Bi-Weekly Strategic Meeting
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Present: |
Chief Pell |
Chief Brown |
Chief Slauter |
|
|
Chief Cassin |
Chief Thacker |
Crystal Young |
|
i.
Chief Pell asked
how the move to the new station was going.
1. Chief Slauter stated that there had been an alerting
system issue but that had been fixed.
2. The electricians have been working in the bay until
well past midnight.
3. There was a roof leak found after the rain on Monday. The source was found around a pipe in the
roof.
a. Chief Cassin has contacted Steelcorp and they will be
working on that.
b. Ceiling tiles will need to be replaced.
ii.
Chief Pell asked
if the county had come back for their final inspection.
1. Chief Brown stated that the penalty would have to be
paid before that would occur.
iii.
Chief Pell would
like to run a rotation to the old station to make sure everything is okay and
no issues have come up that would need to be dealt with.
1. Chief Slauter stated that the Battalions pass by the
building everyday and who ever is on duty would stop and check the building.
a. He also wanted to know if the department should get a
roll up dumpster and start tossing what needs to go out of that building.
b. Chief Pell is not sure at this point but does want
the building to be as presentable as possible for the sale.
2. Chief Slauter asked if the water leak was still an
issue. Chief Pell stated that it has
been fixed and it was a Bargersville Utilities issue.
iv.
Chief Brown
asked if Chief Pell wanted an estimated timeline.
1. Chief Pell would like a timeline and also brought up
the barn.
a. Chief Thacker stated that New Whiteland and
Bargersville both stated an interest in it.
He thought it would be best to let New Whiteland come and get it if they
can they have fewer funds to work with than Bargersville.
b. Chief Pell told Chief Thacker to give them a call and
see what they would want to do.
v.
Chief Thacker
stated that several of the guys asked if they could do drills.
1. He will state in the newsletter that there will be no
training in the building that the department wants to sell the building the way
it stands.
vi.
Chief Pell will
let the board know during the December meeting that the department intends on
putting the building on the market by the January meeting.
vii.
Chief Pell asked
Chief Slauter if setup is complete in the new station.
1. Chief Slauter stated that there were a couple of
items left to take care of but should not take long to accomplish.
2. Chief Pell would like him to make a schedule for
clean up over all three shifts.
a. Chief Slauter stated that they are at a point to
start the clean up and could use 53 also.
Clean-up could be made a department project instead of just 51.
viii.
Chief Brown
stated that he could have the building listed by the first or second week of
January.
1. Chief Thacker asked how much the department would
list the property for.
a. The Broker stated $200,000 while the firms stated
$167,000.
b. Chief Brown told the guy that was interested in the
property $200,000 and he was okay with that figure.
ix.
Battalions will
do a daily walk through.
x.
All utilities
will be left on for know. Once the
building is cleaned up and as they become unnecessary they will be shut off.
xi.
Chief Thacker
asked if anything could be donated out of the building.
1. Chief Slauter stated that the beds could be donated
but the chairs were all broken. There
may also be one refrigerator left.
i.
Chief Pell gave
the policy to the union and Capt. Hart has gotten back to him and had no
changes or anything to add.
ii.
EAP Program –
Some literature needs to be put together and put out for the guys.
1. Chief Thacker put a drug policy together a while
back, gave it to Trish and she has had is ever since.
a. The policy was a combination between Warren and
Brownsburg.
b. It contained language that Brian Bosma previously
used hoping there wouldn’t be an issue with that.
2. Chief Thacker has had some people come to him for
counseling and the department has put that together.
a. At this point the department has never done random
drug testing.
b. The EAP representative needs to be someone that
everyone could trust.
3. Chief Thacker has spoken to Trish concerning the drug
policy and she stated that she is still looking at it. He would like to have the policy before
contracting with someone.
a. This is part of the wellness and fitness issue.
b. It would be good if the department could get
literature from Bob Smith or if someone is local.
c. Chief Pell would like to get the literature out so no
one in the department is contacted. If
that person is in desperate need of help they will contact the department and
let us know.
d. Chief Thacker stated that Chief Tibbetts would help
out with the first couple of sessions then it would be up to that person.
4. Chief Pell would like to send out a memo to let the
department know that Chief Thacker is the contact.
5. The Drug and Alcohol test is normal across the
board. The level is 0.02.
a. If someone smells of alcohol it is an issue.
iii.
For the 30
minute workout, training counts.
1. Chief Pell is not going to police this policy but he
does not want it abused either.
2. He would like to put a form together the keep track
of fitness activity but wants it to work on the honor system.
iv.
Staff people
would need to do (3) 30 minute workouts per week.
1. Chief Thacker has received requests for fitness tools
such as medicine balls and other small equipment.
v.
Chief Pell would
like to put wording in for limits on the smoking cessation program.
vi.
Chief Slauter
asked if he would allow the guys to use training money to join a health club.
1. Chief Pell stated that he would be hard pressed to
say okay due to the equipment the department already has.
2. Chief Thacker stated that membership is free at the
vii.
The policy will
take effect January 1st.
i.
Chief Pell
looked at all the suppliers when he was at
1. He has contacted them again and they are willing to
give WR the same deal.
2. They will sell at $0.06 over wholesale. That would be a savings of 25-30 cents per
gallon.
ii.
Chief Pell will
be meeting with Nick this afternoon.
1. He will provide some projected savings per year.
iii.
The only issue
that Chief Slauter sees is the training issue with the company officers in
getting fuel at the appropriate times.
iv.
Chief Brown asked
if Chief Pell had contacted
1. Chief Pell had contacted them before and when they
quoted for
2. Chief Slauter believes WR needs to keep another
option open.
a. He believes we should keep the credit account open in
case of an emergency. The Battalions
could keep hold of that card.
v.
Chief Pell would
also like to keep a piece of apparatus on station at all times if possible.
1. Chief Slauter stated that it is difficult to do at
Station 52.
2. Chief Pell understands but stated that if the medic
is gone on a run they should try to stay on station until the medic returns.
vi.
Chief Thacker
asked if keeping fuel tanks on station is feasible.
1. Chief Pell believed originally it was out of the
question but is not sure why.
2. Chief Slauter stated that it was an issue of
security.
3. Chief Cassin and Chief Tibbetts originally shot down
the idea. They looked at it as a
nuisance.
4. Chief Pell agrees that it probably is a nuisance and
understood the position.
5. Another option would be to have a 100 gallon tank and
small pump put in the dually. (cost
should be under $1000)
6. Chief Pell stated that WR is going to try to go with
Gas
i.
Chief Pell wants
to take a broad sweeping look at the budget and get an idea of what we
want. Once that is done he will meet
with the board one on one and get an idea of how to move forward.
ii.
Fire Prevention
– Chief Brown
1. Everything is fine with the edition of the part-time
guy.
2. The only other issue is having an extra pool car with
the extra part-time person.
3. Chief Pell stated that he will look at the whole
budget and see where we could be more efficient and self-fund other projects.
a. It could be taken care of with the creative use of
another vehicle (dually/pool car)
4. Chief Brown stated that with the current budget he
can maintain.
iii.
Training – Chief
Thacker (Hand out)
1. Web based EMS Training – goes to EMS director and
would keep everyone from having to come to
2. Quarterly off-site.
3. Monthly Company Officer Development Training
4. Chief Pell stated that he would like to look at Spec.
Ops during the big retreat.
a. He stated that it is currently difficult to explain, he
would like to hear justifications to ease his reservations.
i.
There were 12
tactical runs last year
ii.
The worry is the
areas of construction now in the district.
iii.
Currently there
is no team on the South side.
b. Chief Slauter stated that it would be easier if there
were other departments in the area to depend on.
c. Chief Thacker stated that if WR could get with
d. When looking at the collapse issue, everyone can
drive around and see that no one uses boxes in construction. With confined spaces, AT&T is doing a lot
of work in the district.
e. Chief Pell is not closed to the idea but would like
to see it at a regional level.
i.
Chief Slauter
said that Capt. Settles is not opposed to that.
ii.
On a trench run
you have to have a back up team – IFD will call us or Fishers.
iii.
Can not count on
one agency to provide everything.
1. WR could change the broad way of thinking for the
heavy rescue and other issues if we look at it as a regional approach.
2. Chief Slauter stated regional means WR and
5.
iv.
Operations –
Chief Slauter
1. Establish an EMS Staff person (Capt. or Division
Chief)
2. Looking at a TSU and Rescue swap – the Rescue has
more compartment space.
a. Hope is to downsize and get rid of trailers.
b. Referb the TSU to become the Rescue by reconfiguring
the whole box to put the equipment on that truck.
c. A small light tower would need to be added to the
Rescue.
3. Add two transport positions: medic and EMT
4. Purchase of an Ambulance and feasibility.
a. He believes we have been given direction by the board
to go ahead.
b. Chief Thacker asked if WR would buy used Ambulances.
i.
Chief Slauter
responded one new and one used.
ii.
The next
question would be how to work with Rural Metro or other private companies.
5. Everything else is okay – only
i.
Chief Pell has
met with Battalion Chiefs on how to handle leave time.
1. Schedule purpose 21 – The schedule is full at 19 – 4
on all apparatus, Battalion, and 2 on TSU.
a. The TSU will become part of the Box Alarm and will
get out more often. This gives the
shifts more flexibility.
b. Chief Engmark will get the policy written up.
2. Chief Pell sees adding three people per shift to run
the ambulance.
a. Guys on the TSU will move to the back up ambulance
when it is needed.
b. With the EMS Manager the department will have the
flexibility it needs.
3. Chief Pell is moving forward with the property but
the ambulance service is more important at this time.
a. Chief Slauter believes our truck will be very busy.
b. There will also be several issues to work out with
Rural Metro.
4. Chief Pell will get with some of the board members
between now and the retreat.
ii.
Chief Pell met
with some of the board members concerning the insurance issue.
1. He wanted to make sure the board had all the info
they needed.
2. He also wants to prepare the department for what the
board is thinking.
3. He hopes they take a budgetary approach but he is not
sure that is how they are looking at it.
a. The ’08 budget for insurance is less than the ’07
budget was.
b. This year the budget is very close.
4. Near the end of the meeting with them Chief Pell
stated to them that they could set this up to be a management nightmare by
having us cut benefits up front.
a. He asked them to first see where we could become more
efficient then ask for cuts if need be.