White River Township Fire Department

                                                Bi-Weekly Strategic Meeting

           

                                                Thursday, April 12, 2007

 

 

                       

Present:

Chief Cassin

Chief Brown

Chief Engmark

 

 

Chief Thacker

Chief Slauter

Crystal Young

 

  

  1. Meeting called to order at 0802.

 

  1. Old Business
    1. Future Funding Plan Update

                                                              i.      Item tabled until the current legislative session is over.

    1. Near-miss Report Update

                                                              i.      Shifts are doing training this week.

                                                            ii.      The reporting is not bound by time.  If someone remembers something that happened in ’88, that can still be reported.

                                                          iii.      firefighternearmiss.com to enter a report

                                                           iv.      Chief Slauter suggested an SOG go out on this topic for accreditation purposes.  A half page of instructions on how to do the reporting would be enough.

                                                             v.      Reports can be made for any situation such as training, responding to a call, or EMS.

    1. Department Suggestion/New Idea Policy Update

                                                              i.      Chief Thacker has not been able to work on this so it will be tabled until the next meeting.

    1. Smoking Policy Review

                                                              i.      The issue will be kicked to the union today.

                                                            ii.      Chief Thacker has spoken to Tony and Jory.  Tony is okay with it.  Jeff Smith also said that he has tried to quit.

                                                          iii.      Lt. Alford is the only one that has been outspoken about the topic.

1.      Chief Engmark stated that Lt. Alford said that if everyone was in, it would give him a reason to quit.

                                                           iv.      Several of the firefighters are doing more exercise and becoming more fit so this would fit in with the fitness plan.

    1. Escort Policy Review

                                                              i.      The current policy states that there has to be police involvement and only one apparatus can be involved.

                                                            ii.      The Sheriff’s department no longer does escorts so we could blame it on them.

 

  1. New Business
    1. Ambulance

                                                              i.      Chief Slauter stated that he and Capt. Hart had favorable discussions with the board members.  The main thing is they want more data.

1.      He and Capt Hart will start meeting and pull more data together.  They will need to get this information together for the grant anyway.

2.      Cost figures for the apparatus need to be gathered.  Next week during FDIC would be a good time to get the information.

                                                            ii.      A couple of years ago Chief Cassin and Capt Hart developed a budget to see how it would work.  They still have those figures so there is something there to build on.

1.      Billing and other administrative task should be accomplished by the current staff.

                                                          iii.      Chief Cassin has spoken to Kim about writing the grant.

1.      He recognized Chief Thacker’s trepidation in using her but stated that he believes there is not enough time to find someone else that is intimate enough with WRT to pull out the most helpful information.  She has gone through the proper training and would be an asset to the process.

2.      Kim knows what AFG is looking for and has already spent some time researching the grant to see if we would even qualify.

                                                           iv.      A meeting needs to be set up for everyone to get together who will have a hand in the grant. At this time it is 2 ½ - 3 weeks away and the board meeting is May 1.  If the grant was prepared by then, once it is okayed by the board, it could be sent.

                                                             v.      Chief Thacker believes the SAFER Grant will be due sometime in the summer.  There is no specific deadline at this time.

1.      Specifically states trained Firefighters, the specifications need to be looked into, it could mean just having NFPA Firefighter I.

2.      Plan for an audit, Chief Slauter stated that he did not want to get into the trouble a department in Orlando got in.  They received funds for OT and back pay for a HazMat class and used the funds to buy staff cars and other items.

3.      Depending on the qualifications on personnel we could hire civilians and put them through FFI to fulfill the requirements.

                                                           vi.      Chief Slauter stated that he and Capt Hart should have the numbers for the apparatus at the end of next week and they have the numbers for equipment and personnel now.

                                                         vii.      Chief Slauter stated that Capt Settles believes that we could go out and get more than one grant but he is not sure that is a good idea.  He believes that may be looked upon as too greedy.

1.      Chief Cassin stated that each application is looked at individually and that would not be the issue.  The real issue is the fact that they are matching grants and the department needs to come up with at least 10% of the cost of the grant and the higher the matching percentage the more favorable the application is looked at.

2.      The ambulance and the equipment will be listed under one grant application.

3.      Capt Hart would then need to keep a warehouse stock of medicine and supplies for the ambulance.

                                                       viii.      The meeting should be attended by Chiefs Cassin, Slauter, Thacker and Capt. Hart at the least.  The meeting is set for Tuesday April 24th at 5:00.

    1. Career Hiring

                                                              i.      Chief Thacker wanted to remind everyone that the process will begin in May and he is working with Wayne for CPAT.

                                                            ii.      Those with existing CPAT will be allowed to use them within six months of the written test date.  (sometime around August)

    1. Rick Lasky will likely be speaking at the Community Church of Greenwood, the High School is booked.
    2. Wednesday April 18th is the Cookout for “Arms for Life.”

                                                              i.      Chief Slauter believes the Department needs a big show of force and that Chief Cassin should attend.

1.      Chief Engmark stated that the Ladder and E51 will be there.

                                                            ii.      Their goal is to have $1 million by July 1st and they are well on their way.

                                                          iii.      A group is selling t-shirts and arm bands and Chief Slauter believes that the department should give them a booth at the Strawberry Festival.

1.      Tuesday 24th is the next Strawberry Festival meeting where the menu and schedule of events will be nailed down.

2.      Everyone believes that the money from the run should go to the “Arms for Life” fund instead of the Rotary who at this point has not been in touch with the department.

3.      The Fire Department should organize the whole thing.  We should set up paypal for people to register on-line.

4.      This is a real hot button topic for the community right now and it could turn out well.

    1. Salary Survey

                                                              i.      The Lieutenants salary mean went up quite a bit in the past year.  Approximately 7% along the line.

1.      This will make the General Fund budget flip by 2012 by $60,000 and gets worse from there.  (numbers include adding the position that has been discussed)

2.      In the past the decision has been to not mess with the adjustment of the salaries.

3.      Everyone has been in agreement that 51% is too low for WRT.  Only one will be at the 51% level and that will be the Lt., everyone else will be higher.  ($2300 increase)

4.      FF position is above; captains are right at it, the Deputy Chief and Fire Chief are above it because of the spread.

                                                            ii.      The department needs to make a decision about what to do.

1.      Chief Slauter stated that the Battalions received a hefty increase a couple of years ago and if the department did it for them the department should do it for the Lt.

2.      It would be a big morale concern.  It is stated that WRTFD expects more but doesn’t pay more.

3.      Everyone agrees that the department needs to go this route and adjust any way we can.

4.      Chief Cassin stated that we need to do it but make sure the budget stays balanced.

a.      Every year will get tougher and tougher and the numbers will get closer and closer to 0.

                                                          iii.      Once the extra personnel are added the budget will start to go negative.

1.      2016 has the worst negative amount.

2.      Largely depends on the Capital Outlays for the year.

3.      The Capital Outlays have been evening out but some things cannot be avoided.

                                                           iv.      Chief Thacker believes the Ladder and all of the problems we have had with it are causing problems.  (It is on a 15 yr replacement cycle)

1.      The Tanker, TSU and Grass all have 15 yr replacement while the Engines have 10 yr.

                                                             v.      Chief Slauter stated that in January everyone decided the chiefs needed to keep a tighter control on Capital Outlays by determining true needs with wants.

1.      At this point the department needs to purchase a monitor for the HazMat trailer, in about 10-15 yrs it will need to be replaced and Chief Cassin stated that there is currently no mechanism in place to do that.

2.      Things need to be addressed on a yr to yr basis and the department should be able to defend it to the board.

    1. Department Restructuring

                                                              i.      There needs to be a way to restructure the way the department is laid out without affecting the budget.

                                                            ii.      Chief Cassin stated that he has come up with some minor things but they do not make major enough changes to the budget.

                                                          iii.      Adding two Staff Battalion Chiefs.

1.      This does not help the pyramid but gives us the additional people.

2.      Take some items out of the General Fund and move them to the Cum Fund (items such as monitors)

                                                           iv.      The department could eliminate the Training Chief position and still have two staff Battalions.  The problem with that is the department preached to the board the importance of that position for the training and safety of the firefighters.

                                                             v.      If there is a real Fire Chief is there a need for a Deputy or Assistant Chief?

                                                           vi.     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


1.      Chief Slauter believes four is too many to be reporting to the Fire Chief.

2.      Chief Brown does not see that as a major problem because each of them run their own departments now as it is.

3.      Chief Slauter believes he is the odd man out and does not care what decision is made as long as it is what is best for the department.

4.      There already exists a core of leaders who have already been taking care of what needs to be done.  It will all come down to the trust the Fire Chief puts in the people he has in those positions.

5.      Everyone already does most of their own presentations and day to day operations.

                                                         vii.      Currently the Division Chiefs report to the Deputy Chief who then reports to the Fire Chief.

                                                       viii.      OT is an issue that can be reduced even more.  The department can restructure minimum staff rules.

1.      Chief Cassin stated that FLSA OT where only ½ of the potential time is paid.  Every possible penny is budgeted but even going back to 2004 only ½ has even been spent.  That line item could be adjusted and that cash could be freed up for something else.

2.      Businesses do it every day.  They look at historical data then budget accordingly.  We budget for worst case scenario. 

                                                           ix.      Chief Slauter asked if the interest earned on the accounts can go to salary.

1.      Chief Cassin stated that the interest is already in the budget.

2.      Another avenue is the extra tax collected.  The problem with that is we do not know if we are going to receive it and if so how much it may be.

                                                             x.      Chief Slauter stated that four positions under Fire Chief are doable and eventually we would have true ranks.

                                                           xi.      Chief Thacker stated that we should decide what we want our structure to look like then place people accordingly.

1.      Create the EMS staff position.  We could change the Training Chief to a Training Director and have them oversee EMS.

                                                         xii.      Another Option

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


1.      Chief Slauter stated that it is fair to say that ideally this is what we want.

a.      This matches the PowerPoint that was given to the board.

b.      This is how most departments work.

                                                       xiii.      Chief Thacker stated that we could have any set up we want as long as there is money and we can show purpose.  Maybe we should try having three staff battalions and make the training director a Capt. Rank.

1.      Option three

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2.      With this option the only thing that is being added is a Capt.

3.      Since it is dropping the Deputy Chief the difference in salary could go to hiring a Capt.

4.      By doing this we could also re-do the numbering system to be more like Greenwood and that would help out dispatch.

                                                       xiv.      This could loosen the financial noose.

1.      This department structure is more responsible on funding

2.      Reducing a Deputy Chief level

3.      No new chiefs position is added

4.      This structure also achieves the ultimate goals of work load and reporting being more even.

a.      Staff are not merit they are rank (Capt)

b.      Capt. Skipper is not a merit but rank of Capt.

c.      We may have to create a merit Capt position.

                                                         xv.      Chief – SB (Prevention, Admin, Operations) – Capt. (Public Education, Training/EMS)

1.      Station Capt. – Merit Capt. Position

2.      Line position is merit position while office position is rank (currently 8 merit Capt.)

                                                       xvi.      A Monday - Friday training guy will need a staff vehicle.

1.      This will be a Capt. Vehicle like Capt. Skipper

2.      Already have an extra because only one was taken out when the proposal for the Battalion vehicle was presented.

3.      $7000 just in salary will be saved.

                                                     xvii.      The department may want to make the Operations Chief the EMS director.

                                                   xviii.      Stack pays are also eliminated.

1.      EMS program director will replace the three EMS officers.  This will also allow for more consistency in reports.

2.      Over $10,000 in stack pay could be saved.

3.      Shift Training officers could be moved up to $1500, maybe even $2500 Chief Thacker suggested.  They will be responsible for training on their shift and four times a year developing training schedule.

                                                       xix.      Chief Cassin stated that there was an Accreditation line item added to the budget to help Chief Slauter.

    1. Budget re-design

                                                              i.      Chief Cassin is working on redesigning the budget to separate out the different funds from the Gen Fund.

                                                            ii.      He was able to separate out the House and Prevention but was unable to separate out training because of the payroll aspect.  It will be shown in the General Fund as course tuitions.

                                                          iii.      Fire Fund – fees collected

1.      Other Svcs. Fund

a.      Go-on-fire billing in this fund.

b.      Ins. Claims

c.      Sale of property – general sales

                                                                                                                                      i.      Most of these are purchased with tax money but it is still one department so money is still going back to purchase more department items.

                                                           iv.      Chief Cassin will be getting everything together and sending it to Steve Dyson so he can get everything into his plan and both budgets submitted will look the same.

                                                             v.      Chief Cassin will also send out the new organizational chart to the board.

1.      Chief Thacker stated that all the department has done since Chief Cassin was made interim chief is being more responsible.

    1. Chief Slauter requested that we temporarily reduce minimum staffing to 15 to reduce the possibility of OT.
    2. Chief Thacker asked which shifts were going to be available when the hiring process starts.  The response was day time for the book is the most needed.  There are also two A-shift days available at this time.

 

  1. Meeting called at 0955.