly close, but it really is the best guess. Yes. Ms. Nakamura: Thank you. Mr. Rapozo: I have a follow-up. That training money was moved from "training" to "overtime" and leaving you with two thousand dollars ($2,000) in the training line. Mr. Westerman: Right. Okay, that line item now really is supposed to be for materials, like books. Mr. Rapozo: Only materials. Mr. Westerman: Right, only materials. We had our overtime hours in there before. So, that is why it was moved. Mr. Rapozo: Most of your training, the bulk of your training is really in overtime? It is hands on training and what we saw in the video? Mr. Westerman: Yes, exactly. Mr. Rapozo: Okay, go it. Mr. Westerman: And same thing on our training budget. Mr. Rapozo: Your operational side? Mr. Westerman: Right, our operational side. 04-19-2013 Kauai Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 18 Mr. Rapozo: Then just a couple more questions and then hopefully we can wrap up. Do you folks even know how much it costs to outfit a tower with photovoltaic (PV)? Have we done that? Mr. Westerman: No, we have not done that survey yet. Mr. Rapozo: It cannot be that much, right? Mr. Westerman: I am hoping not. Mr. Rapozo: The electricity in the tower would really be more communications? Mr. Westerman: Yes. Mr. Rapozo: Probably your computer and that is pretty much it, right? Mr. Westerman: Keeping our radios and communications charged. Mr. Rapozo: So, I cannot even imagine — probably a panel, I would think. I do not know this. I know they came and did an assessment. So, I am just thinking that my house has everything electric. If we go to a tower, it might not be. I think that would be sufficient because it would provide the necessary power for the day because you folks do not operate at night. Mr. Westerman: Right. Mr. Rapozo: I think that would be perfect. Maybe that is something that we can take a look at. We can have our Energy Department or whoever the green—what is that title? Chair Furfaro: The Green Team. Mr. Rapozo: Yes, we may a lot of money now in a Green Save Electricity Department. Maybe they can take a look at that. I think that would be a great way to go. I can even see the solar company really sponsoring, or adopting, or whatever. That is pretty much the only question I had on the solar. No, no, go ahead. Chair Furfaro: No, I had one more on a follow-up. Just for the Water Safety people, I want to understand how they qualify for overtime. We have a holiday in a week that is scheduled. We have certain guards that work thirty-two (32) hours and then they get a day off with eight hours of holiday pay or do they always work their five (5) day workweek and then get double time for working the holiday? I tell you, if you can qualify what I just said, you can save us some overtime dollars. 04-19-2013 Kauai Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 19 Mr. Westerman: For them, if it is a designated holiday and they work it, they get the overtime pay. Chair Furfaro: I understand. Mr. Westerman: Or they can take the day off and it is not time and a half. Chair Furfaro: If the tail is not wagging the dog, I am asking you Chief, do your people schedule them to work thirty-two (32) hours and get eight (8) hours of holiday pay because they are off or is that their choice? I am saying managing it would give you a guy working a five (5) days shift, he is working with the holidays earning double time. That is then equal to a forty-eight (48) hour pay rate. But if he is working four (4) days and gets the holiday off, is that straight time and that way we are only paying forty (40) hours? Mr. Westerman: Yes. But the problem arises is that I do not have staff if I do that who work every single day of the year. I understand what you are saying, Chair. They get to choose whether or not they want to stay home or they want to work. Chair Furfaro: That answers my question. They are making those choices? Mr. Westerman: Yes. Chair Furfaro: Okay. Mr. Rapozo: It is probably the Collective Bargaining Agreement that is allowing them to make that choice. Mr. Westerman: Absolutely. Mr. Rapozo: That is how is was in the Police Department. I do not know about the Fire Department. But I know that in the Police Department, if a holiday fall on your day off, your first day back to work, you get the holiday time pay. Mr. Westerman: Yes. Mr. Rapozo: I would assume it is the same way. Chair Furfaro: I want to point out to you... Mr. Westerman: If it fell on a day off. Chair Furfaro: Mr. Rapozo makes a very good point. But if we have that tool in the Bargaining Unit Contract that gives them four (4) days of work with five (5) days of pay or they can get five (5) days of work with six (6) days of pay, then that is 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 20 telling me in the Bargaining Agreement, you have the choice. If not, it would not be in the Bargaining Agreement. Mr. Westerman: I guess I am confused. Chair Furfaro: Here, if you allow someone to have a day off with pay for the holiday, if that is in the contract, it is in the contract because you have the authority to schedule it as such. If you are telling me you got to have them work on a holiday with holiday pay, that may fall on any day during the week that they earn the holiday, then you do not have that right because it is simply by contract. Mr. Westerman: Right. Chair Furfaro: But if you have the option, as I explained it the first time which is in a lot of Bargaining Units, I am finding more and more managers do not understand that. They do not understand that they have the tool to manage payroll and there are employees who would like to have a four (4) day work week with five (5) days of pay. But it is all in straight time. Mr. Rapozo: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Any other questions? No? Chair Furfaro: I have one comment. Mr. Rapozo: Go ahead. Chair Furfaro: Chief, I do not know if enough people tell you this. But I have to tell you, I am very proud of the Fire Department and I think a lot of it really reflects on your leadership. I mean, you have done a great job and I am going to write a letter to the Fire Commission. I want them to know that. Thanks for all that you do for us. Mr. Westerman: It is the men and women. I am just kind of the steersman. Chair Furfaro: Somebody has to lead them. Whenever there is more than two (2) people together, someone has to be in charge. You happen to be that person. Mr. Westerman: Thank you, thank you very much. Mr. Rapozo: Any other questions for the Fire Department? I did and I cannot remember what it was.a So, we are going to end here and we are going to g g g g recess until Monday. Let me hand it back to the Chair and you can close out, sir. There being no objections, Mr. Rapozo, the presiding officer returned Chairmanship to Chair Furfaro. 04-19-2013 Kaua`i Fire Department—Ocean Safety (aa) Page 21 Chair Furfaro: Thank you, first of all for taking the meeting today. We are going recess here and we are going to, Monday, come back to a schedule that is amended as follows: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Office of Economic Development. We are covering the work force development, the film and agriculture. We have added with our discussion this morning with the Mayor and at the request of Mr. Hooser, we are going to add from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the Department of Finance. We are going to review credit collection and merchant services for the Wailua Golf Course, break for lunch and the afternoon, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., we will have the Department of Personnel Services. Then Tuesday, Department of Public Works, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. because I concurred with Councilmember Yukimura, we want to have a little more time to discuss road maintenance. Then from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., we will visit again, with the Kaua`i Humane Society. That is our schedule for next week, the first two (2) days. Again, Chief, thank you very much. Mr. Rapozo, thank you for running the show today. We are now in recess. There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 3:14 p.m.