COLCHESTER HAYWARD FIRE DEPARTMENT
MONTHLY OFFICER’S MEETING
Monday March 8, 2010
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chief Cox, DC Standish, 1AC. Don Lee, 2AC McKenna, Capt Evans, Capt Jones, Capt R. Knowles, Lt Russ Morris, Lt Dave Barnes, Lt Sandy Brown
Chief Cox called the meeting to order @ 19:05 hrs. CHVFD and BOF budget workshop at 1930 hrs.
Approval of Minutes: February 12, 2010: DC Standish, seconded by 2AC McKenna
Typo under career staff personnel: DC Wm Standish not AC - sub DC McKenna 1st, Lee – 2nd
Citizen’s Comments: none. Chief recognized Rosemary Coyle at this meeting.
Budget Issues: Company 2 – able to get well status changed from public well to non-transient well. We will need to transfer $1500-$2000 to work w/ water dept to do improvement. To start beginning of April – expected to be done before Fisherman’s breakfast 4/27/10.
This year’s budget is tight. Projected tax rate at 25.86 mills, up 2.21 mills . Colchester faces a shortfall of $485,000.
Career Staff/Personnel: Board of Selectman approved Don Lee as 1st AC, R. Knowles as Rescue Captain
- Incident w/ member – suspended license of member for 60 days. 2/25-4/25
- Medical exam – list posted.
- Joshua King was enrolled in FF I class in Willimantic has dropped out of class. Letter : “I regret to inform you as of 3/6/10 I need to withdraw due to medical reasons, physical limitations. Would like to remain as an EMT.”… This speaks to the recruitment/ retention program. We have 18/20 fire police, 71/ 75 FF firefighters, 27/35 EMS- at 89% of roster capacity of 130 members. Not all recruits are capable of certification level. We need incentives to retain
members. It is not easy doing the things we do. People begin w/ good intentions, but it takes a certain type of individual to stay with this organization. Town needs to support the membership. We expect members to put in at least 300 hrs of training commitment, and would like to enforce that on town. Organization needs to do something also to meet goals.
Trevor Reid – letter of interest as LT of Rescue 628. As of 3/1 he is qualified on both. Lt Lee recommends making him Engineer for 6 mth probation, w/ a review in 6 mths. Chief Cox has authority to name him LT. Opened discussion – McKenna mentioned there would be no problem appointing him to apparatus even though it does not align w/ Fire / Police division. EMS Captain Evans – believes there should be more leadership / responsibility on apparatus. DC Standish – has no objections. Motion to appt T.Reid as LT made by 2 AC. McKenna, 2nd –DC Standish. Becky Knowles – would like to be named Engineer on Rescue 128 – vacant position – Training will be required. Motion to appt B.Knowles as Engineer made by DC Standish,
2nd by 2 AC. McKenna-approved.
FF / EMT Marty Gordon – wants Engineer ET 128 -, Motion to appt M. Gordon as Engineer made by 2AC McKenna, 2nd by 1AC Lee
Lt O’Connor – suspension of driving privileges concerning emergency call on 2/15/2010.
Training: posted for March & April. Multiple outside instructors scheduled. 3/25 Cirma coming in for driving training. 4/11 – Sunday – Chief Kanterman. Open for officers (present & up & coming), open to all others. Hybrid vehicle training - 5/2/10. Will be posted for hi-house people. Considering outside people for fee. 6/5 & 6 – confined space w/ /Tom Ashmore. Limited to 14 members, priority to members who have not had any of this kind of training.
Posted in radio room – any members needing outside training must notify training committee ASAP.
Training report submitted – 5 status categories. 2010 – training requirements calculated. All members / EMS/ Fire Police / 2 separate Fire Div – structural / non-structural / Officers requirement. Data entry procedure to be streamlined. A few members listed in cat. 2 – should be cat. 2 due to a few training sheets missing. Had no effect. If member is unable to complete training due to medical reasons – it will not effect “good standing”. (??? – refund of check ?? – my question)
Lt. Sandy Brown – this is the yr to bring new guys to training, “operations of safe arrival”,” new officers”, information re: leadership needs to be consistent, and it makes a difference w/ rank & file. Wants on agenda – how to make water smooth for training of leaders.
J. Knapp - letter from cadet to be dis-qualified – capable for riding on ambulance, but has not had dept. physical. We have had in past allowed cadets to ride on apparatus before physical, but EMS division is different due to mask, etc , issues. Can a school physical be carried forward while they are waiting for town physical? Can we give them 90 days to get town physical? Or get them a town physical before they get on? Policy to be reviewed 60 dy transition period for cadets voted in as seniors. If cadets comes to sr, and fire 1 class is available – they will not qualify due to need of SCBA training.
EMS: Capt Evans, charts getting better – w/ getting signatures, and documenting why not. Refresher class to be scheduled in spring. EMS issues committee met – some good work should result – EMS officers staff met – set goals, structure. Rescue 528 & 628 were inspected & passed. $20 fee for inspection, per.
?? status of new ambulance ?- due March or April 2010. Line by line review of manufacturer was done. Ambulance is in production. Chief McKenna to contact Billy Rich for status to be reported next month.
Captain’s Reports: .
Fire 1 – Papp – absent, no report
Fire 2 – Guidice – absent, no report
Fire Police Capt. Jones – what is status of fire police vehicle? – Chief reported – we have not heard from Fed’s re: grant application for new fire police vehicle..
Rescue Captain – Knowles – new rope in, oldest rope – 9 yrs old. 2 trailers overweight - Special Ops - over 1740 lbs, gator – over 230 lbs. Recommend – using trailers in non-emergency capacity
Confined space training/June 2010 – Tom Ashmore trench rescue training to come.
Safety – D. Rowland – medical exams – Thursday 3/11 at 5:30 to review medical exam protocol, and do PPD’s. Expected to have the new protocol in place before May / June. Tests per category of service to be fine-tuned. Establishing a tiered system. Safety committee met 2/16
Chief Officer’s Reports: McKenna – Mill St incident – met w/ individual – member back to full status.
D. Lee – Pres. Martin met re: progressive discipline policy. 98% done. What will be the life of discipline in member’s file? - more discussion will be had w/ other depts./ towns for average to compare. Completed report due by next officer’s meeting. New item: proposed directive re: use of private vehicles in response to hazardous materials call. Only Chief Officers, Captains, Safety Officers, or active duty officer. All others must report to respective stations. F. Police can report for traffic – intersections. To limit exposure to members in unsafe situations. (propane, CO2, ) implementation 3/12/10. Training session will be forthcoming.
POV directive re: dangerous situations being developed also.
Chief : Fire Dept looking into obtaining access to water supply on Route 149-adj. to Jehovah Witness .
Delivery of goods – sign packing slip – give to Jean.
DC Standish – thanking all attendees to Life Star call 3/7/10. Concern re: brush fire call from 3/7 – we took Service 2 due to lack of brush truck, for water. SOP should be followed. (Multiple town response) We have personal property damage at scene on private property.
Presidents Report: Congrats to D. Lee, R. Knowles. Company meeting will have Red Cross rep. to discuss drive: Thurs. 5/27 – need to set up room.
Annual awards night – need response Y /N .
Adjourned at 20:00 hours. 2AC McKenna motioned, DC Standish seconded.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Walsh , Admin. Asst.
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