White River Township Fire Department

Staff Meeting Minutes

February 20 and 21, 2001

 

Present During Tuesday’s Meeting:  Chief Dutton, Chief Tibbetts, Lt. Slauter, Lt. Skipper, Lt. Wilson, Lt. Rowland, Lt. Settles, Lt. Alexander, Lt. Marsh, Mike Combs, Bryan Arkins, Jory Cox and Kim Clawson.

 

Present During Wednesday’s Meeting:  Chief Dutton, Chief Cassin, Chief Brown, Lt. Settles,  Lt. Rowland, Mark Hart, Lt. Arkins, Lt. Alexander, Lt. Thacker, Brian Reynolds, Josh Justice and Kim Clawson.

 

IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND, REMEMBER TO CONTACT YOUR

BATTALION CHIEF IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

REGARDING ANYTHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED.

 

  1. Personnel:

Todd Miller resigned.

Amanda Sodrel resigned.

Jayson Combs promoted from reserve to compensated.

Corey McGaha promoted from reserve to compensated.

Jim Engmark hired to compensated.

Josh Justice hired to compensated.

Ryan Cox hired to compensated.

 

  1. Officer requirements are now 75 hours per month.  (Previously 225 per quarter.)  This change is just to simplify tracking.

 

  1. Effective March 1, crews shall check smoke detectors when they are on an EMS call.  Spare detectors and batteries will be put on the rescue and both engines.

 

  1. Station 51 sewer work will commence when the weather improves.

 

  1. Station 52 work will commence soon.  Placement of apparatus will be decided on a day-to-day basis, as per discretion of the contractor and house officer.  Once all the repairs have been completed, we will call Carter Plumbing back out to fix the bay drains. 

 

  1. Station 53 update attached.  Fire department vehicles should be monitoring activity at station 53.

 

  1. Chief Dutton has been working with the corporation’s board of directors in evaluating the current pay rate.  Anticipated $6.00 starting pay, $6.50 if FFI/EMT, $9.00 for Paramedics.  They would also like to adjust the pay scale to include various certifications.  There will be no 3% evaluation raise this year.  Instead, there will be the pay scale adjustment for 2001, automatic 3% in 2002 for 2001, and another (maximum 3%) based on the 2002 evaluation.  This is all extremely tentative and will be finalized by their board soon.

 

  1. The next reserve hiring process will begin the first week of March, resulting in personnel being hired and working hours the first week of April.

 

 

  1. Jeff Stoops has recently met with Senator Borst.  Chief Dutton expects a phone call from Mr. Stoops soon to discuss the possibility of increasing our maximum levy.  There may also be a time limit for a bill to get from the House to the Senate.  Paul Kite is investigating this for us.

 

  1.   Lt. Marsh reported that the 800mhz system is still underway.  We will be receiving Allen County’s Motorola’s resources.  After a recent talk with Greenwood Police, Chief Dutton encouraged Lt. Marsh to continue pursuing MECA.

 

  1. Aerial 52 was recently taken to station 53 with the thought of lifting the cupola to the roof.  However, once the truck arrived, it was determined that lifting the cupola with the Aerial was not going to work.  Someone from our station 52 called the Daily Journal and made a complaint about using the Aerial for this purpose. 

 

  1. Lt. Wilson reported that we seem to be having problems getting pre plans completed.  After discussion, it was determined that trainings need to be conducted on how to do them.  Those trainings will be conducted in lieu of the scheduled pre plans on 2/23, 3/2, and 3/9.  Any questions should be directed to Lt. Arkins or Chief Brown.

 

  1. Chief Dutton requested that we conduct pre plans on built structures, as well as those that are being constructed.  These walk throughs need to occur on all three shifts.  One suggestion was to alternate weeks between pre plans and walk throughs.  Lt. Arkins will take care of scheduling these and will be channeled through the Battalion officer.

 

  1. Chief Dutton reminded Mike Combs that he still needed quotes on digital video cameras.

 

  1. Mike Combs reported that he is currently working on a training program for the dispatchers.

 

  1. The Strawberry Festival is still scheduled for June 15 and 16.  Scott Alexander is now heading that up and Lt. Rowland is heading the public education portion of it.    -  Mike also stated that he would like to conduct a type of “town hall

    meeting” during the Strawberry Festival and will be speaking with Chief  

    Dutton about this at another time.

-  Lt. Rowland reported that he is working on an appearance from Lifeline 

    Helicopter during the Festival.

 

  1. Jory Cox stated that he will be recruiting five new cadets on March 1.

 

  1. Lt. Settles reported that he is still working on trench training.  There have been some complications in obtaining the equipment and operators.  Chief Dutton stated that once a date/location has been finalized, he will need an address for the certificate of insurance.

 

  1. Lt. Alexander requested that we implement the ALS ‘chase’ vehicle as soon as possible.  Much discussion followed on which vehicle would be the chase vehicle and how it would be handled.  Chief Dutton tabled further discussion until the Paramedics could reconvene at their own meeting to discuss this.  Chief Dutton stated that he wanted a definite recommendation by March 15.

Note:  Once station 53 opens, the chase responses will have to be reevaluated. 

For example, if there is a Paramedic on duty at station 51 and station 52, and

an ALS run is dispatched in station 53’s area, where does the Paramedic

chase from?

 

  1. Discussion on Paramedic personnel who are still certified as such but do not wish to operate to that level here.  Lt. Alexander will be researching this issue, from both a legal standpoint as well as from the Indiana EMS Commission.

 

  1. Lt. Marsh requested that if something is broken or ‘not right’ with a piece of equipment or apparatus, or if you notice damage, to PLEASE let him know and make a note of it in FireHouse.  This is done by creating a separate RM (request for maintenance) entry in FireHouse.

 

  1. Effective immediately, when the request for maintenance (RM) report is printed daily, it will be posted on the board at each station so the crews know what has been reported and what has not.  This is a temporary solution until Chief Cassin finishes the program he is writing or until FireHouse 5.0 is running properly.

 

  1. Lt. Marsh urged everyone to check the MSAs daily.  Make sure that the straps do not get caught in the doors when they are shut and make sure the regulators are locked into the hip harness.  These are very expensive maintenance items.

 

  1. The cascade system on the Tactical needs to be hydrostat tested.  Lt. Marsh is working on getting that scheduled.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts reported that he should have plans on Engine 53 this Thursday (2/22).  Delivery is still scheduled for the end of July.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he spoke with Perry Township Fire Department’s acting chief, Greg Stanley, and requested  mutual aid and dual response agreements.  Chief Stanley stated that he would address this with Perry’s Trustee.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts reminded everyone to improve the amount of time that lapses between being dispatched and marking a truck en route.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he has been receiving numerous questions regarding schedule and shift changes when station 53 opens.  Right now the priority is Paramedic staffing at station 52 and station 51, paramedic staffing at station 53 if manpower allows, and a chauffeur for Aerial 52.  No one has been guaranteed a shift position yet.

 

  1. Chief Cassin stated that he posted three new policies this morning.  Please be sure to review them and become familiar with them.

 

  1. Chief Cassin also stated that the fire department has a new automated phone system.  A memo has been posted on the bulletin board and he requested that everyone read it to understand how it works.