White River Township Fire Department

Staff Meeting Minutes

Tuesday & Wednesday, April 24 & 25, 2001

 

Present During Tuesday’s Meeting:  Chief Tibbetts, Chief Thacker, Lt. Alexander, Lt. Wilson, James Engmark, Jory Cox, Tony Rizzi & Kim Clawson.

 

Present During Wednesday’s Meeting:  Mike Tibbetts, Steve Rowland, Eric Brown, Casey Arkins, Scott Cassin, Kevin Skipper, Joe Settles, Joel Thacker, and Kim Clawson.

 

IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND, REMEMBER TO CONTACT YOUR LIEUTENANT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING ANYTHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED.

 

 

  1. 2001 budget is still tight.  Only purchases that are absolutely necessary will be approved.

 

  1. We anticipate moving into station 53 mid-May, and opening it officially June 1. 

 

  1. When Station 53 goes in service, there will be new box assignments.  Please read the memo that Chief Thacker has posted.  Bargersville Fire will also be automatic aid to Olive Branch Road.  New mutual aid agreements will be drafted for Bargersville FD, Madison Twp. FD, and Greenwood FD to show the response changes.  Station 53 will not show on our crew schedules until June.

 

  1. Kim has been working on the FEMA Fire Act Grant.  After reading FEMA’s rules, there was not much in the way of equipment that we could apply for and qualify.  Therefore, we applied for a fire safety trailer and three complete sets of weight equipment.  FEMA has stated that their evaluation panel will be convening in May so we should be hearing something back in June or July.  All monies must be awarded by September.

 

  1. Steve Swails currently has the final plans on Engine 53.  It is still unknown when our personnel will be going to the factory for inspection of the truck.

 

  1. The contract w/Motorola for the 800 mHz system will be signed in three weeks.  JCSD has 48 weeks to get it in service before Motorola’s contract expires and they leave.

 

  1. Chiefs Tibbetts and Thacker recently met with Bargersville FD officials.  The meeting went very well and many improvements between are agencies are anticipated.  We are on automatic aid to 300N on smells of smoke in a residence or reported fires.  When Box 202 is dispatched to CGHS, Engine 51 automatically responds.  If they arrive first, they can go on into the school (they no longer must wait on the hydrant for BFD to arrive).

 

  1. Chiefs Tibbetts and Thacker recently met with JCSD dispatchers regarding past problems between our two agencies.  Chief Tibbetts has asked that our personnel be more patient and tolerant in the future if they don’t answer us.  They are extremely busy with both police and fire radios during an incident.  Just mark on the air.  If they do not answer you, don’t keep trying.  Remember that radio traffic is recorded.

 

  1. Be sure to restock EMS supplies off of the ambulance.  Lt. Alexander is talking with Community South to see if they will begin trading out our drugs just before they expire. 

 

  1. Brian Griffith has been released because he did not return from his last leave, nor did he make any contact with the department to let him know of his status.

 

  1. Lt. Skipper has submitted the new crew duty check sheets for everyone’s review.  He would like these to go into effect immediately.

 

  1. Mike Combs stated that the year-end videos are completed and they are $10 each.

 

  1. Mike Combs is still working on obtaining prices for a digital video camera for the Department’s photographer to use.

 

  1. Jim Engmark thanked everyone for helping him learn how things work at White River and for making him feel at home.

 

  1. Jory Cox asked Chief Tibbetts for help with contacting the Board of Directors and obtaining the $2000 that is owed to the cadet program.  Jory stated he has been in contact with Scott Alexander about this for some time, but with no luck.

 

  1. Lt. Wilson asked what the status is on the rumored pay raises for the corporation employees.  Chief Tibbetts stated that members of the Board of Directors met recently with Eric Reedy.  The pay raises that were discussed can be funded without a problem this year.  However, next year’s funding raised a question.  Eric Reedy stated that it should not be a problem but that he did want to review the budget figures before anything was finalized.  Chief Tibbetts stated that hopefully we could expect something in June.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he was made aware of Engine 51 responding with Bargersville Fire Department on a call for smoke in a residence approximately one week ago.  The problem lies in the fact that it took the crew 4 minutes to mark en route from the time of dispatch.  This is absolutely not acceptable!

 

  1. Lt. Alexander discussed some of the new hires/new paramedics:

Ø      Don Young can work as and EMTP after he has completed his protocol test, paralytics test, and 12 lead test, which he does not feel will be a problem.  His precepting time has been waived, as he has been a Paramedic for numerous years.

Ø      Mike Schilling is currently going through the preceptor process and has not yet been cleared as an EMTP.

Ø      Travis Sichting’s status is unknown so is has not yet been cleared to work as and EMTP.

Ø      Jerry Harder must retake the test.

 

 

 

 

  1. Lt. Alexander asked again that EMS checklists get completed daily at station 51.   He also stated that if there is not a Paramedic on duty, EMTs do not need to check the drug box.  Lt. Settles expressed some concerns on this and was directed them to Lt. Alexander.

 

  1. Lt. Rowland gave the following PR updates:

-         Reminded everyone that the Strawberry Festival is June 15th & 16th.

-         Will be submitting public safety articles to local newspapers on a monthly basis.

-         Would like to show JCSD dispatchers through our stations and offer them ride out time.

-         Johnson County Firefighters monthly meeting for June will take place on June 21 at our station 53.  Watch for further memos on this regarding times, uniforms, “work details”, etc.

 

  1. Lt. Thacker stated that he is considering the implementation of a recertification process for our firefighters.  This would be a yearly training booklet for fire, similar to the bi-annual booklet for EMS.  This would entail re-writing the policy regarding minimum training requirements.

 

  1. Lt. Thacker stated that he has spoken with Senator Young regarding the award of our BIF money.  It is still in their budget and has not yet been released.

 

  1. Lt. Thacker stated that he would like the FD to become more involved in giving back to the community.  For this year, he suggested some sort of fund raiser for Phil Milto’s son.  It was agreed by those present that this should not be incorporated into our Strawberry Festival, but should instead be something separate we could do  (ie:  run/walk, something at Independence Park, etc.).  See Lt. Thacker with ideas or if you would like to help.