White River Township Fire Department

                                                Senior Staff Meeting

           

                                                Thursday, September 28, 2006

 

 

                       

Present:

Chief Tibbetts

Chief Cassin

Chief Slauter

Chief Wilson

Chief Brown

Chief Thacker

Chief Engmark

Capt. Hart

Capt. Arkins
Capt. Settles
Lt. Hurrle

 

 

 

  1. Meeting called to order at 0805.

 

  1. Station 52 was struck by lightening the evening of the 27th.  Run reports will not be entered from 52 until the computer is fixed.

 

  1. Old Business
    1. E911 – Chief Tibbetts

                                                              i.      Since the committee has accomplished most tasks asked of it by the Commissioners, there will only be one meeting a month.

                                                            ii.      The last task to be accomplished is radio procedures.  Proper language along with when and where the radios should be used will be determined and then the committee will most likely be dissolved.

                                                          iii.      Funding for a GIS director and assistant is also being discussed.

    1. Dispatch through Greenwood – Chief Tibbetts

                                                              i.      Progress is still on hold until Greenwood opens the new Station 94.

    1. Task Force One – Chief Tibbetts

                                                              i.      No guidelines are currently in place for reimbursement.  There have been some glitches but most problems have been resolved.

                                                            ii.      Chief Tibbetts and Chief Cassin will meet and generate guidelines for training, backfill, etc. while members are on deployment.

                                                          iii.      Chief Thacker believes that if a member is training either local or out of town that person is detailable as long as there is minimum staffing, if not they must trade or take time off.   Capt. Settles received compensation because he had been deployed.

    1. Firefighters Association legislative meeting – Chief Tibbetts

                                                              i.      They will discuss circuit breaker legislation along with funds collected from the sale of fireworks

                                                            ii.      Several organizations are working to secure the funds for the fire service for years to come.  The money has only been earmarked for the fire service for this first year and legislators are attempting to acquire the funds and use them elsewhere.

    1. Hiring Process – Chief Thacker

                                                              i.      Five applicants have been called back for an interview with Chief.  There are only two spots available at this time.  Maria VanHart left and Greg Maxwell took her spot leaving two open.

                                                            ii.      Charlie Fraker starts on 10-2-06.  He will be in the office for a couple of days then start his shift.

                                                          iii.      Nothing new has happened in the full-time process.

    1. SOG – Chief Slauter

                                                              i.      A handout pertaining to Weapons of Mass Destruction was distributed for review.  Please return any suggestions or comments in two weeks during the next Senior Staff Meeting.

    1. Truck and Trailer Issue – Lt. Hurrle

                                                              i.      Chief Thacker has put in for a grant on a training trailer.  He has not been notified of the award yet but if the department receives the grant the trailer is a 50’ Semi trailer.  No vehicle currently in use with the department would be capable of towing such a trailer.  Lt. Hurrle questioned weather to look for a vehicle to hall this new trailer or just rely on what is currently owned.

                                                            ii.      Lt. Hurrle will be checking on F450 – F550 vs. Semi Truck.  Also would like to know if the department would like to trade one truck or both?  Chief Brown cautions not to get rid of both trucks.

                                                          iii.      An F550 is little bigger than the dooly but a lot beefier.  Weymeier would modify the dooly but were afraid it would compromise safety.

                                                           iv.      Chief Tibbetts requested Lt. Hurrle obtains quotes for trade-in on the dooly and pricing for an F550.

                                                             v.      Would the department like a 4WD vehicle for replacement?  Should Lt. Hurrle compare new to used?  Chief Tibbetts answered yes except when you buy used you usually buy someone else’s problem. 

                                                           vi.      Another concern is if the snow plow will attach to the F550.  The department would have to look into the cost of a new mount.  What would the cost be to pay someone else to do it?  Lt. Hurrle suggested the staff be allowed to do it on shift, someone always has a snow plow on their truck.  The main cost then would be for the salt.

    1. Ladder 53 Issue – Lt. Hurrle

                                                              i.      The Ladder is currently undergoing repairs.  The wait now is for parts.  The headsets were wired incorrectly by ERS on High School Rd.  Along with the headset issue the generator is also a concern.

                                                            ii.      The swivel has been replaced along with the swing arm motor.

                                                          iii.      Chief Slauter has also taken some pictures of the oxidation that is occurring in the same place that has already been fixed.

 

  1. New Business
    1. SOG – Chief Brown

                                                              i.      Chief Brown dispersed a couple SOG’s concerning Fire Safety Inspections and Fire Investigations.

                                                            ii.      There is an update on Cadet issue, it is now in the attorney’s hands and will be reported to the board soon.

                                                          iii.      Chief Brown asked for input on department firefighters posting pictures of them in uniform discussing the department along with explicit information on their own web sites.  Do any other Chief’s want to deal with this issue?  Chief Tibbetts inquired if the department is explicitly stated along with the personal information.  The answer is yes.

    1. Internet Posting Issue

                                                              i.      There have been a few issues with internet postings.  Some firefighters have posted some pictures in uniform in front of the apparatus.  They have subsequently been told to remove them.

                                                            ii.      Chief Thacker was told by Lt. Slusher about Jim Meacham posting several questionable things in his profile.  He and Chief Brown believe that the questions being asked just to post a profile on My Space are questionable.

                                                          iii.      Chief Brown stated that there have been cases where crimes have been committed, such as arsons, and those who committed them posted information about it on their My Space sites.  Johnson County has used it to catch someone making threats along with the Dateline specials about predators.

                                                           iv.      The main issue is not that some firefighters have a profile posted but that the content is affiliated with the department.

                                                             v.      Pictures of incidents have also been posted and this problem has been addressed in training.

                                                           vi.      Chief Tibbetts states that pictures in uniform can be posted as long as it is not associated with the department.  No one is to specifically identify White River Township Fire Department unless Chief Tibbetts explicitly gives permission.  It can be stated in a profile that they work for a fire department in Johnson County but not to specifically state the department name.

                                                         vii.      Chief Thacker suggests that an e-mail be sent citing recent investigations into postings that anyone posting specific statements, pictures or information involving the department must remove all relating material.  Everyone agrees that an e-mail along with a Memo be sent out with specific quotes from the Policy Manual involving this subject matter.

                                                       viii.      Tricia Leminger will also be conducting a sexual harassment class.

                                                           ix.      Most of the firefighters are doing the posting without thinking, no harm is meant.  Too many of the guys believe that nothing is being done even though it is.  A mandatory meeting should be called to “lay down the law.”  Interviews and psychological exams will not catch those who just do not think before they act.  There are no moral or ethical values with those who are creating the postings.  The department needs to crack down because it is getting out of hand.

                                                             x.      Chief Brown stated that Tricia Leminger told him that we have been doing a good job of hiding it.  The problem is that he believes that it is not being hidden but that the officers were unaware of the extent of the problem.  Chief Tibbetts replied that a small investigation has turned into an encyclopedia.  Chief Brown has difficulty with the fact that some of the guys will look you in the face and say they didn’t do anything wrong which brings it back to a moral or ethical situation.  Lt. Hurrle states that the comfortable fraternity atmosphere gives guys a comfort level allowing for possible problems.

                                                           xi.      It was decided that there should be a mandatory meeting for officers to state the department’s position, reiterate their responsibility as an officer, and have them leave the meeting fearing for their jobs.  Chief need to lay down the law.

 

  1. Meeting called at 0904.