2020-07-09 Minutes

July 2020 Meeting Minutes https://www.blountcofireandemsassociation.org/

Attendance

•    Representatives of each member department: Allgood, Blountsville, Brooksville, Dallas/Selfville, Holly Springs, Murphree Valley, Nectar, Oneonta, Pine Mountain, Remlap, Rosa, Sneed, Summit and West Blount.
•    Associate members present: EMA, 911/Comms, Forestry, Special Ops, BREMSS, Blount EMS, and VOAD.
Chairman’s Remarks

•    Recognition of Guest:
o    TrioSafety/Stop Heart Attack, Brady McLaughlin
o    DryTech, Ryan Vidischak
o    MES – Johnny West
Previous Meeting Minutes
Motion to Accept: John Reed - Nectar VFD

2nd Motion to Accept: George Stanton – Brooksville VFD

2020 June Meeting Minutes – corrections noted, were approved with no objections.

Financial Reports

Motion to Accept: Joseph Benson – Blountsville VFD 2nd Motion to Accept: John Head – Pine Mountain VFD
2020 June Financial Report was approved with no objections or corrections.

Committee Reports Chair’s Report
•    Recognition of special guest and dinner sponsorship
 
•    Chairman Hill advised Matt Tucker (Forestry) has been appointed Blount County Representative for the Forestry District 2 committee.
•    Chairman Hill provided background information and recent changes regarding the appointments to the 911 Board.
o    In 1992 - 7 representatives/places were established. Appointments made by the County Commission: EMA Director, Sheriff, Telephone Company (reclassified as Small Municipalities), Fire Association, EMS representative (reclassified to 2nd of larger municipality and at this time that is Leeds), Accountant (reclassified to City of Oneonta) and At Large
o    Appointment every 4 years
o    Blount County Fire and EMS Association will now have one appointment to the board versus the previous two appointments with the merging/establishment of Blount County Fire and EMS Association.
o    New appointments made in June:  Ken Campbell – Place 1, Sherriff Moon – Place 2, Open – Place 3 (Steve Gunn has been recommended but not official). As appointments expire, the reclassification of positions will take affect and appointments will be made to be reflective of the new reclassifications.
EMA

Report provided by Don Roybal, Blount County EMA Director:
•    Fuelman Report   Yearly Allowance of $50.000.00 or $4, 167 per month
•    June Fuel Expenses - $3, 011.00  72.3%
•    Fuelman Cards – if expired please contact Don for replacement
•    Departmental ID’s are available for each department via email due to COVID. In the email please include pic and individual qualifications.
•    ICS 300/400 Blount County 3 Day Class – August 14th -16th 2020
•    Contact Don at EMA for information
•    Registration for the classes is through the Alabama Fire College
•    Homeland Security Grant (100% reimbursable)
o $10,000.00 - $50,000.00  available
o    3 Primary categories: EOC, Soft targets/crowed places and Inter-operability (with proposed new radio system this category is now applicable to Blount County)
 
o    Deadline for applying July 28th: Application/paperwork with SAMS # are due to EMA on or before this date – grants to be awarded in October
o    Contact Don for addition information and application
Blount County 911

Report provided by Neil Brooks, Director Blount County 911:
•    In early stages of financing and installing a P25 radio system
o    Resolution passed that it is the goal of the 911 Board to move to a P25 platform. This goal is open ended and there is current no hard timeline for this move. This resolution is a starting point to move in the P25 direction.
o    There are grants available to assist in funding departments purchase of new handheld and mobile radios. Blount County 911 and EMA will work with departments to apply for the grant funding.  A copy of the resolution letter can be obtained from 911 for grant applications.
o    Areas that boarder Jefferson County are encouraged to apply ASAP, this would allow for connectivity with other P25 systems that are currently in place since the system works a lot like overlapping cellular services.

Communications
Report provided by Neil Brooks, Director Blount County 911 and John Head, Chief Pine Mountain
•    Pine Mountain tower destroyed in the storm has been replaced but with a much smaller tower. There are issues accessing the tower and tower site, in addition there is some equipment from the old tower that was not reinstalled on the new tower.

Training

•    Email Josh Gibson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) regarding training upcoming opportunities, he will update the training calendar: https://www.blountcofireandemsassociation.org/training/training- calendar
•    MES will be hosting training classes focusing on cross-training with neighboring departments. This training will be at no cost to departments. Email Tyler Wilson with Nectar VFD is your department is interested in the training.
 



Fire Prevention – No Report Explorer Post – No Report Forestry – No Report Special Ops
Report provided by Kenny Booth, Chief Oneonta Fire
The small enclosed trailer has been received and is currently being loaded with the DECON equipment freeing up the larger trailer for Junior Fire Fighter camp equipment. A rider will be added to Blount County EMS policy to cover any vehicle that is towing the trailer and the trailer itself.
St. Vincent's Blount – No Report BREMSS
Report provided by Bryan Gober, Manager of Education and Provider Service
•    New EMS rules and protocols effective June 15. Training resources are on the BREMSS website and via Alabama EMS Challenge.
•    Alabama EMSP licenses are extended through the duration of the COVID-19 state of emergency.  NREMT extension ended June 30.
•    EMS equipment at TCC, UAB, Princeton, and Shelby is ready for pick-up. Emails sent and TCC equipment list is on the BREMSS website.
•    Hospital resources are real tight in BREMSS and other areas of the state. Call early for trauma, stroke, STEMI patients.  For other patients, pay close attention to hospital divert status.
•    BREMSS office remains on a very limited in-person business model. All staff are working and available on an as-needed basis.
•    Need Blount Co. EMSP of the Year and BREMSS EMS Telecommunicator of the Year nominee by October meeting. Format of the BREMSS Awards Banquet is still in the planning stages due to COVID-19.
 

Blount EMS

Report provided by Wesley Powell, Blount EMS Operations Manager

•    Basic EMT class completed at Rosa VFD
•    EVOC Class will be hosted by Blount EMS, Date TBA
•    Investigating interested in participating in Advance EMT class – need qualified instructors
•    In planning phases of hosting CEU classes Oct – Dec
•    Advised the state is still under an emergency, so mask are recommended on all patient encounters
•    Masked are required for everyone in Jefferson County
•    COVID has resulted in longer wall times for EMS and limiting resources
Law Enforcement – No Report State Fire Marshall – No Report Coroner – No Report
Blount County District Attorney Office – No Report LifeSaver, RAMS, Air-Evac – No Report
Alabama Fire College – No Report Red Cross – No Report
VOAD

Report provided by Larry Stone, Blount County VOAD

•    VOAD distributing cloth masks provided by FEMA
•    Blount County VOAD acquired several pieces of equipment, currently housed at 911 until better storage arrangements can be made
•    Next VOAD meeting to be held July 21st at 10:30am at Blount County 911
•    Yard Sale planned for July 24th and 25th at Agri Business Center to raise additional funding for Honor Flight
 

Junior Firefighter Camp – No Report OLD Business
•    Reminder that Truck Checks and Financial Reports are due for those outstanding
•    Invoices for Work Compensation Insurance have been mailed by Doug
•    AAC meeting:
o    January 2020 – 782 CFS Dispatched/468 priority 1 responses    92.73% Compliance
o    February 2020 – 757 CFS Dispatched/496 priority 1 responses    92.34% Compliance
o    March 2020 – 813 CFS Dispatched/534 priority 1 responses    92.51% Compliance
o    April 2020 – 720 CFS Dispatched/502 priority 1 responses    91.63% Compliance
o    May 2020 – 813 CFS Dispatched/569 priority 1 responses    91.91% Compliance
•    Nominations for BREMSS, determine how soon the nomination needs to be made
NEW Business – No Report