Public Safety Commission

Public Safety Commission FIRE DEPARTMENT July 15, 2024 **Hybrid City Hall - Room 208 -----------Meeting Minutes---------- 1. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Ford called the meeting to order at 7:55 p.m. 2. ATTENDANCE MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioner Darnell Ford Commissioner Anthony Mangiafico Commissioner Linda Salafia Commission Kelly Sweeney MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Tony Gennaro STAFF PRESENT: Deputy Fire Chief Dave Albert Police Chief Erik Costa 3. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Commissioner Ford entertained a motion to approve the minutes from June 17, 2024, Commissioner Salafia so moved, Commissioner Sweeney seconded. Commissioner Mangiafico stated that those minutes listed him as calling that meeting to order in which he did not, Commissioner Ford did so. All voted in favor to have Item 1 of those minutes amended accordingly. 4. PUBLIC HEARING 5. CORRESPONDENCE  None 6. MONTHLY REPORT  Deputy Chief Albert gave the monthly report: o 303 emergency calls – down slightly as Wesleyan University on summer break o Fire Activity:  Significant call: rope rescue on Rose Circle  Man fell over the edge of a 80-100 drop to the Mattabassett River, was there for three days before being found Page 1 of 4   Police first on scene & made way down – patient survived  Kudos given by Deputy Chief Albert to all involved with the rescue o Events:  Attended all required monthly meetings  Meeting held with Hunters Ambulance Supervisor Erik Larson – continuing to build relationship – all going well at this time  Worked with HR on rewriting job descriptions as part of the ongoing contract negotiations (ensuring no over lapping duties & all is flowing from the top down)  Close to done – will be presented to Council soon  Fireworks pre-planning meeting held  Command Staff meeting held with all officers  Fireworks event with unified command staff held  Attended Juneteenth parade  Met with Smeal Rep.  In early phase of specs for new engine  Contract meetings held  Meeting with area chiefs held regarding radio changes proposed by dispatch  Future meeting to be held with Communications Directors to discuss further & Deputy Chief Albert will keep the commission updated o Training:  Eversource came in & conducted underground emergency training with all four shifts  Two weeks of drone class held – added three more certified drone pilots  Five members of the MFD attended dive class which added three divers & two line tenders  Multiple Wesleyan University familiarization walk throughs done  Monthly dive & marine training completed  IAFF did a two day liquefied natural gas class  Cancer screening done for Barrett’s Disease (esophagus cancer)  UDS screenings done 7. OLD BUSINESS o Overtime  Fill overtime has picked up with summer vacations, drone, and dive class coverage  One shift short, at minimum, by two due to off-duty injuries  One long term FMLA still out  Staff increase for Juneteenth event & fireworks festival o New Apparatus update:  Looking at Community Block Grant for funding  Engine 1 purchased off this grant, will apply again  Met with Smeal Rep. to get pricing o Currently a 850 day build time at a price of $1,000,000.00 o Grant would pay half – bond rest, will discuss further with the Mayor  Truck 1 repairs last year totaled $52,866.02  Deputy Chief Albert will continue to keep commission posted o HQ ARPA project update:  Meeting to be held tomorrow with Gordian Group to go over bid specs  Recommended by Finance Public Safety Meeting – July 15, 2024 minutes Page 2 of 4   Will provide an update at next meeting o Feasibility Study – Cross Street:  Money approved so far – will keep commission updated on progress o Fire Code Ordinance:  Officers & Fire Marshal office prepped  All have been given warnings o City wide EMS:  939 calls with 0 mutual aid ambulances 8. NEW BUSINESS o Training building o ARPA funds in the amount of $375,000.00 received to assist – funds will be funneled through the Ct. Fire Academy o Draeger to come in & discuss specs & pricing  Will also meeting with the Mayor regarding location and site work  ARPA funds will not be enough to cover will be discussed further  Training building will assist with the ISO rating bring down insurance costs for tax payers – building can also be rented out to county schools for training sessions o Department mechanic needed o Previous discussions were had with Chris Holden and Jeff Daniels regarding an in house mechanic for the Middletown Fire Department  This would get the MFD fleet back on the road faster – currently apparatus needs to go out to Waterford for service  Smaller departments currently have one in place  Will discuss with the Mayor o Truck 1 accidentally hit Truck 2 – currently out of service 9. Other Matters Not on the Agenda: 10. Public Hearing Reopened – Other Matters o Resident at 71 Rising Trail Drive addressed the Commission with the following: o It was asked by this resident if we have PPE cleaning procedures in place  Deputy Chief Albert discussed our set policies already in place and stated that the MFD has taken severe measures in cancer reduction & that our policies have been shared with other departments across the country o Resident also asked about trucks pulling out of station referencing the Storrs, CT death – AC Albert stated that set procedures are in place for this 11. Monthly Summary of Action Taken by the Telecommunications Committee o Currently staffed at 16 with conditional offers pending o Activity for June was approximately 5,499 accidents, 2,331 9-1-1 calls, and 7,898 administrative calls Public Safety Meeting – July 15, 2024 minutes Page 3 of 4 12. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Ford entertained a motion to adjourn, Commissioner Sweeney so moved, Commissioner Salafia seconded, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:19 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Lori Ruffino Recording Secretary NEXT MEETING TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 19, 2024 Public Safety Meeting – July 15, 2024 minutes Page 4 of 4