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HomeMy WebLinkAboutKFC Approved Open Session Min 5-7-18 daCOUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION Board/Commission Kauai Fire Commission Meeting Date May 7, 2018 Location Mo'ikeha Building — Meeting Room 2A/B Start of Meeting: 2:05 p.m. 7End of Meeting: 3:35 p.m. Present Chair Thomas Nizo; Vice Chair Chad Pacheco; Commissioners: Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Clifton Miranda, Michael Martinez and Alfred Levinthol. Also present: Board & Commissions Office Staff. Support Clerk Mercedes Omo, Administrator Nicholas R. Courson; Office of the County Attorney: Deputy County Attorney Teresa Tumbaga; Fire Department: Fire Chief Robert Westerman, Deputy Fire Chief Kilipaki Vaughan and Chief s Secretary Debby Gatioan. Excused Commissioner Alfredo Garces Jr. Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair Nizo called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m. with six Commissioners present to conduct business. Approval of Regular Open Session Minutes of April 2, 2018. Mr. Miranda moved to Minutes approve the meeting minutes as circulated. Vice Chair Pacheco seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. Chiefs Monthly 1. Fire Commission Reports Reports for the 2. Fiscal Report as of March 31, 2018 Month of March 3. Daily Flight Hours and Alarm Data 4. Letter of Appreciation dated March 13, 2018 5. Chief s Announcements and Pertinent Updates Fire Chief Westerman gave a brief overview of his monthly reports, highlighting his meeting with the Department of Public Works on the relocation of the Lifeguard Tower at Po`ipu, the blessing of the Kalaheo Fire Station driveway restoration, his attendance at the State Fire Council meeting on Oahu regarding the Small Business Association's review of the Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION administrative rules, and the Department's continued efforts to deal with the landslides on the north shore due to the heavy rain in April. Mr. Miranda asked where the $400,000 to restore the Kalaheo Fire Station driveway came from to which Fire Chief Westerman replied the funding came from the federal government via a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). How it works is the money gets funneled through the County's Housing Agency and based on a financial need assessment, they determine how the monies would be allocated. Deputy Fire Chief Kilipaki Vaughan further explained that CDBG is one of the longest -running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which helps fund local community development activities, such as affordable housing, anti -poverty programs, and infrastructure development. He shared that the CDBG grant that the Department received was broken down into three increments to cover the costs to restore the Kalaheo Fire Station driveway, the reroofing of the entire Kalaheo Fire Station structure, and the implementation of a new solar photovoltaic system. Operations Bureau March was a typical month. The Department did not get too far ahead from the previous year other than medical calls that went slightly up. The rest of the calls were pretty close to what they were the year before and the total year to date. Equipment Status Engine No. 5 is being worked on and Engine No. 1 (smaller engine) is working in its place. The Department is trying to get the manufacturer of the vehicle to give them support despite the engine being five years old. Vice Chair Pacheco shared that while attending the blessing for the restoration of the Kalaheo Fire Station driveway, he spoke to some of the captains and they expressed how much more manageable/flexible Engine No. 1 is compared to the larger engines, especially when it comes to maneuvering down a person's steep driveway. Fire Chief Westerman stated that the issue has Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION come up numerous times, but the fact is the Department cannot cookie -cutter its engines. He noted that the Kalaheo district is different in a sense that certain areas have steep driveways, and maneuvering an engine down those driveways is very challenging. But the good thing about having to deal with these issues is that it has given the Department an opportunity to see how much better of an engine No.1 is compared to the much larger engines, so when the time comes to replace Engine No. 1, they would probably purchase an engine that has the same capabilities. March Training Bureau The number of training classes in March have increased significantly due to the large recruit class. Prevention Bureau There was one fire investigation conducted for a structural fire on Puolo Road in Hanapepe. In all, there was a total of 182 fire prevention related activities. Ocean Safety Bureau The Bureau held two new recruit trainings and two ocean safety classes for a total of 80 hours. Junior Lifeguard program registration resulted in a total of 8 hours and ocean safety prevention community outreach resulted in a total of 18 hours. Fiscal Report As of March 31, 2018, the Department has expended 75.00% ($22,202,084.49) of its original budget of $31,629,948.00. Balance of appropriated, including encumbrances, shows $9,429,028.51 of which $690,865.42 will go to overtime as a result of the recent recruit class and $55,000.00 into the Ocean Safety Bureau's workmen's compensation medical account. Daily Flight Hours & Alarm Data There was a total of 0.9 flight hours of which 0.9 went to search and rescue, and a total of 4 alarm data hours of which 2 hours went to emergency calls and the other 2 went to land rescues. Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Letter of Appreciation There was one letter of appreciation that was received on March 20, 2018. The writers of the letter wrote to commend the Kauai Fire Department, Po`ipu Ocean Safety Lifeguards and Emergency Medical Technicians, including a few bystanders, for their meritorious action. With no further discussion, Because of their quick actions, the victim was able to regain consciousness after receiving CPR Mr. Miranda moved to from the lifeguards, and under the care of the EMTs, the victim was transferred to Wilcox receive the Chief s monthly Hospital's Emergency Room where the victim was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit for reports for March. Vice appropriate medical care. Chair Pacheco seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. Business Discussion on the Fire Department's 2018 Strategic Initiatives and Goals KFC 2018-06 Chair Nizo stated that everyone should have received a copy of the 2018 strategic initiatives and goals in their meeting packets. Mr. Miranda asked what happened to Goal No. 1 to which Fire Chief Westerman replied if you remember at the last meeting, everyone agreed that there were some issues with Goal No. 1 relating to contracts; that the Department was trying to push forward initiatives that were being managed by another agency who later decided to nullify the contracts. He added that the goals currently being presented were a result of the discussion at the last meeting where everybody agreed on those goals and initiatives. Chair Nizo asked relative to Goal 4.1 Maintain 80% of the staffing on a daily basis, if the Department has enough trainers to train the new recruits or would the training be done by a group of secondary personnel. Fire Chief Westerman explained that because the trainings are not done on a continuous basis, it's much cheaper for them to pay their existing workforce the overtime to do the training versus hiring an additional 10 or 12 new firefighters to take the place of the firefighters in the Training Bureau who would be doing the training. It's all about checks and balances, and that approach seems to work in curbing the overtime costs. Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Chair Nizo asked, as far as the weekly/quarterly/daily/monthly trainings for the personnel in the different fire stations, if there was a set schedule for the trainers to follow to which Fire Chief Westerman replied that other than conducting training for the new recruits, the trainers (there's three of them) have structured every single training exercise accordingly. Mr. Martinez asked how many more recruit classes does the Department expect to have after the current recruit class is done to which Deputy Fire Chief Vaughan replied that due to the amount of recruits, they had to split the group into two classes, whereas the first group would concentrate on the fire side and the second group would concentrate on the emergency medical service side. Upon completion of the training, each group would switch sides and the training would continue. Getting back to Strategic Initiative No. 4, Fire Chief Westerman explained that with the shortage of personnel as a result of the trainings, once the trainings are completed, the daily staffing levels in all of the fire stations are going to return back to normal. He added that the graph in his report helps them to stay on track as far as having sufficient staffing at each of the different fire stations. Mr. Miranda moved to With no further questions or comments, Chair Nizo called for a motion to accept the accept the Fire Department's 2018 goals and initiatives. Fire Chief Westerman stated that he'll provide his first Department's 2018 quarterly report at the Commission's next meeting in June. Strategic Initiatives and Goals. Ms. Kaauwai- Iwamoto seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. KFC 2018-07 Update on the Fire Department's efforts to support the residents on the north shore that were impacted by the recent flood and multiple landslides. Fire Chief Westerman stated that the Department, along with the Kauai Police Department, worked together to run the Operations section at the Emergency Operations Center, and during the first 3 days after the flood, they were able to bring out 500 people by helicopter, as well as Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Page 6 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION tons of food and water. He shared that although the flood had effected some of their firefighters and their families who live in the area, it did not deter the firefighters from assisting their fellow neighbors and the entire the north shore community. He stated that until things are back to normal, they are going to keep the men who live on the north shore on site to respond to any medical calls, including two water safety officers to patrol the beaches and provide medical response as needed. He added that the flood affected the entire island, and like the north shore community, the Anahola and K61oa communities also suffered damage, and because of that, the Kauai Fire Department will continue to work hard to bring back some sense of normalcy to the entire island. Executive Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes §92-4 and §92-5 (a) (2) and (4), the purpose of this At 2:57 p.m. Vice Chair Session Executive Session is for the Commission to consult with its attorney as it relates to the hiring Pacheco cited the Hawaii KFC 2018-002 process of selecting a new Fire Chief, and to consult with its attorney on questions and issues Revised Statutes to take the pertaining to the Commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities and liabilities as they may meeting into executive relate to this agenda item. (On -going) Session. ES Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes §92-4, §92-5 (a) (4), §92-9 (a) (1-4) and (b), the purpose of KFC 2018-005 this Executive Session is for the Commission to approve the Executive Session meeting minutes of April 2, 2018, and to consult with its attorney on issues pertaining to the Commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and/or liabilities as they may relate to this agenda item. ES New Formal Notarized Complaint No. KFC 2018-001 that was filed on April 11, 2018. The Vice Chair Pacheco moved KFC 2018-006 complainant alleges that a captain in the Kauai Fire Department said uncaring things to her to take the meeting into during an incident that involved the complainant's husband who fell ill and needed assistance. Executive Session. Mr. Miranda seconded the Chair Nizo called for a motion to enter into Executive Session. motion. The motion carried 6:0. At 2:59 p.m. the Commissioners entered into Executive Session. Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Page 7 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Return to Open At 3:30 p.m. the Commissioners reconvened in Open Session. Vice Chair Pacheco moved Session to ratify Chair Nizo called for a motion to ratify the actions taken in Executive Session. to ratify the actions taken the actions taken in Executive Session. in Executive Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto Session seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. ES KFC 2018-002: On -going. ES KFC 2018-005: Motion carried 6:0 to approve the Executive Session Meeting Minutes of April 2, 2018, as circulated. ES KFC 2018-006: Motion carried 6:0 to refer the complaint to the Office of the Chief for investigation. Adjournment Chair Nizo announced that the date for the Commission's next meeting has been changed to Mr. Miranda moved to Wednesday, June 13, 2018, at its regularly scheduled time of 2:00 p.m. at the Mo'ikeha adjourn the meeting. Ms. Building, Meeting Room 2A/2B. Executive Session to follow. With no further business to Kaauwai-Iwamoto conduct, Chair Nizo called for a motion to adjourn. seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. At 3:35 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Kauai Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2018 Submitted by: Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk (x) Approved as circulated on June 13, 2018 () Approved as amended. See minutes of _ Page 8 meeting. Reviewed and Approved by: Thomas Nizo, Chair