White River Township Fire Department

                                                Bi-Weekly Strategic Meeting

           

                                                Thursday, October 4, 2007

 

 

                       

Present:

Chief Pell

Chief Brown

Chief Slauter

 

 

Chief Cassin

Chief Thacker

Crystal Young

 

  

  1. Meeting called to order at 0808.
  2. Old Business
    1. None
  3. New Business
    1. Updates – Chief Pell

                                                              i.      Station 51

1.      Chief Cassin will be checking for e-mail updates.  As of yesterday there should be a plan of action.

                                                            ii.      Command Structure

1.      He is under the impression that the board stated that they budgeted for it; the department could do what it wants.

2.      Once the budget is approved the department will take the position to the Safety Board and have it changed.

3.      The move should take place in February.

                                                          iii.      Fire Prevention Officer

1.      The process is on track.

    1. Station 51 discussion

                                                              i.      Tricia Leminger came in to the FPDB meeting with the focus on where we are and how to move forward.  She realizes that there is a larger issue and did not want to take up time talking about the past but to get to the solution to the problem.

                                                            ii.      The department needs to first get into the station then see the options on where to go from there.

                                                          iii.      The latest date at this time for anything to be done is October 18th.

1.      Everything would be wrapped up when the antenna is hooked up.

a.      Currently 52 moves through 51 to get to 53.  If 51 goes down 52 also goes down.  Chief Cassin is assuming that the new system will not do that and will check on that.

2.      LT. Smith is taking care of the last minute issues.  (Stripping the bay floors, paper towel holders, etc.)

3.      The utilities will need to be checked on and made sure they are in the department’s name.

4.      JE Mechanical needs to come in and finish and the station needs to pass final inspection.

5.      Steelcorp has already been there and has taken care of some smaller issues.

a.      Bathroom doors still need to be put up.  Chief Brown asked if we should go with curtains instead of partitions.  Chief Cassin responded that it is Steelcorp’s issue to deal with and they have already ordered the parts to fix the problem.

b.      There is also a water collection issue that will be fixed.

                                                           iv.      Once we get to that point the department will get the C of O and the specific move in date.

    1. New Station 51 Operationally

                                                              i.      Chief Slauter stated that the Quick Reference Sheet has been updated.

                                                            ii.      911 Screen – Mike Combs will make changes personally to the screen to make sure it is done and done right.

                                                          iii.      Capt Settles says he is ready for the apparatus change.

1.      The Ladder will move the same day as the move in.

2.      Capt Settle changing the Engine to a Squad will take the most time.

                                                           iv.      Cable splicer was in the building yesterday.

1.      The cables are run from the outside of the building into the basement.

2.      Chief Brown asked if there were plenty for a non-Centrex line for part of the fire alarm test for the auto dialer.  Chief Cassin replied that there were plenty.

3.      Need to call AT&T and ask if the lines can be turned on in both locations.

                                                             v.      Alerting System – It is up to JE Mechanical to put it in.

1.      They have the box it just needs to be wired up.  They should be in the building for at least two days.

2.      Mike Combs will be contacting the Motorola people to have them there at the same time to get all of it done at the same time.

3.      Chief Slauter asked if the Battalion is on a separate system and they are.  There will be three blocks in the building.

a.      He also wanted to know if Rural Metro ends up putting a truck at 53 if the extra box could be used and Chief Cassin answered yes.

4.      Everything is worked out it just needs to be hooked up and tested.

5.      Chief Slauter wanted to let everyone know he will be in Arizona during the week of the 21st teaching a class.  There is a possibility that it will be canceled but it should be expected that he will be gone during that week.  Chief Pell will also be gone during that week.

                                                           vi.      There are still unknowns due to JE Mechanical.  The move in depends on the final inspection and if the department gets the C of O.

1.      Capt Settles will also need about a week lead time to call all the vendors and have everything delivered.

2.      Also have him check the trees that there are the right type and amount, which is something that has been tagged at the Hearth to keep them from moving forward.

    1. Chief Pell

                                                              i.      Chief Brown has asked him how flexible he will be on flex time.  Chief Tibbetts was relaxed on flex time.  Chief Pell will look at it closer in January and believes the officers either need to follow the policy or the policy needs to be updated.

                                                            ii.      He has a couple of pet peeves.

1.      In/Out Board – He does not like any one telling the public that they don’t know where someone is when they call in.  This allows the public to be told that they are in but busy.

2.      He also does not like the office completely empty.  He would like there to be a minimum amount of chiefs on duty.

                                                          iii.      There was also a question as to who gets credit for attending the District Board meetings.  Previously it was just Chiefs Tibbetts and Cassin.

1.      Chief Pell believes that if you are in attendance because you division has an issue in front of the board you should get time.

2.      Chief Slauter stated that one department he visited during the Accreditation training made it a requirement for the Senior Staff to attend and they did monthly reports to the chief for review for the board.

3.      Chief Pell does like to have the head there if a question comes up that they would be able to answer.

4.      Chief Pell does not want to require attendance but will strongly encourage it especially if it pertains to their division.

a.      All Senior Officers can go and get flex time if they attend.

b.      The way the meeting went with everyone being there for support worked out well.

c.      Chief Pell will still drive the meeting but will give some cue if he is in need of some help.

5.      Chief Thacker appreciated that Chief Pell stood his ground.  That was something that didn’t exist before.  Once questioned he would back off.  It was nice to see him not back off and answer the questions well.

6.      Chief Pell appreciated that comments and the support.

    1. Open

                                                              i.      Chief Slauter

1.      There was an issue with the doors on the bay being left open all night.  He wanted to know if there should be a policy put in place that the building needs to be secure at night or when gone on a run.

a.      Chief Thacker stated that Chief Pell doesn’t want to start putting a policy on everything that should be common sense.

b.      Someone needs to talk to the Capt and make sure that they understand that the doors need to be closed.  When they go to bed they need to make sure that the building is secure.

c.      Chief Cassin asked if it is an issue.  Chief Slauter stated that it is from time to time at all the stations.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Homeland Security policy states that the building is not to be left open on a run.

                                                                                                                                    ii.      Chief Slauter asked if it should be a directive from the Chief in the newsletter.  He believes that an authoritative voice needs to do it.

d.      The doors need to be down and the building secured when no one is there.  Chief Slauter will take care of the issue.

2.      Lt Cox just called and stated that he has no money left in his fund to purchase $12,000 worth of turnout gear for the five new guys.

a.      Chief Cassin stated that there is money in the Miscellaneous Fund that hasn’t been used and feels comfortable using that.

3.      Chief Thacker stated that there is currently an issue with guys taking a shift getting on the department then coming off shift and going to the book.

a.      The department needs to find the sweet spot.  Thin out the book from 20 to maybe 15 people.

b.      Is anyone on the chopping block

                                                                                                                                      i.      Ron Reinhold, Anthony Mangus to name a couple.

c.      We may need to run a report to see who is working how many hours.

d.      Chief Slauter stated that it may change at the beginning of the year when we open that next spot.

e.      The department needs to look at the schedule and see how it may work better.

4.      Chief Pell asked Chief Cassin if the $12,000 was okay to move.

a.      Chief Cassin stated that there is already Misc. expenditure.  Any purchase over $5,000 was to be approved but the board has stated that as long as the purchase was approved in the budget we do not have to go to them every time.  $25,000 is the cutoff.

b.      At this time we are not moving money, the purchase will come directly out of the fund.

                                                            ii.      Chief Pell received a phone call from Tricia that she is unable to get hold of Scott Senefeld.  The worry at this time is that the department still needs to get the Certificate of substantial completion from Senefeld.

                                                          iii.      Chief Thacker

1.      Annual off site – He would like to make sure that January is okay and that if anyone would prefer December.

a.      Chief Cassin stated that December is too busy with last minute vacations and end of year admin issues and by the middle of January most of those issues are over.

b.      Chief Thacker will get some dates together and the place to have the off site.

c.      Chief Slauter liked the place.  He felt we had complete run of the place and were not disturbed and the location was convenient to town.

2.      Employee Recognition Dinner

a.      Needs to be on A-shift, Chief Slauter stated that there has not been one on his shift in about three years.

b.      Chief Thacker will contact Pipers soon for the end of January on an A-shift Saturday night.

3.      Full-Time process – Chief interviews are to happen the week after next.

4.      Part-Time process – at this time there will be nothing until spring.

                                                           iv.      Evaluations

1.      Chiefs Slauter and Thacker have been tasked with the evaluation process.

2.      They originally thought of going with the hiring date but it became a tracking nightmare.

3.      They thought of doing it at one time and give the officer a stack and thirty days to complete.

a.      There is great value in it if done correctly.

b.      Concern that if there are too many and the officers may get overloaded.

4.      Consistency is also an issue.  Maybe this should be a topic for the monthly officer training.

5.      There was a suggestion to make the window broader.

a.      Chief Thacker suggested to hand the officer their evaluations that needed to be completed and be given 60 days to complete them.

6.      The sign up people would be the next issue, who would do their evaluations.

7.      Chief Pell stated that the majority should come from the shift guys since they know them best.  He also believes that it is good to know when your evaluation is coming.

8.      Chief Slauter and Thacker are going to throw the issue to the company officers and see what they want to do.

                                                             v.      NIMS 400 training for Capt and above on Oct. 18 & 19.

1.      Chief Thacker is open to suggestions for next month and any other monthly training.

a.      He has a couple of books and is looking on doing a discussion on how to be a good follower.  He would bring someone in for a four hour talk.

b.      The monthly officer training is good because it brings everyone together and train on different areas of the organization.

                                                           vi.      Chief Brown

1.      He would like to dispel the rumor that the Fire Department is holding up the Hearth.  The Fire Department is done and has released the building for move in for residents.  There will be a final inspection and keys still need to be put in the Knox box but that is due to their keying system and they understand that until that key gets put in the box there will be windows breaking if it is necessary.

2.      He is also going to a meeting releasing Indiana’s stance on the smoke detector issue.

a.      They are going with the combination, do not get rid of what you have just add the photo electric.

b.      Currently the department is giving out both.

c.      There is confusion in the department so Chief Brown will put something in the newsletter explaining the issue.

  1. Meeting called at 0923.