White River Township Fire Department

                                                Bi-Weekly Strategic Meeting

           

                                                Thursday, April 26, 2007

 

 

                       

Present:

Chief Cassin

Chief Brown

 

 

 

Chief Thacker

Chief Slauter

Crystal Young

 

  

  1. Meeting called to order at 0807.
  2. Old Business
    1. Near-miss Report Update

                                                              i.      No action.

    1. Department Suggestion/New Idea Policy Update

                                                              i.      No action.

    1. Smoking Policy Review

                                                              i.      The issue is no tolerance.  The issue has been discussed with the union and to this point they are alright with it.

                                                            ii.      The department needs an EAP for smoking and Chief Thacker stated that the best route is for everyone to go cold turkey.

                                                          iii.      The current policy was reviewed and stated everything that was agreed upon.

    1. AFG Grant review / update

                                                              i.      Kim stated that it will be completed by Thursday May 3rd giving everyone approximately 24 hours to review the grant and get it turned in.

                                                            ii.      Chief Slauter stated that the department needs to come up with a plan B.

1.      Many stipulations have been found that put us near the bottom of the list.

2.      The largest fact in our favor is the possibility of not having any other service in the area.

3.      There are more cons than pros.

                                                          iii.      The next issue will be if the District Board does not want to get into the business.

1.      Chief Brown stated that we could have the money for it today if we wanted.

2.      Jim Dodson stated that it would be in our best interest to have it in house.

3.      Jon Raker liked the civilian plan they had at Warren.

4.      Dr. Shufflebarger is usually the one that speaks out against ideas and he did not attend the last Board meeting.

                                                           iv.      Chief Cassin stated that there is another way but the Safer grant is necessary.  We would not be able to take two people off of a truck and put them on the ambulance.

                                                             v.      There was a meeting the other evening concerning making Center Grove a town.  If we don not do this now there is a possibility that within 10 years we could be annexed by either Greenwood or Bargersville.

1.      Chief Slauter stated that Avon is still loosing land because they cannot provide the services needed.

2.      Chief Brown stated that Bargersville already has up to Whiteland Rd.

3.      Chief Slauter believes that our best option in that situation is for the department to stay WRTFD and not become Center Grove Fire Department.  That way the department could contract with the town and would not have to compete for funds.

                                                           vi.      The district needs to be prepared to get $350,000 emergency loan.

1.      More than likely the board would not say no.  May not be until 2009 before we get it done.

  1. New Business
    1. Off-station Operations policy review

                                                              i.      There needs to be a consensus as to what is expected.

1.      During the Arms for Life there was an 8 min response because the crew was elsewhere.

2.      There needs to be consistency.  Black and White.

    1. Core Values

                                                              i.      Chief Slauter stated that he discussed this with Chief Cassin who told him to take care of it so everyone stated several different values to narrow down to five or less.

                                                            ii.      Values

Integrity

Commitment

Pride

Honor

Sacrifice

Teamwork

Service

Honesty

Duty

Community

Selfless

Respect

 

                                                          iii.      The values chosen, in alphabetical order to show no specific importance to any one value are:

1.      Duty

2.      Honor

3.      Integrity

4.      Pride

5.      Sacrifice

    1. ISO

                                                              i.      Chief Brown stated that we received the letter from ISO and Chief Cassin asked him to calculate what the department would need to do to get a Class 1 classification.

                                                            ii.      Chief Slauter stated that the accreditation will add points (3-5 points).

                                                          iii.      CAD

1.      The new GIS guy will be printing one square mile, geo zones, maps that the department is going to have to take and get (verify) any missing addresses in that zone.

2.      Chief Brown wanted to know if at some point dispatch would be able to use GIS to send the closest apparatus to the call. (call at Kroger and 92 is at Taco Bell sending them to the call)

                                                           iv.      Chief Thacker asked how much could be changed for training.

1.      Chief Brown stated that all the value is put on a burn building.

2.      All duty crews need to do pre-plans two times a year. (every building)

3.      All crews are walking through the buildings but they are not getting recorded.

                                                             v.      How can we get more points (at least 50%)?

1.      Chief Slauter stated that the ISO process is antiquated but they think they have it down to a science.

2.      Integrate a walk-through.

a.      New Duke building has yet to be pre-planned.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Chief Slauter wants the experienced personnel to do at least the first pre-plan.  Jory, Scholl, Witham, Bailey have done the bulk of them.  He also wants to send the Ladder to the building to check out the roof, etc.

3.      Personnel was a hit on the score along with the water supply.

                                                           vi.      Chief Brown believes the department needs to sit down as a group and evaluate what we can do to gain points.

1.      Chief Thacker believes many are simple issues that we can take care of.

2.      Hose test was inadequate but no one is sure what the problem was.  There is hose testing every year.

    1. Hiring process

                                                              i.      33 applications were picked up.  17 are coming in for testing this Friday and Saturday.

                                                            ii.      May 5th will begin the process for career.   Applications available on May 14th.

1.      August 11th will be the written test.

2.      CPAT first can weed out those who do not pass before we pay for their testing.

3.      There will be a need for people to help with handing out applications.

a.      The cost of the application will off-set the cost of having someone in to hand them out and answering questions.  This process worked last time so we will do it again.

    1. Chief Thacker reviewed the PowerPoint of the Staff Re-structuring presentation for the District Board.
    2. Chief Slauter previewed the PowerPoint for the Ambulance program for the District Board.

                                                              i.      Chief Slauter stated that Capt. Hart will be there and Chief Thacker could get with him if he has any other questions before he goes out of town.

  1. Meeting called at 0930.