Public Safety Commission

Public Safety Commission FIRE DEPARTMENT November 18, 2024 **Hybrid City Hall – Room 208 -----------Meeting Minutes---------- 1. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Ford called the meeting to order at 6:51 p.m. 2. ATTENDANCE MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioner Darnell Ford Commissioner Anthony Mangiafico Commissioner Tony Gennaro Commissioner Linda Salafia Commissioner Kelly Sweeney MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: Fire Chief Dave Albert Police Chief Erik Costa Emergency Management Director Rob Kronenberger 3. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Commissioner Ford entertained a motion to approve the minutes from October 21, 2024, Commissioner Gennaro so moved, Commissioner Salafia seconded, and all voted to accept the minutes as presented. 4. PUBLIC HEARING 5. CORRESPONDENCE  None 6. MONTHLY REPORT  Chief Albert gave the monthly report: o 357 calls for the month with no structure fires or significant calls o Responded to/provided EMS coverage at the Hawthorne fire for eight days  All reimbursable through FEMA – no cost to the City of Middletown  Chief Albert gave kudos to the Westfield Fire Department for actions taken during this fire to keep it out of Middletown Page 1 of 4  o Events:  Attended all required monthly meetings  Relocation Command Staff meeting held  Touch-A-Truck event at Tractor Supply  Pennsylvania trip to view training building as it is the same replica as our needs  Department annual ladder & pump testing  Captains meeting held – adding this position back into the command structure  Lieutenant, Battalion Chief, and Captain exams are all coming up in December – hoping to make Captain promotions right away o Training:  Vacant house on Grand Street – doing company ops & bailout training  Attended ammonia drill in Middlefield - invited by Chief into this training  Walk through done of 180 Johnson Street  CPR training for Middletown Public School nurses 7. OLD BUSINESS o Overtime  Fill OT slowing down  (1) long term FMLA returned  (1) 12 week FMLA returning in a few weeks o Hawthorne Fire:  To be fully reimbursed for coverage – all paperwork submitted to the state o Apparatus updates:  New Engine 3 – nothing new to report  Will speak with the Mayor & Finance regarding budgeting for this apparatus  Engine 3 still out of service – repair costs are high o HQ ARPA project update:  3 weeks in – demo has started  Fire engines relocated to the Water Department on Berlin Street  90 day timeframe given  Building renovation coincides with the building’s 125th anniversary – looking to do a ribbon cutting – more info to come o Training Building:  All paperwork submitted for ARPA funding to the state o Newfield Street property:  Offer has been made & a sales agreement is in place  Will be funding the property sale through ARPA funds  Looking to purchase the property, demo the building, and create a long term, 2-3 year plan, on how to seek the funding to build a new station  Commissioner Salafia asked how this was done before going to Council. Chief Albert explained that through working with Legal, they were able to move forward as the Mayor has the governing body and because it is only a certain dollar amount in which he can do that. It is currently going through all the committees before going to Council for the December meeting.  Commissioner Ford asked if this purchase does not happen what is the outlook….Chief Albert discussed the infrastructure issues on the buildings and the amount of people housed in them. Storage is limited and response time is long. Response standards need to be met. Public Safety Meeting – November 18, 2024 minutes Page 2 of 4  Chief Albert also informed the Commission of his plan to build a single engine house with 4-6 people with 2-3 additional bays for vehicle storage. o City Wide EMS:  899 EMS calls with 4 mutual aid ambulances 8. NEW BUSINESS o Assistance to Firefighters Grant o Opened last week o Hired a grant writer to assist & 2 of our own took a grant writing class o Will seek some AFG grants this year for funding o There will be no cost to the City o Emergency Management: o Director Robert Kronenberger spoke to the commission regarding acquiring a new river gauge o Director Kronenberger stated that he has been working with the U.S. Geological Society on acquiring the new gauge for this area – currently there are 2 river gauges, one in Hartford and one in Middle Haddam. Middletown used to have one up until 2012. He went on to say that there is a serious need for one and it would be a huge benefit to the city.  Director Kronenberger went on to say that he’s been working with the USGS and they have identified two spots, one on the Peterson Property and one on the old site which is a little further south on the river  Approximate cost initially would be $25,000 with about $9,000-$10,000 for annual maintenance & operation fees all done through USGS. After initial install, cost will be $8,000-$10,000 annually which will be put in the Emergency Management budget. This would be a huge benefit to the city not only for looking at the flood stages but it is going to be a huge benefit to the police & fire departments for their dive operations. It will also measure the velocity of the river and will have the ability to expand its use and can even monitor health aspects of the river if added on.  Director Kronenberger is currently working with Rohan Manning and he initially put it in as LoCip funding which is the Resolution submitted in the meeting packet but money may be available through the Harbor Park funding – will be going to Finance & Government  Director Kronenberger will forward the Resolution to the commission o Commissioner Ford made a motion to accept the resolution to move it forward to Finance & Government, Commissioner Gennaro so moved, Commissioner Salafia seconded, and all voted in favor. o Chief Albert gave kudos to Chief Costa & the Middletown Police Department on their handling of a mental health crisis situation in his neighborhood. He stated that the department did a great job handling this situation. 9. Other Matters Not on the Agenda: 10. Public Hearing Reopened – Other Matters Public Safety Meeting – November 18, 2024 minutes Page 3 of 4 11. Monthly Summary of Action Taken by the Telecommunications Committee o Staffing at 16 with 2 currently in training – looking to hire for a certified dispatcher o Activity for October was approximately 6,833 incidents with 2,204 9-1-1 calls, and 7,909 administrative calls 12. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Ford entertained a motion to adjourn, Commissioner Gennaro so moved, Commissioner Salafia seconded, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Lori Ruffino Recording Secretary NEXT MEETING TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 16, 2024 Public Safety Meeting – November 18, 2024 minutes Page 4 of 4