Location: Palisades Park
Date: November 5, 2020
Time: 1900 hours
November 2020 Meeting Minutes
https://www.blountcofireandemsassociation.org
Attendance
• Representatives of each member department were accounted for: Allgood, Blount County Rescue Squad, Blountsville, Brooksville, Dallas/Selfville, Holly Springs, Locust Fork, Mount High, Murphree Valley, Nectar, Oneonta, Pine Mountain, Ricetown, Rosa, Snead, Susan Moore, and West Blount.
• Associate members present: EMA, 911/Comms, STV-Blount, Blount EMS, and AL Fire College.
Chairman’s Remarks
• Recognition of Guest: Go Rescue - Rusty Lowe, Dry Tech - Ryan Vidischak, Williams Fire Apparatus in Clay County Alabama - Anthony White
• Chris Hill wants to try and change the meeting up by going straight from the Chairman’s Remarks to Old Business.
Previous Meeting Minutes
• Motion to Accept: John Reed - Nectar Fire
• 2nd Motion to Accept: Heath Stockton - Dallas/Selfville
• Minutes were approved with no objections, Motion carries
Financial Reports
• Motion to Accept: Shane Hobson - Rosa Fire
• 2nd Motion to Accept: Lee Netherton
• Reports was approved with no objections, Motion carries
Old Business
• There was a long discussion regarding the Health Care Authority with cutting funds for volunteer departments who aren’t responding to 50% of their EMS calls. Chris Hill is sending a letter from the Association to the HCA regarding this.
Committee Reports
Chair’s Report
• No report
EMA
• Fuelman Report - Our annual budget is $50,000. There were no issues with the usage last year. We spent $4,500 in October of our $4,167 which is 108%.
• If anyone is needing ICS 300/400 please let Don know ASAP so he can get a class together for this.
• The Departments that applied for the Homeland Security Grants, EMA is still waiting on the paperwork from the Homeland Security. Please do not spend the money until you have a letter.
911
• One half of the text messages from 911 to cell phones are bouncing back to 911 as failed with Verizon and AT&T. Neal has been on the phone a lot with the issues trying to get it straightened out.
• Please check your mutual aid departments, some have not been changed in several years and need to be updated.
• If anyone is interested in a Communications Class at 911 please let Neal or Shane know.
Communications
• No report
Training
• Mt. High is starting their Block 4 A&O and HAZMAT Nov. 11th
• Rosa Fire is starting a EMT-B class the first week in January if you are interested the class is $450 this does include everything including the first NREMT test.
Fire Prevention
• No Report
Explorer Post
• The Explorer Post would take place February 19 - February 21, 2021 at the Alabama Fire College
• Jonathon Ledbetter, and Chance Payne are working on new instructions for the Explorer Post.
Forestry
• No Report
Special Ops
• Received a $8,000 Cawaco Grant, this will be used for Water Rescue equipment. It will be here the first of the year.
St. Vincent's Blount
• Will be hosting a FREE COVID-19 testing the week before Thanksgiving November 17th from 3PM - 6PM.
• They will be getting the 240B program running again in January, this will help reduce the cost of prescriptions to patients.
BREMSS
• Anyone who needs to get CEU’s that is a Paramedic, this has been extended through COVID.
• Anyone who needs to get CEU’s that is an EMT-B, you have unlimited time to get these.
• There is a Free Update to anyone online starting October 21, 2020 through the AHA website for CPR instructors, etc. This must be completed by February 1, 2021
• COVID-19 has every hospital at their capacity - they have a lack of beds and staff.
• If you have a possible Stroke/Trauma, Call TCC early to get a start.
• There will not be a BREMSS Banquet this year due to COVID, it will be zoom.
• Work has been started on the new BREMSS office/TCC
Blount EMS
• PALs class will be November 18, 19, 20, 2020
• ITLS class will be December 16, 17, 18, 2020
• If anyone is interested in an Advanced EMT class let Weslie Powell know and they will try to get one together after Rosa Fire does their EMT-B class.
• Medic 32 is at Blount EMS hopefully will be ready to go the first of the year.
Law Enforcement
• No Report
State Fire Marshall
• No Report
Coronor
• No Report
District Attorney Office
• No Report
Survival Air, Air-Evac
• No Report
RAMS
• No Report
Alabama Fire College
• There is a new Fire Instructor Book (3rd Edition)
• A new website is in the works, should be out by the first of the year
Red Cross
• No Report
VOAD
• No Report
Good and Welfare
• No Report
NEW Business
• Ryan Vidischak of Dry Tech said to call them if you need them.
• Jonathan Ledbetter is interested in buying a billboard in Rosa and Allgood to recruit volunteers. 2 months is $850, and 6 months is $1,850. After discussion from the floor motion to do 2 months for $850 and ask about moving the sign around the county.
Motion to Accept: Tim Fry
2nd Motion to Accept: John Reed
Motion Carries
Ask volunteers if they saw the sign and how they heard about becoming a volunteer.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2030 hours.
The next meeting will be held on December 5th, at Oneonta
January - Remlap July - Nectar
February - Snead 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
Jessica Green
Secretary
Blount Co. Fire & EMS Association