August 2020 Meeting Minutes https://www.blountcofireandemsassociation.org/
Attendance
• Representatives of each member department: Allgood, Blount County Rescue Squad, Blountsville, Brooksville, Dallas/Selfville, Holly Springs, Locust Fork, Mount High, Murphree Valley, Nectar, Oneonta, Remlap, Ricetown, Royal, Sneed, Straight Mountain, Summit, and West Blount.
• Associate members present: EMA, 911/Comms, Forestry, BREMSS, Blount EMS, and Alabama Fire College.
Chairman’s Remarks
• Recognition of Guest:
o DryTech, Tommy Livett
Previous Meeting Minutes
Motion to Accept: Scott Payne - Allgood VFD
2nd Motion to Accept: Lee Netheron – Snead VFD
2020 August Meeting Minutes –approved with no objections.
Financial Reports
Doug has Land Field Checks for Departments that have yet to receive their checks Workman Compensation invoices are due
Motion to Accept: Paul Gilbert – Remlap VFD
2nd Motion to Accept: John Storey – Straight Mountain VFD
2020 August Financial Report was approved with no objections or corrections.
Committee Reports Chair’s Report
• With the recent lose of two Blount County Firefighters: Kyle Dodd – Oneonta Fire and Levi Ingle- Blountsville, services and resources are available to the departments and family. Chairman Hill ask that significant departmental events be communicated to one of the association representatives. The representatives can assist with connecting your department with the appropriate services and resources. Resources and services are available to not only departments but to department members.
• COVID response guidelines need to be followed. If departments are unable to respond to calls due to staffing related to COVID. Please let dispatch or an association representative know so mutual aid arrangements can be made with surrounding departments to ensure coverage. Masks can be provided by EMA.
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 - $4,271.00 ~ 102.5%
• To date fuel expenditures $39,878.00 ~79.8%
• Fuelman Cards – if expired please contact Don for replacement
• ICS 300 3 Day Class – August 14th -16th 2020 (Friday 6-9:30pm, Saturday 7:30am-5:30pm)
• Contact Don at EMA for information if you need to sign up for the class
• Due to COVID guidelines, the class is limited to 16 people
• To be held at the Frank Green Building
• Homeland Security Grant (100% reimbursable)
o 6 Agencies applied for grants
o Majority of applications were for radios
o Application Review August 17th, Grant Award Announcement September 4th, Money to be Received October 5th
Blount County 911
Report provided by David Morgan, Blount County 911:
o P25 Radio System; Next 12 – 18 months
o Investigating possible funding assistance and/or leasing system, should have a response from Motorola within the next two weeks
o Working on a combiner/filter system project that will reduce the number of antennas on the towers as wells as reduce the interferences from outside agencies and frequencies. The work will begin next week, some channels maybe down during implementation
o Building out a voting system for Channel 1
o 5 people are being trained to pilot the county’s drone
o Working on development of an incident dispatch team, would work from the site of the incident
o 911 Board Meeting held; 3rd Thursday of month 9:00am at 911 Center
Communications – No Report Training
• Email Josh Gibson (
Fire Prevention – No Report Explorer Post – No Report
Forestry
Report provided by Matt Tucker, Blount County Forestry
• Forestry grant checks will be available tonight
• District 2 meeting has been postponed, unknown at this time if it will be rescheduled
Special Ops – No Report
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
• EVOC Class will be hosted by Blount EMS resulted in 10 EVOC trained personnel
o Next class will be held after the 1st of the Year
• In planning phases of hosting CEU classes based on NCR modules: Oct – STEMI, Nov – Pediatric, Dec – Trauma, Jan – EVOC. Schedule will be posted next month
• Advised operating in state of emergency, so mask are recommended on all patient encounters
o COVID has resulted in longer wall times for EMS and limiting resources
o Blount EMS have seen staffing issues increase
o Hospitals have limited beds available
• Medical Orders are required for Albuterol, avoid low ventilated areas
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
Reported provided by Arthur Willis, Chief of Training
• Firefighter I/Firefighter II, FF160 July 31st moved to 2019 - 10 01 Book
• Firefighter Memorial postponed to Spring, Date/Time TBD
• Firefighter weekend also postponed to Spring, Date/Time TBD
• NFA Grant, funding available for Volunteer Firefighters to cover tuition
• NFA Weekend moved to March 2021, bus will be provided for travel
• Alabama Fire College provides peer support for departments, individuals and families
• Alabama Fire College update; via email, contains information about all training/classes and events via the Fire College
Red Cross – No Report VOAD – No Report
Junior Firefighter Camp – No Report OLD Business – No Report
NEW Business
Chief Hill announced the formation of the nominated committee for the 2021 Blount County Fire and EMS Association’s Officers. Members of the committee will provide a listing of nominations at the September meeting with elections to be held at the October association meeting. The nominative committee is as follows: Chief Stockton, Chief Reid, Marcie Willis and Chief Storey.
The September association meeting will need to be relocated due to COVID, alternate location will be announced upon confirmation.
January Remlap July Nectar
February Sneed August Mount High - Ricetown
March West Blount September STV Blount
April Coroner Office TBD October Holly Springs
May Blountsville November Palisades
June Straight Mountain December Oneonta
