2016-05-05 Minutes

BLOUNT COUNTY FIRE & EMS ASSOCIATION

MINUTES OF MAY 5, 2016 MEETING

 LOCUST FORK FIRE DEPARTMENT

 

                                              

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jon Head.  Mel Wade gave the invocation. The following member organizations were represented: Allgood, Bangor, Blount County Rescue Squad, Blountsville, Brooksville, Cleveland, Dallas-Selfville, Holly Springs, Locust Fork, Mt. High, Murphree Valley, Nectar, Oneonta, Pine Mountain, Remlap, Ricetown, Rosa, Royal, Snead, St. Mountain, Summit, Susan Moore and West Blount.   EMA, 9·1·1, Forestry, Special Ops, BREMSS, Blount EMS,  and Law Enforcement were also represented.  9·1·1 Director Caleb Branch, Operations Manager Neal Brooks and Board Member Tim Kent were also present.   38 people signed the attendance sheet.

 

GUESTS – Billy Atchison of Sun Belt Fire sponsored the meal and talked about his product line as well as thanking Locust Fork Fire for their help with the meal.  Blount County District 3 Commissioner Dean Calvert and Tommy Leveritt of DEC Fire & Water Restoration were also present.

     

Chairman Head asked for the approval of the minutes of the April meeting.  Motion by Chief Payne, seconded by Chief Willis, and carried by voice vote.  The Financial Report was approved by a motion from Chief Booth, seconded by Assistant Chief Robertson, and carried by voice vote.  

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

CHAIRMAN – Chairman Jon Head encouraged all departments that have not already done so to submit their list of firefighters who were covered by the Workers Compensation plan for 2015/2016 to EMA as soon as possible.  The annual audit is due by May 23.  There were also 8 departments who had not turned in any invoices for reimbursement from the Blount County Health Care Authority.  The deadline to submit to the HCA is May 31 so have your information to EMA prior to that. 

 

EMA – Deputy Director Doug Smith announced there will be a state-wide hurricane exercise on May 18 at the Blount County EOC.  You are invited to participate.  Meetings to discuss the updated Blount County Hazard Mitigation Plan will begin soon so be looking for emails concerning attending these meetings.  Your input and involvement is crucial to the completion of this plan.  Hazardous liquid training information has been sent out by Egroups.  CSX will be temporarily closing the crossing at Commissary Road, County Hwy 7 and County Hwy 9 for maintenance work.  The April Fuelman expense was at 81% of monthly budgets.  Remember that reports are due Monday.  

 

9·1·1/COMMUNICATIONS – Director Caleb Branch reported that a free Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) course will be taught May 16-18 at the 911 Center. The CAD changeover is still in progress.  The EMT Academy graduated 11 students.  Neal Brooks advised that he learned at the ISO Workshop in Cullman that the Dispatch Center improvements and changes can add 12 points to your ISO score.  You also receive additional credits for combining shared stations and equipment with a neighboring department.  Neal suggested to change your “mutual-aid” terminology to “automatic aid” to improve your ISO score.     

 

 

 

 

TRAINING  Station 28,84 & 93 will conduct a160 Class that could possibly be done county-wide on-line starting June 6 with an ECP class held prior to the start.  Training Officer Tim Frye, Jr requested that all training be posted on the EGroup so everyone can view it.  May 17 is EMS Day at the Fire College.  The Fire College will also host the portable Propane Simulator.    

 

FIRE PREVENTION – Jon reported that he will discuss the Fire Prevention/Fair Coordinator slot with those interested.   

 

FORESTRY – Forestry Project Specialist Terry Helms thanked Oneonta and Allgood Fire for their assistance on a difficult woods fire.  He also hopes to have Grant checks at the June meeting.       

 

          SPECIAL OPS – Chief Willis had no report.  

 

ST. VINCENTS BLOUNT – It was noted that STV-Blount is now a “Stroke Hospital” and can receive patients exhibiting those symptoms.     

 

BREMSS – John Reed reported that BREMSS continues to work with Physio-Control on a new method to transmit the 12-lead monitor information from the field.  A new ESO process for transport services with electronic PCRs will help share patient information for those that have or need access to that information.  The next EMS Coordinators meeting will be May 23 at Callahan Eye Foundation.  BLS instructor classes start next week.  A meeting with ADPH  focused on a new ConEd process.  EMR/EMT classes are working good.  You can get EVOC Instructor training through BREMSS. A study showed that 22% of air transport patients were discharged directly to home from the ER without being admitted to the hospital.  Use discretion when choosing air transport based on patient status as the costs are huge.

 

Blount EMS – Tammy thanked Oneonta, Susan Moore and Royal for their response to an ambulance incident.  She encouraged all departments to work through TCC to determine air transport issues.    

 

AMED – No report.  

 

LAW ENFORCEMENT – BCSO Operations Officer Tim Kent was very appreciative of the massive display of support by EMS providers during the north Blount incident several weeks ago.  He was comforted in the fact that if things went bad, quality EMS aid was present and available.  He introduced LT. Wes Neill as the officer in charge of the Project Lifesaver program.  LT. Neill asked that anyone who had worked with the system on previous incidents to meet with him to discuss issues, methods and ideas.  Run/Hide/Fight classes are free to the public and businesses as well as a citizen’s firearms training course.  Both are sponsored by the BCSO so contact Tim Kent for information and registration.   

 

STATE FIRE MARSHALL – No report.

 

CORONER – No report.  

 

DISTRICT ATTORNEY – No report.

 

LIFESAVER – No report.

 

AIR-EVAC – No report.

 

RED CROSS – Gabrielle Rhett, Disaster Program Specialist, with the ARC Mid-Alabama   Chapter in Birmingham was present to offer her assistance to all departments for the smoke alarm installation project sponsored by the American Red Cross.  

 

GOOD & WELFARE – No report.

 

OLD BUSINESS:   

l  Reminder that the June Fling will be Saturday, June 4 in Oneonta.

l  The Firefighter Camp will be June 14-16 at J. B. Pennington High School.  Chief Booth has lined up an impressive list of presenters. Tammy at Blount EMS volunteered to cover snacks and drinks for the students throughout the training. Clay Jones at West Blount will coordinate door prize donations.  

l  Legislative updates:  HB 66 & SB7 passed; SB 339 passed; the Sprinkler Bill died in Committee.

l  Chief Booth has scheduled a meeting with the Boy Scouts of America representative to discuss procedures and funding for a County-wide Explorer Post sponsored by the Fire Association.

                              

NEW BUSINESS:

l  Vice-Chairman Ken Edwards will be attending the AAVFD Annual Conference in Monroeville in July.  He has already been given approval to vote the Association proxy and a motion to approve his travel and registration expenses up to the budgeted amount of $500.00 was given by Chief Ellenburg with a second from Chief Payne.  Motion passed by voice vote.

l  Locust Fork Fire will host a Pump Test Day at Station 7 on Monday, May 9.  Confirm your schedule with Chief Coleman.

l  Mt. High will host the June Fire Association meeting at Mt. High Fire Department at the intersection of Skyline Drive and Oscar Bradford Road, due to the flood damage at Rickwood Park.  The normal meeting room is now a gift shop.   

 

 

 

The next meeting will be June 2 at Mt. High Fire Department.   The meal will be at 6:30 sponsored by Tommy Leveritt of DEC Fire & Water Restoration.