White River Township Fire Department

Officer's Meeting * September 24 & 25, 1997

Wednesday (24th) meeting called to order at 1010 hours. Present: Mike Dutton, Jeremy McKee, Troy Wymer, Eric Brown, Scott Cassin, Andy Martindale, Joel Thacker, Jeremy Pell, Kim McKee, Joe Marsh, Jeff Wilson. Meeting adjourned at 1215 hours.

Thursday (25th) meeting called to order at 1045 hours. Present: Mike Dutton, Jeremy McKee, Kevin Skipper, Steve Coover, Joe Marsh, Carey Slauter, Kim McKee, Eric Brown, Travis Sichting, Casey Arkins, Steve Mourer, Troy Wymer. Meeting adjourned at 1130 hours.

IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND, REMEMBER

TO CONTACT YOUR LIEUTENANT IF YOU HAVE ANY

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING ANYTHING

THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING.

1. Staff meetings will now be scheduled at 1300 hours to make room for other events which are scheduled at 1000 hours:

Monday - Training Tuesday - Inspections Wednesday - Pre Plans

Thursday - Reinspections Friday - Maintenance

Chief Dutton will be speaking with each shift regarding their attitude toward daily events. He will also be speaking with house officers on what is expected of them. This can be adjusted in April and October for Public Relations events. Also, this is only until January 1. After January 1, Mondays will be fire training and Thursdays will be EMS training. Eric will be doing Reinspections as needed.

2. Jeremy Pell will be scheduling the house officer in advance, when the schedule comes out. Changes can be made as needed throughout the month.

3. Troy will contact Rick Duncan to make arrangements for replacement of his helmet. Rick Cooley and Kevan Crawley are on leaves of absence. Mike Hoffman has been removed from house officer position and the battalion training program. Jason Arkins is on injured leave (broken arm) at least until October 14 when the cast comes off. Kim will contact Metika Beck to obtain a release form from her doctor to return to regular duty.

4. Budget is looking good. We still need to be prepared to carry approximately $45K - $50K over into January to avoid a cash flow problem. Therefore, spending freeze is still on.

5. Chief Dutton and Lt. Marsh are now taking care of all vehicle maintenance. Mr. Hickman will be paged if E51 goes to Stoops for anything. He has promised us they will make it their priority so we get it back sooner. They will also deliver it back to us when it is finished. E52 needs to be re-painted and all the welds need to be re-welded due to numerous cracks. Capt. Wilson is waiting for a response from Spartan, which should be this week. While E52 is out, we are going to try to get a loaner from Spartan. If that’s not possible, we will try Perry Twp. or IFD.

6. Chief Dutton has spoken with Butch Sutton (FPDB). We have tentative approval to send out bids. However, before we do, Brian Bosma needs to re-read and re-approve the cover letter he typed.

7. Recommendation to review Policy 619, Response to Sprinklered Structures. Decision to leave policy as currently written, with the understanding that the engine officer will use ‘common sense’. Both engines will be stocked with 3” hose to make the appropriate attacks.

8. The office is still not getting receipts from purchases. Effective immediately, any receipt which we have to request from the company will result in a copy being placed in that employee’s file and will be counted against during evaluation.

9. Kim reviewed issuing and receiving applications. Troy stated that the first step in the process will be the background check. Then there will be a Comprehensive Exam. Everyone recommended that the comp. Exam be reviewed by the attorney first! Vacancies should be filled in November, with preference given to EMT-P.

10. Make sure Battalion 5 completes the bottom of the shift exchange forms when the change is made on the schedule.

11. Communications committee is still working on dispatch options. Chief Dutton requested that they have a proposal to be made at the October staff meeting.

12. Lt. Marsh reported that pagers will be switched to MobilComm as soon as we can drop Arch Paging. Pagers will be $8.00 per month. Pagers will be the property of the fire department so if employment ceases, the employee does not get to keep the pager.

13. No reports on EMAS. Reminder that they are sending second ambulances, emergency, to the scene of any MVA or tactical rescue.

14. Chief Dutton encouraged Lt. Martindale to continue working on new evaluations. As time permits, Chief Dutton would like to meet with Lt. Martindale and Division Chief Cassin to finalize the evaluation. Remember, these need to be in place and ready to go December 1, 1997.

15. Getting closer to achieving EMT-P at station 52. Insurance issues have been resolved. We’re looking at October 1.

16. Recommendation/discussion for Joe Settles to be placed on battalion list has been tabled until next month when he can attend.

17. Numerous complaints regarding Lt. Mourer and the training program. Also with the FFI and Driver/Operator courses. Some items discussed were:

~ Steve is not notifying personnel of changes to instructors or classes.

~ Steve has not been following syllabus.

~ Steve is not communicating with students regarding what they need to do to complete the class.

~ Students have not been following through with the class. For example, not attending and not completing homework assignments. This has not been enforced and the students know they can

get away with it.

Chief Dutton will personally supervise Lt. Mourer.

18. Division Chief Cassin is working to get everyone the proper keys.

19. Division Chief Brown mentioned that Center Grove Middle School is under heavy renovation and not to concentrate on hitting the system. Dismissal time is especially tricky due to buses. They have revised their bus parking assignments and the buses will now be able to move in case of emergency. The hydrant is at the rear of the building and will have to be accessed by first due truck from Morgantown Road. Second due truck arrives off of Morgantown Road. All other apparatus will need to stage on the road. Division Chief Pell is issuing a memo on this.

20. Division Chief Brown reminded everyone that every fire has to be investigated. The person in the officer’s seat on the engine can do this. Record observations and get witnesses. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

21. Captain Wilson that he will have the Hurst Maverick system, as well as two junk cars, on Friday and Saturday for anyone who would like to use it. The system, usually $9800, will cost us approximately $7,000 if we choose to purchase it.

22. Captain Wilson mentioned that 42 South Serenity Way is between 102 and 32. Re-addressing of that street is in the works to correct this problem.

23. Captain Slauter reminded everyone, especially officers and battalions, to keep accountability tags on your gear until you’re ready to use them. Do not leave them on the trays of the dry erase boards at either station! There was an accountability problem on the scene of the Papa John’s fire because people left their tags on the engine ring when they went home at the end of their shift.

24. Lt. Thacker will be stocking the trucks with new SOR forms and a memo to explain the same.

25. Division Chief Cassin reported that the Centrex system has been approved and he will begin working on it soon.

26. Kim reviewed previous 1997 Officer’s Minutes and Chief Dutton reviewed 1997 Goals. At least 85% of objectives have been met. Good job everyone!

27. In lieu of the numerous arson fires lately, Chief Dutton would like to remind everyone to be fully aware of who and what is in the area when arriving at a fire. Use common sense. Try to get plate numbers of suspicious vehicles. This situation will only get worse until we catch the arsonist.

LATE MENTIONS…

28. Reminder that quarterly reports are due no later than October 10.

29. Chief Dutton requests suggestions for Firefighter of the (3^rd) Quarter be submitted to him Prior to October 1.