HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BFC-2017-11-14Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes
November 14, 2017
Present:
Chair Gilligan
Vice Chair Sparks
Commissioners Hoard and Guttridge
Fire Chief Parsons
CC Liaison Gearhart
Information Management Specialist – Myers
Excused:
Commissioner Sallinger
Call to Order:
Chair Gilligan called the meeting to order at 1605 hours.
Additions to or Deletions from the Agenda:
There were no additions to or deletions from the agenda.
Awards, Commendations, and Other Recognition Items:
None
Awards, Commendations, and Other Recognition Items:
None
Persons Wishing to Speak to the Board of Fire Commissioners:
Mr. Lyman Baker addressed the Board to provide the following report:
“RE: City of Ithaca Cemetery Work Hours & Statement
Dear Board,
Raymond B. Wheaton and Lyman E. Baker have worked 6 hours each in the Ithaca City
Cemetery at the Ithaca Fire Department Firemen’s Section.
We have mowed, trimmed around the grave stones and Memorials of the fallen
Firefighters. Picked up fallen branches and raked leaves. We want to plant some
daffodils now, so that in the spring, they will bloom and look nice.
Plans are being made for our annual December 7, 2017 memorial service for the four
Brothers who died from smoke and fire, and three volunteer firefighters who were killed
by falling walls at the Lodge of Alpha Psi, Cornell University. The service is held right at
the IFD Firemen’s Section. All are invited to attend, 7AM Sharp.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
2
Respectfully Submitted,
Lyman E. Baker, IFD Badge #3258.
Mr. Baker further stated that if the Resolution passes and if the Board of Fire
Commissioners are disbanded, I would like very much to attend the Common Council
meeting to learn what is happening to the Ithaca Fire Department Volunteers. However,
I had two bilateral total knee replacements in June of 1996 so when I go through the
security at City Hall, I set the alarm off, right away my hands have to go up so then I am
scanned by security, given clearance, and can enter Ithaca City Hall.
If only I had a pass to show security before going through the metal detector it would
help so much. If I didn’t have to go through security and be scanned, I would attend
Common Council meetings.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lyman E. Baker-IFD #3258”
Mr. Ray Wheaton addressed the Board to explain that over the years, he has tried to
keep the Board and all the volunteers up-to-date on the direction that each decision
made by the Board might take the City and its decision makers. That is what has
happened to bring us here, to this point in time where, as of January 1, 2018, the Board
of Fire Commissioners will no longer exist. Right now, the Board has the authority to
make some decisions about the veteran volunteers and about the 2% funds. He
requested a few months ago, funding from the Board with which to purchase a
gravestone marker for former firefighter Rick Lathrop who is buried in the Firemen’s
Section of the City Cemetery. He would like to request an additional $350.00 for the
engraving of the marker. The gravestone will be put in next spring.
Correspondence:
Donation Fund: Beginning (October 1, 2017) and ending (October 31, 2017) balance
remain the same at $2,794.76.
Rescue Squad Donation Fund: Beginning (October 1, 2017) Balance of $1,848.61;
ending (October 31, 2017) balance of $1,848.74 – reflecting .13 interest.
Consent Agenda Items:
Approval of the October 10, 2017 Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes -
Resolution
By Commissioner Guttridge: Seconded by Commissioner Hoard
RESOLVED, That the minutes of the October 10, 2017 Board of Fire Commissioners
meeting be approved as published.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
3
Carried Unanimously
Highlights from Department Reports:
Fire Chief:
Chief Parsons highlighted the following items from his monthly report that will be
attached to the minutes:
Staffing levels remain unchanged; one of the two staff that were off duty because of
injuries returned to work for his first shift today; the other member hopes to be back
sometime in December.
Common Council approved the 2018 City of Ithaca budget; the fire department was
approved for increases to its salary accounts due to salary step increases, protective
gear, and apparatus parts and maintenance. Funding for the following items were
added to the budget by Common Council which is above the Mayor’s proposed budget
for the fire department: funding for portable radios, contingent upon obtaining an
Assistance to Firefighting Grant in 2018; funding to replace 25 pagers, and funding for
fire hose replacement. Funding for a deputy chief position was included in the 2018
budget but it’s only for the final two months of 2018.
Bids for the turnout gear washers, funded through an Assistance to Firefighters grant,
should go out soon.
No update or decision has been made as to whether to close the Collegetown fire
station, and build a one in a new location. The City’s 2018 budget does include a
$650.000 Capital Project earmarked for design of a new station; if no decision is made,
the funds can be used to renovate the existing station. He is hoping that a final decision
will be made soon.
Mutual Aid: In August, the Cayuga Heights fire chief sent a letter to Chief Parsons
requesting that the City limit its requests for mutual aid response from them. He feels
the City of Ithaca Fire Department (IFD) should call in its off-duty firefighters to backfill
coverage of Central station (Station 1) before requesting Cayuga Heights to provide
mutual aid. In order for the City of Ithaca Fire Department to backfill its station when
responding to calls for mutual aid will result in off-duty firefighters being paid overtime.
Recently, when IFD has responded to calls for mutual aid to different municipalities, the
call is 100% staffed by IFD because the volunteers for the company do not respond for
various reasons. He understands the problems that local fire departments are
experiencing with regard to lack of volunteers; however, it is not reasonable to expect
IFD to respond like it has been without incurring additional overtime costs to back fill
Ithaca’s station with career firefighters.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
4
Chief Parsons stated that IFD is not contracted for first alarm responses to the Cayuga
Heights Fire Department. There is no language in the City’s contract with the Town of
Ithaca to respond anywhere outside of our contract area. Cayuga Heights can still
request IFD on a case-by-case basis to for mutual aid assistance; however, IFD’s
automatic response on the initial alarm is beyond what the department can support
without a contract/agreement for fire protection services. If IFD were to continue this
service without compensation, then what incentive would any municipality have to
address their volunteer shortage or disparity in fire protection? The Ithaca Fire
Department should not be providing the same first alarm response to non-contracted
(mutual-aid) areas as it does for the City of Ithaca and the contracted areas of the Town
of Ithaca. Mutual Aid should be used for incidents where a Department has committed
all of its resources first and needs help when the incident is beyond what those
resources can take care of (that is what the Cayuga Heights Fire Chief has asked IFD to
do). Other fire departments asking IFD to respond on first alarm calls because they
don’t have the resources that can respond as quickly as IFD. In many cases, IFD units
have been arriving to calls outside our response area before the Home Department
arrives.
Chief Parsons further stated at the end of October, he sent letters to the fire chiefs of
the Cayuga Heights, Varna and Trumansburg Fire Departments that this directive did
not mean IFD would not assist other departments during major incidents; IFD is very
willing to provide additional resources at those times. As a result of that letter,
Tompkins County has reached out to all local fire companies to explain that it is taking
IFD off as a first responder for mutual aid calls.
He noted that the current climate of fire protection services in Tompkins County is
unfortunate. Under the requirements of the Town of Ithaca contract and the City of
Ithaca Charter, IFD is required to have sufficient resources in order to provide mutual
aid and it does not. The City Code Chapter 181 entitled “Fire Prevention” states in part:
§ 181-4 Fire service outside City.
A. Authority. Pursuant to the provisions of § 209 of the General Municipal Law, the
Fire Department of the City is hereby authorized and permitted to go to the aid of
another city, village, town, fire district, fire protection district, fire alarm district or other
territory outside said City.
B. Conditions. The Chief of the Fire Department or, in the Chief's absence, the
person in charge thereof is hereby authorized to extend such aid under the following
conditions and restrictions:
(1) Such aid shall not be given to such an extent or under such circumstances as to
unreasonably or dangerously impair the adequacy of said Fire Department for the
extinguishment of fires within the City.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
5
Chief Parsons stated that when IFD is called for mutual aid assistance, without calling in
career firefighters to cover Central Station (Station #1) that it leaves the department
vulnerable. In addition, the calls for mutual aid often come at the same time as IFD is
responding to local calls. The contract with the Town of Ithaca says that IFD should
protect itself first before aiding others. IFD is turning its work and efforts in responding
to calls for mutual aid into other fire department’s successes; however, it is at the loss of
protection services to its own community. It is not realistic to expect IFD to respond to
calls for other fire departments like it responds to its own jurisdiction. He has shared this
information with appropriate supervisors and mayors of local towns and villages. In
order to resolve the issue, some type of contract arrangement with local municipalities
to which IFD provides mutual aid will need to be done.
Commissioner Guttridge asked when IFD responds to a call for mutual aid and resolves
the situation quickly, would it cause additional cost to IFD if it is not dispatched until it
has been confirmed that mutual aid is indeed necessary?
Chief Parsons responded that there have been cases where IFD is dispatched first and
has the situation under control when the volunteers who had been dispatched are
canceled and dismissed from responding to the scene since IFD is already there and
has the scene/situation under control.
Fire Lt. Gary Farwell who was in attendance at the meeting confirmed that IFD will
respond to calls for significant structure fires or incidents; however IFD cannot continue
to be dispatched first without firsthand knowledge of the scene/situation. Local fire
departments should be responding to the scene to assess the situation prior to
requesting mutual aid from IFD.
Chief Parsons stated that for some municipalities the local volunteer fire companies will
not receive the initial call, instead the initial call will just come to IFD. IFD provides
apparatus and firefighters to the scene; however, IFD doesn’t get paid like the local fire
department does that is covered under a contract with the particular municipality. Every
fire department in Tompkins County has enough apparatus to respond to scenes, they
just don’t have the people to go with them to respond to the scenes. He further reported
that Tompkins County is relying on IFD to respond to the calls for a carbon monoxide
detector alarm as well as smaller alarms rather than local company. What will begin to
happen is that IFD will end up charging back to the municipality; however, that still
results in other municipalities getting a break. The Town and City of Ithaca pay a
significant amount of money for this level of protection that comes at a high cost when a
neighboring jurisdiction pats itself on the back for its successes as a result of the
resources provided by IFD as it responded to the call for mutual aid.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
6
Chief Parsons reported that Tompkins County has wanted local municipalities to
provide/create a mutual aid response plan; some didn't, so IFD became the default
company for their jurisdiction. The local towns and villages have to take care of this
situation themselves, and if they want IFD to respond to calls in their jurisdiction, then
they should be willing to pay for it. More important than that, these local municipalities
should be making every effort to get their volunteers to respond to calls.
Commissioner Guttridge shared that he is a little worried about the immediacy of how all
this was put together because some town/village supervisors/mayors may not have
been aware of their receiving the free service from IFD. In addition, it was not very long
between the time that the Chief sent his letter and dispatch stopped dispatching IFD as
a first responder for mutual aid. This is concerning if it could cause some sort of loss of
life, due to the lack of adequate advance notice to the other local municipalities. He is
saying this as an outgoing fire commissioner and to provide some feedback to IFD.
Perhaps he is a little uncomfortable with how quickly this happened; although he has no
argument against the action.
Chief Parsons responded that fire departments and municipal leaders from
Trumansburg, Dryden, and the Village of Cayuga Heights were aware of this decision
by IFD because he had been in direct communication with them. He further noted that
over a year ago the Mayor and City Attorney met with him because they wanted IFD to
start charging back for mutual aid calls. It was the letter from the Cayuga Heights fire
chief in August that prompted this response by IFD.
Chair Gilligan asked whether Tompkins County Emergency Services was aware of this
change. Chief Parsons responded that it was, and it had been the one encouraging
mutual aid by local companies but relying on IFD to actually provide it. IFD does not
have adequate back-up resources right now. Cayuga Heights was IFD’s default
company to call on for mutual aid because of the number of their personnel. When they
sent their letter to him in August that ended that. No other fire company has the
personnel needed to backfill IFD Station 1 when it responds to mutual aid calls.
When neighbors don’t want to help IFD, but they want IFD to help them it becomes an
issue for the City of Ithaca.
Commissioner Guttridge asked whether it might work for IFD to be the first department
called upon for mutual aid if IFD could then charge the cost back to the appropriate
municipality.
Chief Parsons stated that charge back bill does not cover the entire cost to IFD for
responding to calls for mutual aid. In addition, to sell IFD protection services puts
department at risk due to the loss of money from the Town of Ithaca.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
7
CC Liaison Gearhart stated that charging back for mutual aid services does not resolve
the situation/reality that more volunteers are needed for local fire departments; revisiting
the idea of charging back for IFD responses will not solve that problem. He wondered if
a fire service contract for Tompkins County were created how much time it would take
and what would be involved.
Chief Parsons stated that the rate allowed to charge back to a municipality for mutual
aid responses is $3.40 per 1,000 people. In addition, the public has to understand that
whether it's a Fire or EMS service call it's not free; IFD has been very fortunate to have
so many volunteers willing and able to assist them. However, when you’re asking
someone to leave their job or family there isn’t a big rush to do that for the low adrenal
type calls- so that is when IFD is called. Recently, mid-week, Danby fire department
was called for a report of a carbon monoxide alarm; the volunteers felt that responding
to a carbon monoxide alarm was not worth it so IFD had to respond. The reality is that
the services provided by paid fire fighters comes at a high cost; however, it is a service
that everyone needs.
Chair Gilligan stated that will be a topic for the new Public Safety and Information
Commission to discuss. Consideration should be given, rather than brokering with
individual fire departments, at the county level – similar as is being done right now for
EMS where the county would contract with IFD for its services.
Chief Parsons stated that IFD still provides support for the Tompkins County airport and
their response plan. His intention with Tompkins County is to work out a shared services
agreement. It may not be fire service to fire service but something could be worked out.
Many people who fly in and out of that airport are city/town residents and the airport
does need mutual aid from IFD. The City will have a conversation with Tompkins
County; the early retirement of Tompkins County Administrator Mareane will be a
challenge but the City of Ithaca does need to proceed with the plan.
Fire Police Report:
Chair Gilligan read the following report submitted by Mr. David Cornelius:
“Fire Police Monthly Report
November 14, 2017
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone on the Board of Fire
Commissioners and Sarah Myers for your service to the Ithaca Fire Department. I am
sorry that the vote to do away with this Board went the way it did. I hope the new
Commission is able to deal with the issues of the Ithaca Fire Department, paid and
volunteer.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
8
The October training consisted of a training film provided by NYSEG on First Response
To and Electrical Hazard Awareness Safety video. The following people attended:
Dave Cornelius, Gary Bordoni, Lyman Baker, Jack Gould, Rob Longo, Morgan
Howland, Bill Gilligan and Jim Rogers.
Gary Bordoni, Rob Longo and Jim Rogers responded to a call on Water St. for a tree
down on wires.
Respectfully submitted,
Dave Cornelius”
Chief Parsons stated that he will review the different accounts with funds still in them so
that at the Board’s December meeting perhaps the accounts could be consolidated and
then disbursed to IFD to prevent losing the funds as a result of the Board of Fire
Commissioners being disbanded at the end of the year. He will need to discuss with the
City Attorney what the process is to do that.
Miscellaneous Reports:
1. Town of Ithaca – The quarterly report will be attached to the minutes
2. City of Ithaca - None
3. Audit: The audit was reviewed and approved by Commissioner Hoard
Old Business:
Volunteer Items/Issues:
Chair Gilligan reported that the latest applicant was a no show at the regular meeting of
Company #9.
911 Memorial Committee: No update
Strategic Planning for the City of Ithaca Fire Department: No update
Continue Discussion of Transition Plan and Items/Issues to be Addressed as Part of
Common Council’s City Charter Change to Eliminate the Board of Fire Commissioners
as of January 1, 2018 and establish a Public Safety and Information Commission
Chief Parsons left the meeting at 1648 hours.
Chair Gilligan distributed to Board members a list of current projects/issues to be
addressed during the transition from Board of Fire Commissioners to Public Safety and
Information Commission (it will be attached to the minutes). He also shared an e-mail
from City Clerk Holcomb that requests each board develop a list of outstanding issues
and then place the items within 4-5 categories (that will also be attached to the
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
9
minutes). He will e-mail the list to Board members to review, please let him know if
there are items that are missing and should be added to the list.
Commissioner Guttridge asked how the Board should proceed with articulating the
status of each item in order to provide the new commission some sense of where the
Board left off and where they should pick up the topic again in an effort to avoid
duplication.
Chair Gilligan stated that the volunteer system will remain within the fire department/fire
chief, as well as a training related issues. He suggested that perhaps Company #9 and
the Fire Chief work together to formulate a plan for expansion of the volunteer
component of the department.
Commissioner Guttridge wondered why the Board would want to encourage volunteers
if it is going to be disbanded. Theoretically, that responsibility has been passed to
Common Council who will approve new members according to the City Charter.
Chair Gilligan suggested that Common Council could designate someone (Fire Chief) to
have that responsibility.
Commissioner Guttridge responded that the Board should write a paragraph about that
process, as well as some of the other work in progress so that becomes an ongoing
responsibility that someone else will need to take care of under the new commission
structure.
Chair Gilligan suggested that the Board compare the new charter language with the list
he distributed to see what has been updated.
Commissioner Guttridge expressed his opinion that it would seem risky to have ended
IFD responding to the first call for mutual aid knowing that some departments lack
volunteers to respond.
Vice Chair Sparks stated that the Fire Chief has been reporting to the Board through the
past months about the need for Tompkins County to develop a plan for increasing
volunteer membership in local municipalities. This topic has been brewing for a while
(review past Board minutes), so the Board should not be surprised or concerned that
the Fire Chief took this action.
Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting Minutes November 14, 2017
10
Mr. Raymond Wheaton (former Deputy Fire Chief at IFD) stated that some
towns/villages have no control over their fire companies because they have a contract
with the fire company who is a separate entity from the municipal board. It may come to
local municipalities actually hiring a Fire Chief and having paid volunteers on call or get
paid so much a call in order to provide fire service to their community.
The next Board of Fire Commissioners meeting is on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at
4:00 p.m.
Adjournment:
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1707 hours.
_____________________________ _______________________________
Sarah L. Myers, William Gilligan,
Information Management Specialist Chair
MEMORANDUM
To: Board of Fire Commissioners
From: Tom Parsons, Fire Chief
Date: November 14th, 2017
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
51 Fire Fighters
67 Uniform Personnel
1 Administrative Coordinator
Total employees as of October 31st, 2017 – 68
a) Vacancies
None
b) Retirements:
None
c) Hiring/Promotions
None
d) Injuries
Page 2 of 7 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report November 14th, 2017
There is one firefighter who is off duty due to an injury. It is anticipated that
the firefighter will be recovered and back to work in December.
2) Budget Report
a) 2017 Budget: Budget Summary – see accompanying report
b) 2018 Budget: In November, Common Council approved the City’s 2018 Budget.
The following items in the budget have been increased: 1) Salary Accounts due
to salary step increases; 2) Protective Gear; and 3) Apparatus Parts and
Maintenance.
Funding for the following items were added to the Budget by Common Council,
which is above the Mayor’s Proposed Budget 1) Funding for Portable Radios,
contingent on obtaining an Assistance to Firefighting Grant in 2018; 2) Funding
to replace 25 pagers; and 3) Funding for Fire Hose Replacement.
Funding for a Deputy Chief Position was included in the 2018 budget, but it’s
only for final two months of 2018.
3) County Communications and 911 Programs:
No Update
4) Grants and Donations
a) No Update: Earlier this year, I applied for an AFG grant to fund the replacement
of our turnout gear washer. The existing washer is over twenty years old. On
September 7th, I was notified by FEMA that we are receiving a $22,673 grant to
purchase and install two new gear washers. We will apply $2,267 from this
year’s budget to cover the required 10% matching funds.
5) Collegetown Fire Station
a) Common Council approved $650,000 for a Capital Project in 2018 to design a
new East Hill Fire Station. If the money is not used for a new fire station, the
money could be realocated to renovate the current East Hill Fire Station.
b) The City’s planning and Economic Development Committee of Common
Council discussed at their August meeting the options for relocating the current
East Hill Fire Station. The options include, relocating the fire station to property
on Maple Ave that is currently owned by Cornell University; closing the East
Hill Fire Station and relocate assets to an expanded Central Fire Station. No
Page 3 of 7 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report November 14th, 2017
action was taken by the Committee, and it is unknown what further action the
Economic Development Committee will take up in the future.
5) Apparatus
a) No Report
5) Fire Training Center
No Report
6) Mutual Aid
In August, I received a letter from the George Tamborelle, the Cayuga Heights
Fire Chief. Chief Tamborelle has asked us to limit our mutual aid requests for
their department to backfill our stations when we respond mutual aid to other
departments or need coverage because all of our personnell are busy responding
to calls. The reason for his request was because it was causing volunteers to leave
their paying jobs or their families to respond and backfill our stations. The
Cayuga Heights Chief has requested that we call in off-duty career firefighters for
backfilling our stations before calling upon Cayuga Heights for mutual aid.
In Tompkins County, many of the volunteer fire departments do not have
adequate personnel to respond and extinguish building fires. For these
departments, mutual aid from neighboring departments is necessary to provide a
sufficient number of people to fight a structure fire or handle other larger
emergencies. When the Ithaca Fire Department is called out for mutual aid to a
neighboring department, nearly 100% of the Ithaca response is staffed with career
firefighters. However, mutual aid responses to major events will now require us
to call in career firefighters on overtime to backfill its stations and apparatus when
our personnel are out of their district.
Prior to November 1st, the Cayuga Heights Fire Department, the Varna Fire
Company, and Trumansburg Fire Department had Ithaca Fire Department
apparatus on first alarm response to structure fires in their jurisdictions. I truly
understand the difficulty many volunteer departments are having with recruitment
and retention of volunteers. However, it is not reasonable to expect the Ithaca
Fire Department to offset these challenges by providing a ‘first alarm’ mutual aid
response to structure fires or other emergencies under auspices of Tompkins
County Mutual Aid Plan. The Ithaca Fire Department is no longer able to
respond mutual aid to our neighboring departments without incurring hundreds, if
not thousands, of dollars for personnel costs to backfill the staffing of our
department. While the City of Ithaca is willing to provide mutual aid to
neighboring municipalities who have fully committed their firefighting resources
to an incident, the Ithaca Fire Department should not be expected to provide a
Page 4 of 7 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report November 14th, 2017
‘first alarm’ response to emergencies outside of its jurisdiction without a contract
for fire protection.
After sending letters to the three fire departments, I requested the Director
of Emergency Response, and the Director of the Tompkins 911 Center to
remove the Ithaca Fire Department Units from the response plans of the
Cayuga Heights Fire Department, Varna Fire Company, and the
Trumansburg Fire Department. I’ve been very clear to these departments
that this directive does not mean that the Ithaca Fire Department will not
assist a neighboring department when the have a substantial fire or rescue
event that overwhelms their department’s resources. If they need assistance
after incident size up and resource assessment, we are very willing to help
our neighboring towns and villages when they need additional resources to
support them during major emergencies.
LIFE SAFETY DIVISION
Fire Prevention Bureau
1) Code Enforcement Division: The following is a list of Activities for October 2017:
Complaints Received 45
Referred to the City Building Division 35
Referred to the Town of Ithaca 4
Investigated by the Fire Prevention Bureau 6
Inspections: 108
City Fire Safety & Property Maintenance 30
City - Permit Required City Fire Safety 43
Town Fire Safety & Property 1
City - Sprinkler Inspections 5
City - Alternative Fire Protection Systems 4
City - Fire Alarm Inspection 24
City – Standpipe Hydrostatic Test 1
City - Standpipe Flow Test 0
City – Fire Pump Flow Test 0
City – Elevator 0
Permits or Certificates: 61
Operating Permit – Assembly Occupancy 18
Operating Permit – Large Assembly Occupancy 3
Operating Permit – Hazardous Occupancy 0
Operating Permit – Lumber Yard 0
Operating Permit – Elevator 2
Page 5 of 7 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report November 14th, 2017
Operating Permit – Fireworks 1
Operating Permit – Install or Modify FPS 0
Certificate of Compliance – Commercial Insp. 9
Certificate of Compliance – School 0
Certificate of Compliance - Fire Alarm 19
Certificate of Compliance - Fire Sprinkler 1
Certificate of Compliance - Fire Pump 0
Certificate of Compliance – Fire Standpipe 0
Occupancy Posting Certificate 7
Certificate of Compliance - Alternative Suppression 1
2) Fire Investigation Unit:
There was one fire investigation in October for a fire at 14 Abbott Lane in the City of
Ithaca. The fire investigation is not complete.
3) Public Education and Special Events
Public Education Events: 5
Fire Drills Witnessed: 0
Child Safety Seat Inspections: 16
4) In November, the City Administration Committee will consider increasing fire inspection
fees for 2018. Permit fees will remain the same for 2018. The last change in fire prevention
inspection fees was in 2013. Attached is a copy of the proposed fee schedule.
Page 6 of 7 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report November 14th, 2017
OPERATIONS DIVISION
1) Emergency Response:
October 2017 Responses - 519 Incidents
City of Ithaca: 395 Incidents (76.11%)
Fires: 10
Overpressure/Rupture 0
EMS/Rescue: 138
Hazardous Conditions: 23
Service Calls: 27
Good Intent: 68
Alarms/No Fires: 128
Severe Weather: 1
Other: 0
Town of Ithaca: 122 Incidents (23.51%)
Fires: 0
Overpressure/Rupture: 0
EMS/Rescue: 63
Hazardous Conditions: 5
Service Calls: 8
Good Intent: 21
Alarms/No Alarm: 25
Severe Weather: 0
Other: 0
Mutual Aid: 2 Incidents (0.39%)
Fires: 0
Overpressure/Rupture: 0
EMS/Rescue: 0
Hazardous Conditions: 0
Service Calls: 2
Good Intent: 0
Alarms/No Fires: 0
Severe Weather: 0
Simultaneous Incidents: 98 Incidents (18.88%) .
2) Emergency Management:
No Report.
Page 7 of 7 - Fire Chief’s Monthly Report November 14th, 2017
3) Mutual Aid Calls: Quarterly Report
Support
1) Training
Quarterly Report
2) Training Center
Quarterly Report
Volunteer Recruitment and Retention
1) Summaries of Service Hours: Annual Report
2) There are currently 13 Active Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police. Hao Yan has
completed his training to be approved as an interior firefighter.
3) There is one new applications for membership pending board and company approval.
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Current Proiects/lssues to be addressed during transition from Board of Fire Commissioners to Public
Safetv & lnformation Commission
Strategic Planning Process
status of Station 2 - College Town Renovate/Rebuild/Relocate
Training Center - repair /relocation
County EMS-Task force
Contract with Town of lthaca
Reporting to the town of lthaca
9-11 Memorial
Recognition Program for Career & Volunteers
Volunteer Program with Department - Recruitment, Service Requirements, training, support, retention
Approval of new members, approval of new companies
Ithaca Veteran Volunteer Firemen's Association (Steamer Agreement)
Fiduciary Responsibility - oversight of 2% funds, distribution of surplus, decision responsibility for Active
Firemen's Relief Fund, and Vet Firemen's Relief Fund
Authorization for Distribution from Donation Fund -2,794.79 and Rescue Donation fund-1,848.61
Fiduciary Responsibility for Trust Funds - Bunker Fund - 5, 1896 Steamer Display fund -875, 175
anniversary fund - 7,f73.L2, Child Safety Seats - 238, Community Risk Account - 3,023.06
Future Gifts to the Fire department
Norrrnh ( tl,zr /lNl1
Agenda's & Minutes of Board of Fire commissioners - lnW W i t ffhe ;e _fn^t rW*eI
bcltnK<d *othe rT*o " Rlbpciqyiwah,tn iSa{oly C0tnhsston
FW: Successful Transition to the New Commission Structure -BFC Discus... Page 1 of 2
FW: SuccessfulTransition to the New Commission Structure -
BFC Discussaon 4pm today @ Centra! Station
Bill Gilligan
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 9i34 AMTo: |arry14850@9mail.com; lohn Guttridge [John@brightwork.cc]; tomhoard40@gmail.com;
robert@thesparkselectriccompany.comCc: Tom Parsons; Sarah Myers; Rob Gearhart; Deb Mohlenhoff
BFC Commissioners,
We'll be discussing the information requested below at today's regular 4 pm meeting of the BFC as part of our
recommendations for the transition of IFD oversight from the Board of Fire Commissioners to the Public Safety
and Information Commissions.
Bill
From: Julie Holcomb
Sent: Monday, November t3,20L7 4'.29 PM
To: djw@randall-west.com; Bill Gilligan; kris@downtownithaca.com; culotta@mindspring.com;
larryeroberts@hotmail.com; eel2@cornell.edu; jmmm555@hotmail.com;
sally.grubb@gmail.com; jobeckmail@gmail.com; nlb2@cornell.edu; caitmoss@yahoo.com
Cc: Deb Mohlenhoff; Dan Cogan
Subject: Successful Transition to the New Commission Structure
memo
To: Cig Boards & Committee Chairs
From: Boards & Committees Working Group
RE: Successful Transition to the new commissions structure
Now that the new four-commission structure has been adopted via referendum, we are hoping to
create a smooth transition plan. We do not want to lose track of the important work that your group
has been doing, and we want to make sure that we continue to benefit from the expertise currently
on our boards and committees. Essentially, we are looking to'build a bridge'to the new system
and we are asking for your participation in several ways.
First, we would like to collect the following information about your group's current work:
1. Current discussion topics along with the names of the people who would have presented them
at your meeting
2. Ongoing projects and their status along with the City staff you were working with
3. Topics you have on your to do list but did not get to - think of this as an "l wish we could have..."
4. Any pending or future processes and approvals. ln other words, if your group normally approves
or authorizes items, please tell us which such items would have been on your regular agendas
https://mail.cityofithaca.org/owa./?ae:Item&t=lPM.Note&id:RgAAAAD... llll4l2017
FW: Successful Transition to the New Commission Structure -BFC Discus.. . Page 2 of 2
Second, we would like to know if there are any members who are currently serving in your group
who might want to be considered for either a commissioner or advisor role within the new structure.
We would like to reach out to them to ensure that they are aware of the new application process.
Finally, if you have November and/or December meetings scheduled, a member of the Working
Group on Committees would like to attend to discuss the transition plan and answer any questions
you might have. Please let us know when and where your group will be meeting.
Please email the requested information as soon as possible to Working Group on Committees
Chair Deb Mohlenhoff (dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org).
Thank you for your help as we usher in this exciting new change for the city.
https://mail.cityofithaca.org/owa"/?ae:ltem&rlPM.Note&id:RgAAAAD... 1111412017
Board of Fire Commissioners
Report to Ithaca Town Board
November 13, 2017
The following is a summary of the Board of Fire Commissioners quarterly report to the Ithaca
Town Board for the third quarter of 2017.
Included with this report are:
• The September 2017 Fire Chief’s Report given at the October 2017 BFC meeting. This
includes the Fire Marshal’s Report & Fire Prevention Bureau activity.
• The department call activity reports for January 1- September 30, 2017. Total calls
through the third quarter were 3,976 (slightly higher than the 3rd quarter of the prior 2
years – 3,863 & 3,873 respectively).
• The financial operations summary through September 30, 2017.
Fire Department Operational Staffing (September 30, 2017).
• As of September 30, 2017 the active Uniformed staff totaled 67 (1 Chief, 6 Assistant
Chiefs, 8 lieutenants, & 51 Fire Fighters plus 1 Deputy Chief on per diem). In addition
there is 1 Administrative Coordinator for a total of 68 personnel.
• Included in the 67 uniformed staff are 4 fire fighters fully funded by a federal SAFER
grant (see grants below).
Budget - The amended 2017 Ithaca Fire Department budget is $10,453,262 including debt
service and employee benefits. The 2017 budget included funding for a full time deputy chief
position beginning in December of 2017. This position will not be filled in 2017.
The 2018 Fire Department Budget approved by the Common Council is $10,256,873. This
budget reflects a net reduction of slightly less than $200,000 from the current year’s amended
budget. The primary changes were increases in personnel costs (+94K); admin & program
(+26K); debt service (+20K) offset by a reduction in equipment (-130K) and benefits (-205K).
This budget included funding for a full time deputy chief beginning Nov. 1, 2018; however,
unless it is possible to fully fund the position in 2019, it is unlikely to be filled.
A capital budget request to fund needed renovation work to Station 2 was not included in the
Mayor’s budget proposal. The 2018 approved capital budget includes $650,000 for design work
on a new fire station to replace the current Station 2- East Hill (College Town); however, no
decision has been made regarding selling the current station or for an alternate location for a
replacement of the current building.
Training Facility As reported previously the Department’s Rope Rescue Tower and the burn
building were temporarily taken out of service earlier in the year to address some structural
safety issues with them. Short term repairs have been completed on the burn building and
Stopen Engineering was contracted with regarding more extensive repairs to extend the life of
the burn building for several more years. The longer term status of the training facility and its
location will be a topic included in the development of the Department’s Strategic plan.
Strategic Plan for Fire Department - The Mayor had asked the Board of Fire Commissioners
to take the lead in developing a strategic plan for the Fire Department. The Board began
discussions of what the planning process would entail at its January 2017 meeting. Subsequent
to the January discussion, a meeting was held with the Mayor to clarify the scope of this effort
and the potential resources available to support the effort. A special BoFC meeting was held in
Board of Fire Commissioners
Report to Ithaca Town Board
November 13, 2017
April to focus more closely on how to organize the planning effort. Previous Strategic plans
developed by the department have been distributed to the Board for review including the 1986
effort that developed the plan for the current relationship between the City and the Town for Fire
Services, including the relocation of two fire stations from the City to the Town and increasing
the Board of Fire Commissioners from 3 to 5 individuals with the intent that this two positions
would be filled by individuals recommended by the Town Board. The group is looking at other
strategic plans from other departments and the NYS document on developing a strategic plan.
The Board is discussing the scope of the planning effort both in terms of the time span to be
considered 5-10 -20 years, the breadth of the study – current service area or including issues of
concern to other fire districts in the County. We are also reviewing documents such as the ISSO
report received last fall and the Station 9 relocation study. A member of the BFC has been
named to the County EMS Task Force and the information from this group will be incorporated
into our planning process development. The Board recognizes that to develop a comprehensive
plan will in all likelihood require establishing a separate Ad Hoc group that will allow broad
participation by a variety of stakeholders and subject area experts on issues that need to be
considered in the plan. We also wish to make sure that this important effort will be structured
such that the work involved can continue independent of the Board of Fire Commissioner which
is being dissolved at the end of December. The Chief is working with senior department staff on
preparing them to participate in the planning process.
Referendum to Dissolve the Board of Fire Commissioners – The resolution dissolving 11 of
the City’s Boards and Committees including the Board of Fire Commissioners and replacing
them with 4 Commissions was approved by city voters in a referendum on the city ballot on
November 7, 2017. The Board of Fire Commissions is preparing recommendations for the
transition to the new structure with the Fire Department being overseen by the Public Safety and
Information Commission.
Apparatus - A Capital project for the 2018 budget was submitted to replace the department’s
18 year old ladder truck. It was not included in the list of approved capital projects for 2018. A
request will be resubmitted for the 2019 budget.
Grants
The Department received a grant for $45,455 and has replaced its 20 year old air compressor for
filling SCBA tanks .
The department was awarded a $634,016 SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response) which is funding 4 additional career staff to the department for a 2 year
period. The positions are fully funded on the grant and require that no reduction from current
staffing levels occur during the grant period. At the end of the period the City will have to
determine if the positions will continue to be supported on the department’s operating budget.
The department recently received notice that it has been awarded a grant to purchase equipment
for cleaning turnout gear. This will increase Fire Fighter safety by more effectively removing
hazardous materials that can be trapped in the gear during fire/rescue operations.
Board of Fire Commissioners
Report to Ithaca Town Board
November 13, 2017
Board of Fire Commissioners
The BFC meeting agendas/minutes (dating back to October 1987) may be accessed from the
Board of Fire Commissioner’s section of the City Website at:
http://www.cityofithaca.org/367/Board-of-Fire-Commissioners
Volunteer Program Development
There are currently 16 active members of Volunteer Company No. 9 who serve the department.
This number includes 5 members who are certified for interior fire fighting;,2 members who are
certified for exterior fire ground support; and 9 members of the fire police unit. In addition there
are two provisional members who are awaiting training.
An ad hoc committee consisting of 2 members of the Board (Commissioners Gilligan &
Guttridge), Chief Parsons, Assistant Chief /Training Officer Weinstein, plus a member from
Company 9 had been working to address various volunteer issues including training, recruitment,
and retention.
Other Items & Items to be considered in the future under the new Commission Structure
1 No update. There has been an improvement in the on-going issue with the CAD
(computer aided dispatch) system used by the 911 Center,
2 The Board had been hoping to hold information sessions regarding departmental
operations prior to the beginning of the formal BFC meetings. These sessions provide an
opportunity to learn more about specific areas of department operations such as
organization of department into shifts, protocols for dispatching apparatus based on
criteria established with County 911 center, EMS call response protocols, Hazmat
operations, Code division work, Rope rescue operations, water rescue, equipment and
vehicles used by the department, etc.
3 Charter Review- Public Referendum approved dissolving the BFC.
4 Resource recovery/False Alarm Policy – Currently on hold pending review with the City
Attorney.
5 County Fire-Disaster – EMS Advisory Board– no new action on this issue. EMS-Task
Force initiated by county legislature to address issues of emergency medical service and
ambulance service in a number of areas in the county.
6 Training Center Facility Project –The Training facility will be included in the strategic
planning process.
Respectfully Submitted, Bill Gilligan, Chair, Board of Fire Commissioners