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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BFC-2016-03-08Board of Fire Commissioner Meeting Minutes March 8, 2016 1 CITY OF ITHACA BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS MEETING MINUTES March 8, 2016 Present: Chair Gilligan Commissioners: Ellsworth, Guttridge, Hoard, Sparks, Asst. Chief Haines-Sharp Excused: Chief Parsons Call to Order: Chair Gilligan called the meeting to order at 1603 hours. Approval of Minutes: Approval of the February 9, 2016 Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Resolution By Commissioner Sparks: Seconded by Commissioner Hoard RESOLVED, That the minutes of the February 9, 2016 Board of Fire Commissioners meeting be approved. Carried Unanimously Additions to or Deletions from the Agenda: The following items were added to the agenda: 1. Resolution regarding Memo from Chief regarding disposition of various Fire Department Trust Accounts. (under Old Business) 2. Discussion of adding standard topic to BFC agenda for Presentation on Department Operations (under New Business) No Board Member objected. Persons Wishing to Speak to the Board of Fire Commissioners: Mr. Lyman Baker reported that the History Center of Tompkins County had a talk and discussion on February 20, 2016 titled “In Memoriam” about the Cemeteries of Tompkins County including abandoned cemeteries. As part of the presentation Jeanne Grace, the City Forester, spoke about the Ithaca City cemetery. She talked about the issues and costs in maintaining the cemetery and spoke about the significant effort made by volunteers in helping to maintain the Cemetery. She mentioned that the Firefighters section in the City Cemetery was one of those areas that was very well maintained Mr. Baker indicated that as part of this volunteer effort Raymond Wheaton and Lyman Baker have spent 72 hours annually over the last 10 years in mowing, trimming, and fixing items that need to be repaired in the Firemen’s Memorial section of the Ithaca City Cemetery. Board of Fire Commissioner Meeting Minutes March 8, 2016 2 Mr. Baker also submitted a report on the current efforts indicating that Mr. Raymond Wheaton and he had spent 6 hours each between February 9 and March 8, 2016 patrolling and picking up downed branches at the Ithaca Firemen’s section of the City Cemetery. He requested information related to the calculation of interest on the balance in the Vet Firemen’s Relief Fund. Correspondence: Chair Gilligan reported on the bank statements from Tompkins Trust Company. The February 29, 2016 ending balance of the Rescue Fund was $1,846.33 including interest earned of $0.11. The February 29, 2016 ending balance of the Donation Fund was $2,691.61. Membership Changes: Removal from Active Volunteer Membership of Company #9 - Resolution By Commissioner Hoard: Seconded by Commissioner Ellsworth RESOLVED, That deceased member of Company 9, Jack Bordoni, be removed from the active volunteer membership role of Company 9 and the Ithaca Fire Department. Carried unanimously Miscellaneous Reports: The City and Town of Ithaca quarterly reports are due in May. No report in March. Audit: The audit materials were reviewed and approved by Commissioner Hoard. Department Reports: Fire Chief’s Report Assistant Chief Haines-Sharp presented the Fire Chief’s written report to the Board (a copy of his full report is attached to these minutes). She highlighted below the following topics from the report. She also reported that the Life Safety Division is working on achieving compliance with evacuation plans that are part of building fire inspection requirements. Staffing as of February 29, 2016 included 63 uniform personnel plus 1 Administrative Coordinator position for a total of 64 personnel. Assistant Chief Guy VanBenschoten retired on February 23, 2016. Lt. Tom Deis was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief and Firefighter Otis Jackson was promoted to Fire Lieutenant. Two new firefighters, Mark Stillwell and Lucas Albertsman, started work on Feb. 8th. They began Recruit Firefighter training on February 27, 2016 and are expected to be ready for shift assignment by July or August 2016. They filled the vacancies created by the retirements of Ernie Williams and Guy VanBenschoten. Board of Fire Commissioner Meeting Minutes March 8, 2016 3 Budget Status: A summary of the 2016 program budget with YTD Revenues and expenses was distributed with the Chief’s report. Communications Tompkins County 9-1-1 Center – The Chief has been in communication with the TC Director of Emergency Response and the Director of the 911 Center regarding an issue with the CAD (computer aided dispatch) software. On occasion the software has caused the dispatch workstations to stop working. This has sometimes resulted in a delay in processing information from the caller or in the CAD providing a recommended response. The Chief is waiting for a response from both directors as to progress in addressing this issue. Collegetown Fire Station – Kingsbury Architects have completed their study on relocating the Collegetown Fire Station. The report is currently under review by the Director of Planning, the City Attorney, and the Mayor. Apparatus A contract has been finalized with Seagrave Fire Apparatus Inc. for the purchase of a new pumper. Delivery of the pumper is expected by the end of the year. Heavy Rescue – The 1989 Saulsbury Heavy Rescue vehicle will have its stainless steel rescue body installed on a new truck chassis. The cost of this project will be approximately $450,000 compared to $800,000 for the complete replacement of truck and body. The chief will submit the request to the Town of Ithaca per the Fire Contract for approval to move forward with this project. Training Reports Assistant Chief Tracy provided the Board with a summary of the February training activity for the department. Fire/Police Report: Mr. David Cornelius provided the following report for the Board: Fire Police Monthly Report March 8, 2016 Fire Police training was held on February 16, 2016. The topics were fire extinguishers and Confined Space Awareness. The following people participated: Dave Cornelius, Gary Bordoni, Rob Longo, Lyman Baker, Jim Rogers, and Bill Gilligan. March Fire Police Training will be held on Tuesday 3/15/2016. We also have 8 members planning to attend the annual fire police seminar at the Fire Academy, Montour Falls. The Fire Police Unit was activated for wires down across Trumansburg Road on Friday February 26 at around 5:30 PM. Dave Cornelius was the only member able to respond. Other members that were relying on their smart phones to hear any calls did not get the second alarm call for fire police, only the initial alarm for the MVA. Respectfully submitted, Dave Cornelius Board of Fire Commissioner Meeting Minutes March 8, 2016 4 Old Business: Volunteer Recruitment: Chair Gilligan – reported that a volunteer recruitment event will be held in April and it is expected to be in conjunction with the FASNY statewide open house event. There was a discussion on other efforts that could be made to increase the number of applicants interested in becoming volunteers with the department. Role of Board of Fire Commissioners: No update. Recognition-Award Guidelines and Procedures This item will be discussed at the next BFC meeting. Resolution Regarding Fire Department Trust Accounts maintained by the City Chamberlain and under the Control of the Board of Fire Commissioners By Commissioner Guttridge: Seconded by Commissioner Hoard WHEREAS, Deborah Parsons, City Chamberlain, has identified the following Fire Department Trust accounts; and Thermal Imaging Fund - $7,892.95 Ithaca Fire Dept. Bunker Facilities $5.00 Fire Dept. 175th Anniversary - $3,810.23 1896 Steamer Display Fund - $875.00 Child Safety Seats - 238.00 Community Risk Account - $3,023.06 WHEREAS, Fire Chief Parsons has recommended that the following actions be taken regarding these funds; now, therefore be it a. Merge the Child Safety Seat Account into the Community Risk Account. b. Transfer the Thermal Imaging Fund into the Department’s 2017 operating budget for the purchase of a new Thermal Imaging Camera. c. Continue to maintain the remaining accounts - Anniversary Account, Steamer Display Account, and the Bunker Facilities Account for future use. RESOLVED, that the Board of Fire Commissioners authorizes the City Chamberlain to proceed as recommended by the Fire Chief with regards to the disposition of the six Trust Fund accounts listed above and under the control of the Board of Fire Commissioners. Carried Unanimously New Business: Department Operations/Information Session discussion The Board held a Discussion on the suggestion from Chief Parsons of adding an informational topic on department operations as part of each Board of Fire Commissioners meeting. The Board members were in agreement that this would be a useful item to include in the meetings and could provide an opportunity to inform the media, city and town officials, and members of the public about the operations of the Fire Department. This item will be discussed further with the Fire Chief at the next meeting of the Board. Board of Fire Commissioner Meeting Minutes March 8, 2016 5 Adjournment: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1655 hours. ______________________________ William Gilligan, Chair MEMORANDUM To: Board of Fire Commissioners From: Tom Parsons, Fire Chief Date: March 8th, 2016 Re: Fire Chief’s Monthly Report to the Board of Fire Commissioners ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION Administration 1) Career Personnel Report PERSONNEL STAFFING LEVELS 1 Chief 1 Deputy Chief (per diem) 6 Assistant Chiefs 8 Lieutenants 47 Fire Fighters 63 Uniform Personnel 1 Administrative Coordinator Total employees as of February 29th, 2016 – 64 a) Vacancies  None b) Retirements:  Assistant Chief Guy VanBenschoten retired on February 23rd, 2016. c) Hiring/Promotions  I’m pleased to report two promotions were made in February, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Assistant Chief Guy VanBenschoten. Page 2 of 5 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report March 8th, 2016 Lieutenant Tom Deis was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief, and Firefighter Otis Jackson was promoted to Fire Lieutenant  Firefighter Mark Stilwell, and Firefighter Lucas Albertsman started work on February 8th. They entered the NYS Fire Academy for Recruit Firefighter Training on February 27th. We expect them to be ready for shift assignment between mid-July and early August of this year. They are filling the vacancies created by the retirements of Ernie Williams and Guy VanBenschoten. 2) Budget Report a) 2016 Budget: Budget Summary – see accompanying report 3) County Communications and 911 Programs: a) No update: I have communicated to the Tompkins County Director of Emergency Response and the Director of the 911 Center expressing my concerns with the delayed dispatching of emergencies by the 911 Center. Since last fall there has been type of issue with the CAD software that causes the computer aided dispatch workstations to suddenly stop working. Sometimes this has resulted in a delay with processing the info rmation from the caller, or a delay with the CAD providing a recommended response. I am waiting for a response from the both of the directors as to their progress on fixing the problem. 4) Grants and Donations a) No Update - On April 23rd, 2015, the City of Ithaca receiving a grant to fund the replacement of our 15-year-old Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. The grant award was for $413,000, with the City required to provide a 10% match. Assistant Chief Tier is reviewing different brands of SCBA on the market, and will be developing bid specifications. b) On January 13th, 2016, I submitted an application for an Assistance to Firefighting Grant Application to FEMA. The grant application was for the replacement of the department’s Breathing Air Compressor. The current compressor is 15 years old and nearing its end of use. We are requesting funding for $60,000. c) I am working with a grant writer to apply for a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant. The grant application will seek funding for a volunteer bunker program, and possibly for career firefighters to make up the staffing reductions we’ve had since 2011. The grant application is required to be approved by Common Council if it includes funding for career firefighters. The deadline for the application is March 25th, 2016. 5) Collegetown Fire Station Page 3 of 5 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report March 8th, 2016 a) No Update - Kingsbury Architects has completed their study on relocating the Collegetown Fire Station to another location on East Hill, as well as the cost of repair work that is needed for the current fire station. The study is under review by the Director of Planning and Development, the City Attorney, and the Mayor. 5) Apparatus a) We have finalized a contract with Seagrave Fire Apparatus Inc., for the purchase of a new pumper. We expect to be having preconstruction meeting within a two weeks. We expect the new pumper to be delivered by the end of the year. b) Heavy Rescue - Common Council authorized in the 2016 Budget to fund the refurbishment of our 1989 Saulsbury Heavy Rescue. The project involves the removal of the stainless steel rescue body from the existing 1989 Simon Duplex chassis, refurbishing body, and then installing it on a new truck chassis. The estimated cost is approximately $450,000. This project is in lieu of a full replacement of the truck and body, which has been estimated to cost $800,000. In March, as per the Fire Contract, I will be submitting a request to the Town of Ithaca Board for approval to move forward with this project. LIFE SAFETY DIVISION Fire Prevention Bureau 1) Code Enforcement Division: The following is a list of January Activities - Complaints Received: 18 Referred to the City Building Division 11 Referred to the Town of Ithaca 5 Investigated by the Fire Prevention Bureau 2 Inspections: 186 City Fire Safety & Property Maintenance 136 City - Permit Required City Fire Safety 24 Town Fire Safety & Property Maintenance 19 City - Sprinkler Inspections 1 City - Alternative Fire Protection Systems 0 City - Fire Alarm Inspection 1 City - Standpipe Flow Test 0 City – Fire Pump Flow Test 0 City – Elevator 5 Permits or Certificates: 61 Page 4 of 5 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report March 8th, 2016 Operating Permit – Assembly Occupancy 17 Operating Permit – Hazardous Occupancy 3 Operating Permit – Lumber Yard 0 Operating Permit – Elevator 6 Operating Permit – Fireworks 0 Certificate of Compliance – Occupancy 33 Certificate of Compliance - Fire Alarm 1 Certificate of Compliance - Fire Sprinkler 1 Certificate of Compliance - Fire Pump 0 Certificate of Compliance – Fire Standpipe 0 Certificate of Compliance - Alternative Suppression 0 2) Fire Investigation Unit: There was one fire investigation performed by the Fire Investigation Unit in February, for a fire that occurred at 261 Coy Glenn Rd in the Town of Ithaca. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental. 3) Public Education and Special Events Public Education Events: 2 Fire Drills Witnessed: 0 Child Safety Seat Inspections: 6 OPERATIONS DIVISION Response 1) February 2016 Responses - 448 Incidents 2) City of Ithaca: 289 Incidents (64.51%) Fires: 2 Overpressure/Rupture 0 EMS/Rescue: 108 Hazardous Conditions: 15 Service Calls: 21 Good Intent: 51 Alarms/No Fires: 92 Severe Weather: 0 Other 0 Town of Ithaca: 156 Incidents (34.82%) Fires: 6 Overpressure/Rupture 0 Page 5 of 5 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report March 8th, 2016 EMS/Rescue: 77 Hazardous Conditions: 4 Service Calls: 14 Good Intent: 33 Alarms/No Fires: 22 Severe Weather: 0 Mutual Aid: 3 Incidents (0.67%) Fires: 1 Overpressure/Rupture 0 EMS/Rescue: 0 Hazardous Conditions: 0 Service Calls: 0 Good Intent: 2 Alarms/No Fires: 0 Severe Weather: 0 Simultaneous Incidents: 102 Incidents (22.8%) 3) Emergency Management: No Report 4) Mutual Aid Calls: Quarterly Report Support 1) Training Quarterly Report 2) Training Center Quarterly Report 3) Apparatus and Facilities No Report Volunteer Recruitment and Retention 1) Summaries of Service Hours: Quarterly Report 2) There are currently 15 Active Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police 3) Requests from Company Members to become active: None