2020-09-03 Minutes


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

Attendance

•    Representatives of each member department: Allgood, Blount County Rescue Squad, Blountsville, Brooksville, Holly Springs, Locust Fork, Mount High, Nectar, Oneonta, Pine Mountain, Remlap, Ricetown, Rosa, Royal, Sneed, Straight Mountain, Susan Moore and West Blount.
•    Associate members present: EMA, 911/Comms, Forestry, Special Ops, BREMSS, Blount EMS, RAMS and Survival Flight.
Chairman’s Remarks

•    Recognition of Guest:
o DryTech, Ryan  Vidischak


Previous Meeting Minutes
Motion to Accept: John Head – Pine Mountain VFD
2nd Motion to Accept: Steven Tuck – Blount County Rescue Squad 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: Chris Branham  – Royal VFD
2nd Motion to Accept: Paul Gadilhe – Mount High VFD
2020 August Financial Report was approved with no objections or corrections.
 

Committee Reports Chair’s Report
•    Six certified letters were mailed to departments requesting their Financial and/or Truck checkoff reports to bring compliant with the Blount County Fire and EMS Association Rules of Membership. As of this meeting all departments are complaint with the rules.
•    A new e-group has been created within the google groups platform, moved from yahoo groups. Communications to the group have already improved, if you are not receiving emails please communicate with Tim Frye or Chris Hill.
EMA

Report provided by Don Roybal, Blount County EMA Director:
•    Fuelman Report   Yearly Allowance of $50.000.00 or $4,167 per month
•    August Fuel Expenses - $3,080. ~ 73.9%
•    To date fuel expenditures $39,516 ~ 85.9%
•    Fuelman Cards – if expired please contact Don for replacement
•    ICS 300 3 Day Class was held August 14th -16th 2020 had 14 to attend the 3-day class.
•    ICS 400 class was held in Albertville the following weekend, so most of the 300 class students attended this class
•    If an additional ICS 300 class or ICS 400 class is need, let Don know he will schedule with the AFC, since courses are free of charge
•    EMA, has PPE (mask, gowns, etc..) that are available to departments as needed
•    EMA also has samples of Safety Glasses for additional PPE for purchase
•    CARES Act, possible use of funding to purchase AED/Monitors
o Caveat: The “County” would need to be the grantee to apply for funding
Blount County 911/Commuinations

Report provided by Neil Brooks, Director Blount County 911:
o    P25 Radio System; Neil is working with the Motorola Engineers to determine the next steps in implementing a new radio system
o    Cost TBD, based on engineering but plans are in place to “patch” the current system for P25 radios if any are purchased from a grant award
 
o    Pine Mountain tower/antenna; plans are in place to replace antenna temporarily
o    Commercial ATT clients are still experiencing issues with messages being caught in the spam filter, FirstNet accounts do not appear to be experiencing the same issues on the ATT network
o    Helicopter frequency for communications will move from the HEAR frequency to the new frequency ~ January, Neil will email the new frequency to all departments
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
•    September 9th at 10:00am, Electric Vehicle Training Webinar invitation sent to departments from EMA with link
•    September 9th – 12th, Garden City will be hosting a training opportunity with Blount County. AFC Burn Trailer will be onsite.
•    FF 160 Hybrid Block 3 will begin next week at Ricetown
Fire Prevention – Jonathan Ledbetter, Oneonta FD
•    Blount County Fair has been canceled
•    Online Education is available during for schools and daycares with COVID restrictions in place, allows for education to continue within these communities
Explorer Post – No Report Forestry – No Report
Special Ops – Kenneth Booth, Chief OFRS
•    The donated trailer from AFC has been received, reallocating the Hazmat equipment to this new trailer has begun thus allowing the larger trailer to be used for Jr. FF camp equipment
•    Shelving will be needed in the larger trailer; funding is available via the association. OFRS will present the association with a materials list and cost at next month’s meeting
St. Vincent's Blount – Chris Hill, Chairman
•    Chairman Hill has spoken with St. Vincent’s regarding the supply of NARCAN, waiting for the funds to be released
 
•    Healthcare Authority money ($42,500.00) available effective October 1st; PPE, Tools, anything related to patient care. Chairman Hill reminded the members of the association that the Healthcare Authority is also looking at department’s run reports, most importantly who is not running calls
BREMSS

Report provided by Bryan Gober, Manager of Education and Provider Service
•    BREMSS has updated the Bid list, but awaiting final approval via UAB
•    TCC does have southern link communication and are working on setting up FirstNet
•    Note: NARCAN and Blind Airway insertions require medical direction for use and purchase by the service, oversight is a requirement
•    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, distributed education requirements have been waived
•    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
•    EMS Challenge begins again next week
•    New protocol app via ADPH, free of charge
•    AHA updates to be released Oct 21st
Blount EMS
Report provided by Wesley Powell, Blount EMS Operations Manager
•    Page 29 of EMS Rules list the appreciate helicopter frequency as 155.3475
•    Blount EMS will replace igel with a complete PCR that includes the CAD number
•    Blount EMS Medical Director, Dr. Valentine has offered his service as medical director to those departments that need a medical director. He can be contact via St. Vincent’s Blount
•    Alabama is still operating under an Emergency Order; reminder high risk procedures must not be preformed unless you have orders and in full PPE due to COVID: Example Medical Orders are required for Albuterol, avoid low ventilated areas
 
•    COVID 19 patients are to be transported to the closest appropriate hospital to limit time that providers are in a confined space with patients
•    Staffing levels still are an issue, Blount EMS has notified the ACC regarding the down staffing at High School Football games
•    Call Volume is steady: 915 calls for service with ~ 500-550 transports remaining steady, uptick in cardiac arrest both nationally and in the state of Alabama
•    Blount EMS will begin ConEd training in October, list of courses on website and flyer
Law Enforcement – No Report State Fire Marshall – No Report Coroner – No Report
Blount County District Attorney Office – No Report Survival Air – Don Wilson and RAMS – Katrina Key
•    Both Survival Air and RAMS will wok among the air ambulance transport agencies to ensure appropriate transport utilizing each agency’s tracking system for aircraft
•    Both agencies will be launching apps that will assist in coordinating transports
Alabama Fire College
•    New website will be launching soon, will be more user friendly
Red Cross – No Report VOAD – No Report
Junior Firefighter Camp – No Report OLD Business – No Report
NEW Business
•    Chief Hill announced the nomination committee’s recommendation for the upcoming 2020- 2021 officers: Chair – Chris Hill, Co-Chair – Paul Gilbert, Secretary – Jessica Green, Treasurer – Doug Smith and Training Officer – Josh Gibson
Fire Fighter of the Year: JJ Ivey EMT of the Year: Bill Glass
 
•    Reminder: Departments can purchase off the State of Alabama State Bid List
•    911 Hang Ups are increasing, some 911 hang ups are coming from homes with no home phone in place just a land line for internet services. Chairman Hill inquiring about new procedures regarding hang ups when the call is coming from a non-open line






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