HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 10-18 FC DRAFT Minutes.pdf
OPEN SESSION MEETING MINUTES
Board/Commission Kauai Fire Commission Meeting Date October 18, 2022
Location Boards and Commissions Conference Room Suite 300
4444 Rice Street Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i 96766
Start of Meeting: 2:00 p.m. End of Meeting: 2:42 p.m.
Present Chair Chad Pacheco; Vice Chair Jen Chahanovich; Commissioners: Alfred Levinthol, Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Michael Martinez, and
Rodney Yama. Also present were Board & Commissions Office Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Administrator Ellen Ching; Office of the
County Attorney: Deputy County Attorney Jenna Tatsey; Kauai Fire Department: Fire Chief Michael Gibson, Deputy Fire Chief Roger
Mills; Assistant Fire Chief Solomon Kanoho, and Chief’s Secretary Soncy Tamashiro.
Excused Commissioner Alfredo Garces Jr.
Absent
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL
CALL TO ASCERTAIN
QUORUM
The Fire Commission meeting
was called to order at 2:00 p.m.
by Chair Chad Pacheco.
A quorum of six (6)
Commissioners was present.
APPROVAL OF
AGENDA
Chair Pacheco sought a motion to approve the September 20, 2022, meeting
agenda.
There was a motion made by
Vice Chair Chahanovich to
approve the agenda.
Commissioner Martinez
seconded the motion. Hearing
no objections, the agenda was
approved.
CHAIR’S
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chair Pacheco announced that the next Regular Monthly Fire Commission meeting
will be on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 2:00 p.m. in the Boards and Commissions
Conference Room Suite 300.
KFC Open Session Minutes
Of October 18, 2022, Meeting
Page 2
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
PUBLIC TESTIMONY Chair Pacheco open the floor for testimony. See there were no testifiers in the
audience, Boards and Commissions Administrator Ellen Ching stated that she would
not be calling for public testimony on any agenda item.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
Ms. Omo pointed out a typo on page four of the minutes it reads Fire Chief Michael
Goble when it should be Fire Chief Michael Gibson.
Chair Pacheco sought a approve the Fire Commission’s September 20, 2022, regular
open session meeting as amended.
There was a motion made by
Vice Chair Chahanovich to
approve the minutes of
September 20, 2022, regular
open session meeting as
amended. Commissioner
Levinthol seconded the motion.
Hearing no objections, the
minutes were approved.
CHIEF’S MONTHLY
BUREAU REPORTS/
PERTINENT UPDATES
Chair Pacheco called on Fire Chief Michael Gibson to address his Monthly Reports.
Fire Chief Gibson gave an overview of his Monthly Reports highlighting Deputy Fire
Chief Roger Mill introduction to the personnel in the Kauai Fire Department and to
the Fire Commission, an administrative battalion fire chief position will be included
in the Chief’s office, Deputy Fire Chief Mills will oversee the battalion chiefs, the
three operations bureau chiefs, the administrative battalion chief, and the ocean
safety. Lifeguard recruitment is process, fire captain interviews – the Chief is
expecting the eligibility list to completed by Human Resources fairly soon, Fire
Prevention Week activities, the introduction of the Pulse Point AED verified
responder App. The App integrates the ProQA Paramount system which will allow
911 dispatchers to inform callers of the exact location of nearby AED’s. Grants
waiting for council’s approval include a $125,000 grant that be used in partnership
with the Community Wildlife defense, a $85,000 grant for firefighter’s early cancer
screening detection and a $3250,000 Department of Hawaiian Homeland grant to
be used to extinguish brush fires in Anahola.
KFC Open Session Minutes
Of October 18, 2022, Meeting
Page 3
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
New covid cases for the month of September average 7 a-day. Positive cases were
up 12.9% compared to 7.9% last month. There was minimal impact to Fire and
Ocean Safety staff, and resource update KFD’s new fire engine estimated time of
arrival is September 2024, Assistant Fire Chief Solomon Kanoho secured $200,000 to
replace the aging roof at the Kōloa Fire Station, Air 1 is approaching its major
maintenance timeline, estimated time of arrival for the replacement for Truck #6 is
July 2023, and the new truck and landing craft housed at the Wainiha Resiliency
Center is now in service.
Administrative Bureau
• The vacant assistant chief position was redescribed as Administrative
Battalion Chief.
• There are currently five (5) firefighter vacancies
• Two ocean safety full-time positions have been filled
• Ocean safety seasonal workers include two (2) new hires.
• All fire engines, trucks and watercraft are mission capable.
• YTD expenses $1,301,476.27 which reflect 40% of the operating of
$3,244,827.00.
• YTD overtime cost for regular, rank for rank, scheduled and training was at
$477,423.95 compared to last fiscal year a cost variance of 5.64%.
Fire Operations
• There were 618 calls for service in the month of September compared to 424
in September 2021.
• 4 calls for brush fires
• 6 calls for trail rescues
• 1 call for water rescue at the ‘Anini boat ramp involving a 60-year-old
female.
KFC Open Session Minutes
Of October 18, 2022, Meeting
Page 4
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
Fire Prevention Bureau
• Telephone and email inquiries totaled 561 compared to 513 in 2021 same
month. The bureau is short a lieutenant, so the workload had to be spread
out.
Fire Training Bureau
• The Bureau completed a total of 1333 hours of various training in
September.
• Wobbly H Fall Training Session kicked off
• Additional training hours – crews are training on firefighting discipline above
and beyond the training plan
• 3rd Quarter Keystone Training RIT/Pittsburg Drill
Ocean Safety Bureau
• Workday Training on-going
• Rescues 38
• Roving Patrol rescues 9
• 1 drowning reported
• Preventive actions – 14,875 down 23,088 last month
• First Aid rendered – 670 down from 2,036 last month
• OSO IV training captain lateral was transferred to north district
• September 9 assisted with the Ultimate Hawaiian Trail Run
• September 26 – Agility test for 1 OSC recruit
• Makeup USLA Recertification Class
• CPR administered at Keālia Beach on the eastside of the island
• 1 OSC resignation
KFC Open Session Minutes
Of October 18, 2022, Meeting
Page 5
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
Goals
Goal #1 – Develop a standard response. Because of the Keystone Training what
would have taken them five minutes and 30 seconds to respond it now takes them
four minutes and 25 seconds to respond. The next Keystone Training is on to
incorporate risk identification to standard deployment methods on water rescue.
Goal #2 – Develop a policy management process.
The Department has been preparing themselves to become better with their
promotional exams, which now, includes standard of guidelines and materials to
help those seeking a promotion. Rules and regulations is in the process of being
established, it is a long process and takes time, it’s an important task and progress
has been made. Maui Fire Department has rules and regulations which ha ve already
been tested by the Hawai‘i Firefighters Association.
Goal #3 – Identify career development pathway. With the goal and objectives
completed promotional testing for fire captain, firefighters III and II are underway.
KFD has purchased a Blue Card Command Training Program which is a standardized
training system. Their goal for the past few years before he came on board is to
standardize all of the fire stations so that everyone is on the same page and
understands the same language.
At the conclusion of Fire Chief Gibson’s reporting, Chair Pacheco thanked the Chief
for providing the Commission with his Monthly Reports and highlights, then sought
a motion to accept the Chief Monthly Bureau Reports.
There was a motion made by
Vice Chair Chahanovich to
receive Fire Chief Gibson’s
Monthly Bureau Reports.
Commissioner Martinez
seconded the motion. Hearing
no objections, the motion
carried 6:0.
KFC Open Session Minutes
Of October 18, 2022, Meeting
Page 6
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to conduct, Chair Pacheco sought a motion to
adjourn the meeting.
There was a motion made by
Commissioner Martinez to
adjourn the meeting.
Commissioner Levinthol
seconded the motion. At 2:42
p.m. the meeting adjourned.
Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________
Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk Chad Pacheco, Chair
( ) Approved as circulated on
( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of _______________meeting.