White River Township Fire Department

            Senior Staff & Staff Meeting

           

            Thursday, September 2, 2004

 

 

                       

Present:       .

Chief Tibbetts

Chief Cassin

Chief Slauter

Chief Brown

Chief Thacker

 

Kim Clawson
Jackie Emmons
Lt. Settles

 


Lieutenants Hart, Engmark, Wilson, Arkins, Skipper, Smith, Young, and Alford.

 

Private Ryan Cox.

 

 

 

  1.  Meeting called to order at 1:07 p.m.  Senior staff and staff meetings were combined today due to limited personnel and scheduling conflicts from earlier today.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts had a discussion with Brett Ramer about not meeting his minimum hours requirement in August.  He stated that he has been having personal problems. Chief Tibbetts warned him that if he did not meet his September hours requirement that he would be released from the department.  This is how all of these situations will be handled from now on.

 

  1. Dismissal procedures are under review.  “Occurrence” will be re-written and made easier to understand.  Most everything will still be under a one year time frame.

 

  1. Ryan discussed Class A uniform changes.  Everyone agreed to change to silver except for Chief Officers, who will remain gold.  Lieutenants will also be in navy blue shirts (except in class A and those will still be white).  Everyone agreed to stay with bugles instead of bars.  Chief Thacker stated that Chief Cassin has been reviewing the budget.  Class A uniforms for the new hires was budgeted.  The uniform upgrades will also be paid for by the department.  Chief Tibbetts stated that he would like to see the Paramedics design a Paramedic and EMT patch to be worn on the uniforms.

 

  1. EMS Division Updates

-         New traction splints are in.  These do not need to be removed during x-rays and only cost $93 if we lose one.

-         Lt. Hart sent a memo regarding recently discovered software problems on the monitors on E52 & R51.  When in AED mode, the verbal command to shock the patient may not play.  The machine will still charge to the appropriate shock level but the verbal command may not play.  Zoll will be servicing these soon.  Lt. Hart stated that they used E52’s monitor a few nights ago on a cardiac arrest and it worked fine.  Just be aware that this problem may exist.

 

  1. Training Division Updates.

-         New nozzles on Engines 51, 52 & 53 for evaluation.  Please use these and let Chiefs Thacker or Slauter know what your thoughts are.

-         Foam class on September 18th, 0900 to 1400.

 

 

  1. Hiring Updates

-         Captains process is on schedule with testing to occur next week.  You will sign up for interviews after the test.

-         Battalions process will be completed after the Captains process is finished.  Interviews only, no testing.

-         Training Chief process will begin after the Battalions process is finished.  We will try to keep this in house, but if there is no interest it will be opened up to outside of the department.  This position is scheduled to start January 1st.

-         Career process is on schedule with the candidates currently completing their psych & medical physicals.  Recruit school is scheduled to start October 4th.  Graduation is November 30th at 1830 hours at Center Grove High School in the auditorium.

 

  1. Fire Prevention Division Updates

-         Bargersville Water has been doing flow tests and marking their hydrants.  Remember not to use a hydrant with an orange or red stripe.  Everything south of Fairview Road should now be marked. 

-         Chief Brown will investigate hydrant positioning along Smith Valley Road at Runyon Road (in the area of the construction).  Some of the hydrants are facing the houses instead of the street.

 

  1. Lt. Skipper stated that the department has recently spent a significant amount of money refurbishing the golf cart.  Please don’t use this unless it is a legitimate need.  (No more joy rides around the station.)

 

  1. Lt. Skipper inquired on the liability if someone chooses to use their own equipment and get injured.  The Chiefs agreed that as long as the item passed a gear inspection there should be no problems.  However, be aware that the insurance can question most anything and may choose not to cover something that wasn’t department issued.  Keep in mind that the department will not replace or fix any personal equipment used that becomes damaged or missing.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts recently spoke with personnel regarding strife in the department.  He asked several people for their input and he thanks them for their honesty.  He said that the three main areas of problems that were pointed out were communication, discipline, and the chain of command.  He stated that there were several others, but these were the main three.  He went on to state the following:

 

    1. All divisions combine to make one fire department.  All divisions need to begin working with the others.

 

    1. Stay in your area.  If you have an idea, go to that division’s head.

 

    1. Corporation personnel need to be listened to and not completely ignored.

 

    1. Don’t worry about others.  If you have a problem with someone, convey it to your Battalion Chief.  If he doesn’t address it, continue up the command tree until it is addressed or until it gets to Chief Tibbetts, who will then address it.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he has short-changed the Lieutenants by canceling staff meetings when nothing was on the agenda.  From now on, all meetings will be held, regardless of the number of agenda items.  Chief Tibbetts stated he is also considering combining senior staff and staff meetings and including all personnel (part-time as well).  He feels this will cut down on the rumor mill.

 

    1. Decisions that are made need to be followed up by a memo stating such.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he needs to begin watching what he says in casual conversations.

 

    1. Be responsible only what you’re responsible for.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he will be keeping a closer watch on the “pulse” of the department.

 

    1. If you have a problem with someone, take care of it.  Chief Tibbetts feels that most of it has been falling to him.  He stated he should only be involved in discipline issues if a person is suspended or recommended for termination.  Otherwise he should only be notified of the discipline.  Officers will now be held accountable for disciplining their people.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts stated that each person will have an evaluation performed starting after the first of the year and then on an annual basis.  Evaluations will be performed as follows:

1)      Privates and Engineers by Lieutenants.

2)      Lieutenants by Captains.

3)      Captains by Battalion Chiefs.

4)      Battalion Chiefs by Fire Chief & Deputy Chief.

5)      Admin Personnel, Training Chief and Deputy Chief by Fire Chief.

The Board is working on a procedure for evaluating the Fire Chief.

 

    1. Complaints have been heard regarding unequal discipline.  Chief Tibbetts stated that the policy manual will be strictly adhered to from now on.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he will not interfere with the Battalion Chiefs and how they run their shifts.  They will be held accountable to make sure their personnel are following the policies.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts stated that he feels his “open door policy” has “kicked him in the face”.  From now on the command tree will be followed.  The only exception is if you have personal problems and need to talk to someone and don’t want a lot of people knowing.  In that case, Chief Tibbetts stated that his door is always open.

 

    1. If you have a union issue, please take it to one of your union officers.  They should be the spokesperson for you.

 

    1. If you are concerned about something, put it in writing to your Battalion Chief.

 

    1. When decisions are made, you must make them in the best interest of the fire department.  It may not be popular but it MUST be what’s best for the department.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts was adamant that, STARTING TODAY, there will be no more bad-mouthing other personnel or other divisions.  This will not be tolerated.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts realizes that he has to work on some things.  He encouraged everyone to evaluate what they needed to work on.  He stated that he has had problems in the past of not listening to people or getting angry.  He also hasn’t accepted or acknowledged his mistakes.  He apologized to everyone for this and intends on improving.

 

    1. Chief Tibbetts shared his vision of the fire department with everyone.

 

Chief Thacker thanked Chief Tibbetts for his candor and stated that he needs time to process this information, as most everyone else does.  He stated that there are going to be differences between shifts and how each Battalion Chief handles things and runs things.  He also stated that there are going to be times everyone needs to be flexible (ie:  fire prevention detail that is scheduled during a regular training and training will need to be re-scheduled). 

 

  1. No further new business and meeting adjourned at 1430 hours.