White River Township Fire Department

            Senior Staff Meeting

           

            Thursday, October 28, 2004

 

 

                       

Present:

Chief Tibbetts

Chief Slauter

Chief Wilson

Chief Brown

Chief Thacker

 

Jackie Emmons

 


Lieutenant Engmark.

 

 

 

  1. Ryan Cox said we could switch to shirts like the union shirts white with navy blue, because the other shirts are no longer available.  $22. each $1. extra to have Chief on the shirt.  It was decided we would not pay $2. extra to have the personal name on the shirts.

 

  1. Chief Wilson reported that training is going smoothly, however B shift will suffer in November without Tibbetts and Maxwell.

 

  1. Chief Slauter confirmed that Witham is now okay to turn loose.

 

  1. The trainees are riding with the Battalion, and then riding on an engine with a lieutenant at the station.  The lieutenant will determine when they are read to put on the schedule.

 

  1. Apparatus decisions
    1. The boat can not set outside as snow will ruin the cover
    2. We can trade the box on the old tactical for a flat bed conversion and use it as a utility truck.

 

  1. New tactical is at Donley getting detailed, serviced, cascade bottles, and then it will go to Square One Graphics to get striped

 

  1. Trainees are getting good at training on the hose and ladder drills (35 with 2 people and 24 by themselves).  Oct 29th and Nov 1st they will train with live fire and the trucks.

 

  1. The water issue at Mark IV Environmental can be solved because there is an easement to run water from Indiana American Water to get public water out of Bluff Rd.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts said he asked all the existing Chiefs and Lieutenants their opinions on the selection of the Battalion Chief.  The staff’s choice is Lt. Engmark because of his paramedic abilities.

 

  1. Make sure communication is clear with your crew.  Do they understand you?  Ask for their input and you will get respect.

 

  1. The video told what happened in the training incident that occurred.  We got the best gear we could get, but do not let it give you a false sense of security or it will get you.  A flash could do it.  The crew got complacent and trusted the new gear too much.  We need to use investigations to work towards preventing incidents.  We can learn from incidents that the firefighter must be aware and can not trust the gear to completely keep them safe.

 

  1. A suggestion was made that we need to light a couch and chair as well during training along with the pallets to get a look at the difference in the fires.

 

  1. We need to re-evaluate letting cadets go into a fire they have older gear that is not as sturdy as our gear.  We let them go into a fire in gear we would not go into a fire wearing.  Central nine does not have the money to supply cadets with gear.  We are not sure what type of burns they set up at central nine.  Certification only allows cadets to ride on the apparatus; it does not allow them to go into fires.  The question was not answered today, but some thought will be put into this issue.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts will be off November 8-9.  Tug Sutton will need someone to go to a meeting for the bio hazards so we can get some money out of it.

 

  1. November 2nd the trainees will start extrication training.

 

  1. Please do not block the dumpsters at stations the trash was piled up for three weeks.

 

  1. There is a Halloween party tonight at the Allen Building behind Taco Bell on 135.  We are expected to be there, as well as Boomer and the Mayor.

 

  1. November 13 and 14 Harry Tibbetts will be here for the Bread and Butter operations.

 

  1. The new trainees have taken 6 quizzes already.  The question asked was when can we schedule the new full time guys?  They will take the building construction quiz November 2nd.  We should place a new firefighter with an existing firefighter.  We need to identify as soon as possible where we need the new people.  A committee of three was suggested Lt. Engmark, Chief Wilson, and Chief Slauter to meet and make a plan then run the plan past Chief Tibbetts.

 

  1. The top two lieutenants are Eric Funkhouser and Ryan Cox.

 

  1. The top two Engineers are Josh Justice and Bryan Arkins.

 

  1. We need to meet Wednesday November 3rd to put the trainees in order by their November 2nd test scores.

 

  1. Leadership meeting at the Church on November 4th and 5th.

 

  1. Chief Tibbetts said we need to sit down and figure out a plan.

 

  1. Casey Arkins and Kevin Skipper want to stay at 53.

 

  1. Captains get to pick where they go by how they finish.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:50 am.