SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING
April 25, 2016
Safety Committee Members in Attendance:
Trisha McCarthy, Safety Commission Chairperson and Conservation; Bill Landry Safety Commission Vice Chairperson and Cemetery Commission; Jack Kozec, Transfer Station; Mary Winglass, Selectmen’s Office Manager; Roger Hamel, Planning Board; Nancy Wrigley, Town Administrator; Larry Foote, Emergency Management Director; Bob Zelenski, Captain, Fire Department; John Alcaidinho, Fire Chief; Terry Caswell, Gale Library Director; Annie Collyer, Recreation Commission; Mike Pivero, Road Agent, Lisa Goyner, Selectman; Kim Hughes, Bookkeeper/Payroll Administrator and Gail LeBlanc, Recording Secretary
- Call to Order: B. Landry called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. The meeting began with a salute to the flag.
- Review Power Point: Ms. McCarthy said to save time the power point presentation would not take place. Most members have seen the presentation or are aware of it.
- Update Committee on Action Items: Town Defibrillators were discussed. There are three identified town defibrillators: Gale Library; Transfer Station; and the Town Hall. The Fire Association provided the schools with defibrillators with no stipulations as to who is responsible for replacement batteries. The Fire Association does not have the funds to replace the batteries or the pads. It was agreed at the meeting that the wall hung defibrillators in the Town Hall, Gale Library and Transfer Station will be removed until it is determined the batteries are still working. Larry Foote will check the batteries and pads in the units at the Town Hall; Jack Kozec will check the one at the Transfer Station and Terry Caswell will check the one at the Library. If the batteries and/or pads have expired, the units will be temporarily removed.
The Board of Selectmen will send letters to:
- the schools stating they are responsible for defibrillator replacement batteries and pads;
- the Police Department asking for a count of defibrillators and where they are;
- the Safety Committee recommending Captain John Kane be appointed to oversee an inventory of all defibrillators along with whether they have expired batteries or pads. The inventory will include make, models and location. Not all defibrillators are compatible with one another.
T. McCarthy made a motion that any defibrillators with expired batteries or pads be removed from town building walls. B. Landry seconded the motion. All in favor.
L. Foote made a motion that all departments fund the replacement of defibrillators and/or batteries and pads. T. McCarthy seconded the motion. Discussion followed about obtaining pricing for purchase of bulk defibrillators. All in favor to find the funds for the defibrillators.
4. Discussion on Recommended Trainings for Town Employees: Tabled for this evening
5 – Department Updates and NIMS Training: See item #6 below.
6. Updates on Safety issues:
LIBRARY:
- concrete walkway in need of repair again
- request for curb stops to be placed in parking lot
- chair lift didn’t pan out due to logistics and cost
- back door closure isn’t working properly
RECREATION:
- swingset swings swing out over skateboard area
fall-zone under equipment isn’t deep enough
- Footing along paths has roots, stones
- Not ADA compliant
Float will be installed in water this year
EMERGENCY MGMT:
- NIMS requirement: 100, 200, 700
- Phone upgrade in progress; includes new wiring and 7 telephones with voice mail
RERP drills – passed with flying colors!
HIGHWAY:
- “No trespassing” signs will be installed at the Hwy salt shed
Will install locked gate in Hwy shed area to enhance security and reduce town liability
TRANSFER STATION:
- Electrical – buildings are cold in the winter
- Bulky and C & D container stairs are weathered and falling apart. The residents use these stairs to access the recycling containers.
- Not able to do lock-out/tag-out – packer. Blocks that the building is sitting on are crumbling.
- Walkie-talkie radios in poor condition (employees use these to communicate to each other)
- Chair in building is worn, uncomfortable and seat adjustments do not work.
- In need of protective gloves - waterproof, warm, rugged for the changing seasons
- Jack will inventory the First Aid kit
CEMETERY:
- T & M Maintenance did a great job trimming back the low hanging branches from Highland Street and Willow Grove cemeteries
FIRE DEPARTMENT:
- Department has no HazMat equipment
- Department has no way to safely clean personal firefighter gear after a fire
- Department has no boat for water rescues; in the past, residents’ boats have been used and this practice is a huge liability for the Town
- EMS response time – Department can’t serve the residents without an EMT in the station. Trinity Ambulance Service response time to a recent call was 38 minutes. Too long for a life/death situation.
7. Reports from Department Heads (needs, wants and safety concerns): L. Foote reported that the Seabrook Emergency test passed in “flying colors”. L. Foote reported that EOC is in the process of getting a phone upgrade, seven new phones are expected. M. Pivero reported that No Trespassing signs have been installed at the salt shed. One of the yellow posts from the transfer station will be installed with a gate leading into the yard. J. Kozec reported on safety issues at the Transfer Station: Electricity in the guard shack cannot run a portable heater without blowing a circuit; The Packer building – there is no way to secure packer 1. There is no key shut off. The Recycling Building packer is not able to be secured; the key has been broken
for over one year. Blocks that hold up the Recycling building are crumbling. The two way radios need to be replaced. Workers need protective clothing – gloves, masks to prevent injury to employees. The portable toilet vent needs to be extended. J. Kozec reported that they are still waiting on chairs for the Packer and Guard buildings.
An inventory of all Department first aid kits needs to be completed and a report prepared for the Safety Commission. B. Landry stated that trees overhanging in the Highland and Willow cemeteries were cut back.
J. Alcaidinho reported concerns about two water rescues. The Town does not own a rescue boat. The policy has been the rescue personnel use a boat from someone on the lake. J. Alcaidinho stated his concern about a lack of coverage during the day hours at the fire house. J. Alcaidinho asked that the Board of Selectmen review the contract with the ambulance carrier Trinity. He stated that recently a 14 year old had a seizure. It took the Town 25 minutes to respond. It took Trinity 38 minutes to arrive at the scene.
At 7:35 PM L. Foote and B. Zalenski left the meeting for an emergency call.
T. McCarthy requested that all members review the Safety Policy Manual; she suggested that the old dates be deleted. Ms. McCarthy asked if anyone had safety concerns. T. Caswell reported that the concrete walkway is failing. She also reported that the latches on the doors don’t always work. M. Pivero will look into the walkway. A. Collyer reported that a sign was posted at the town beach that the beach is closed December 1 through May 1. This is to deter ice fishing and the liability to the town. Town Hall concerns included: no hot water, it was explained that there is hot water, it just takes a while. A threshold was repaired after someone tripped. The Town Hall cement walkways are being looked at. Icicles falling from the side of the
building were discussed as a potential hazard.
8. New Business:
9. Upcoming Dates for 2016 meetings at 6:00 PM: July 11, 2016; September 26, 2016; December 5, 2016.
B. Landry made a motion to accept the June 8, 2015, meeting minutes. R. Hamel seconded the motion. All in favor.
Adjourn: At 7:44 PM the Safety Committee meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail M. LeBlanc
Recording Secretary
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