ALBEMARLE COUNTY FIRE/EMS BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING – STAGECOACH RD. FIRE RESCUE CONFERENCE ROOM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2017 – 1630 HOURS A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Albemarle County Fire/EMS Board was held on Monday, October 9, 2017 at 1630 hours in the Fire Rescue Conference Room of the County Office Building, Stagecoach Road, Charlottesville. The following members were in attendance: Kostas Alibertis, Western Albemarle Rescue Squad Alex Belgard, Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad Mike Grandstaff, Scottsville Volunteer Fire Department David Puckett, Albemarle County Fire & Rescue Others in Attendance: None. 1. Call to Order Chief Puckett called the meeting to order at 1630 hours. a. From the Board: Agenda Additions Chief Puckett acknowledged that Chief Grandstaff had added two items. b. From the Public: Matters Not Listed on the Agenda There were none presented. 2. Consent Agenda a. September 2017 meeting minutes MOTION: Chief Alibertis moved to approve the Consent Agenda with the June meeting minutes as presented. Chief Grandstaff seconded the motion, which passed unanimously (4-0). 3. Fire Rescue System Strategic Plan - update Chief Puckett reported that the strategic plan update was waiting for the standards of cover discussion. 4. Unfinished Business a. ACFR Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Plan - update Chief Puckett stated that Chief LaBelle had told him there was no update on the plan at this point.

b. Scottsville Rescue – update Chief Puckett reported that ACFR was putting in for a budget initiative for 24-hour staffing for the ambulance there as well as some part-time personnel funding to help with leadership management and administration. He stated that the chief feels strongly they need to fill the gap, and the best case scenario would be for FY19 funding – with staff onsite realistically no earlier than January 1, 2019. Chief Alibertis asked if that staff was seven days, 24/7. Chief Puckett replied that it was, adding that the item would work through the budget process and provide an opportunity for questions. Chief Puckett reported that Scottsville had been due for an ambulance in FY19, but it did not make sense to have three funded ambulances there so that item was pushed back a year in the CIP – although the fleet plan would likely go back through the Executive Committee and onto FEMS. Chief Alibertis asked if that was because there was already a county ambulance there. Chief Puckett responded that ACFR already took an ambulance down there, and clarified that Scottsville already has three ambulances and a van that is self-funded. Chief Grandstaff commented that they would never get three ambulances out. Chief Puckett stated that they have already discussed this with Chief Brian Cropp, who said they did not have the staff to run that many ambulances – which could change over the next few years. He commented that it did not seem appropriate to spend $250K on an ambulance when they are not likely to provide service. c. SAFER Grant – update Chief Puckett reported that there was no update on the grant, according to Chief LaBelle. d. FEMS Executive Committee Meeting Schedule Chief Grandstaff reported that they had discussed changing having a meeting every month and instead deciding at the preceding FEMS Board meeting whether to have one. Chief Puckett said that the bylaws currently stated that they “shall meet monthly at a day, time, and place agreed upon by recorded vote of the, and as published in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.” Chief Alibertis noted that the bylaws also state that the Chair may call or cancel any meeting. Chief Grandstaff noted that the section to be considered was Section 6.2.

Chief Belgard asked if this was just the existing bylaws or if there was a proposed change. Chief Alibertis said he didn’t think the language needed to be changed, as the bylaws state: “The Executive Committee shall meet as frequently as deemed necessary by the FEMS Board. A simple majority of members will constitute a quorum.” Chief Puckett stated that unless there’s been a FEMS vote that says you have to meet monthly, then it shouldn’t be an issue. Chief Alibertis pointed out that the Executive Committee was never intentionally designed to meet monthly – only as needed – but in the beginning there was a lot to work on so they met often. Chief Grandstaff asked if they should change it to “as frequently as deemed necessary by the committee or FEMS Committee,” because otherwise they would have to propose at the FEMS Board each time whether the EC would meet. Chief Puckett stated that he had interpreted it differently, and if the FEMS Board hasn’t set a frequency for the EC meetings, than the EC would do it. Chief Belgard said that if anything the FEMS Board may need to vote one time on a policy saying that the Executive Committee meets monthly unless there’s a consensus. Chief Puckett stated that it could also be every other month. Chief Alibertis mentioned that there is a section in the ordinance that talks about the Executive Committee and its role. Chief Grandstaff noted that Chief LaBelle had read it and determined that it didn’t stipulate when they had to meet. Chief Alibertis said the ordinance gives Chief Eggleston the latitude to schedule those meetings, so they can’t at this point change it without seeing that language. Chief Puckett responded that Chief Eggleston could set up a meeting if a specific issue arises. Chief Alibertis noted that the ordinance speaks specifically to the FEMS Board, how it was constituted, and the fact that Chief Eggleston calls those meetings. He emphasized that they need to make sure the bylaws are not in conflict with the ordinance. Chief Puckett stated that the way he’s interpreting it is that they don’t have to do anything, and unless FEMS is saying the DC needs to meet monthly, they are not obligated to do so.

Chief Alibertis reiterated that it is up to Chief Eggleston. Chief Puckett stated that he would follow up on this item and mention it in the committee reports section of the FEMS Board meeting. 5. New Business a. ECC Re-Tone Proposed Changes Chief Puckett reported that this had come about based on conversation with Chief Grandstaff in reference to how they were retoning, which sometimes would go on endlessly and sometimes wouldn’t tone at all. He stated that he had spoken with Chief Todd Richardson, who wrote this up as a proposal to the current change. He said that this also helped the realign with their preset timers so everything is in synch. Chief Alibertis said that it was frustrating if a second unit gets toned and a primary unit did not. He explained that if a truck is on a call and a cardiac arrest goes out, Station 15 gets immediately hit but WARS does not get retoned for it. Chief Puckett responded that they were doing that particularly on EMS because they were looking at it as “unstaffed,” so that was a clarification that needed to be made. Chief Alibertis stated that they would lose that retone completely, but they did get the initial tone. He commented that it may just be an issue with CAD, noting that they had been receiving empty 5 tones even though the building was staffed. He said they would tone the ambulance and then hit empty 5 for a rescue call. Chief Belgard said that CARS would occasionally have that happen, and it was usually because one of the capabilities was missing off the unit – but he did run into a CAD issue over the weekend on several calls and he thought it was because upgrades were not set up correctly. He explained that CAD was trying to find a medic unit even if there was a BLS unit and ALS car that were 10 miles closer. Chief Puckett responded that what typically happens is that if you ask for a manual unit, the dispatcher puts it in and they can stipulate whether they want any ambulance, an ACFR ambulance, a CARS ambulance, etc. He said that he speculates that it was put in as an ACFR unit, skipped over CARS and went with 8. Chief Puckett added that some of it depends on the time of day, day of the week, and other factors, and dispatch is trying to manage it from memory. Chief Grandstaff commented that his station has been getting multiple text messages for the same incident, such as a tree down. Chief Alibertis explained that every time that dispatch changes or adds a unit, the system generates another text message.

Chief Puckett explained that the proposal retones for 3, 6, 9 and 12, and after four tones that would be the most they would ever retone. He said that this continues to do failed response at 3 and 6 minutes, whereas it used to be 3 and 5, which is the rollover time. Chief Grandstaff noted that they’re automatically rolling it now. Chief Alibertis commented that some of them have empty stations that they role to, or there’s a unit showing up as staffed and ECC tones it after three minutes. Chief Grandstaff said that Scottsville Rescue is listed as nobody in the building, and it is an automatic rollover. Chief Puckett stated that Rescue 5 is the only station that doesn’t do that, and Chief Belgard had suggested that if it’s a staffed station it would roll over to 3 minutes regardless of whether it was ALS or BLS. Chief Belgard said not necessarily a rollover, but definitely a retone, because if there is a unit needing to be staffed – regardless of whether it’s ALS or BLS – if it gets to 3 minutes, they probably slept through the call. Chief Puckett said this would give a retone at 3 minutes. Chief Alibertis clarified that the difference is 6 instead of 5. Chief Grandstaff stated that his station gets the original tone, then 3 minutes later gets hit again, then 2 minutes later gets hit again at 5 minutes – and that is for all calls, not just fire. He noted that this proposal changes the time interval to 3 minutes so it would go off at 6. Chief Alibertis said that his biggest concern is that they don’t retone, so if Scottsville gets toned and that call automatically rolls to 11, then they will never get toned again. He pointed out that a dispatcher didn’t know enough to know that a driver would they had to have 15 to get an ambulance-level sick person. Chief Belgard asked if the solution would be to leave the empty station unit on the call, sitting there in dispatch status so it comes up for a retone – and then after a certain number it’s cleared off because the rest of the assignment has been satisfied. Chief Puckett responded that this wasn’t so much of a CAD functionality issue, but the station said they are not staffed, they said they weren’t responded, and they wouldn’t continue to be toned. He asked if tones at 3, 6, 9 and 12 were too many – because there is also an initial tone in addition to that. Chief Alibertis asked what the purpose of the 9 tone is if the roll goes at 6.

Chief Puckett replied that they were still giving an opportunity to get out and get there quicker. Chief Alibertis stated that once it’s satisfied, the system shut it down for his station. Chief Puckett pointed out that the dispatcher has to do that. Chief Puckett said that he would like to see a system with a priority one, and if an apparatus isn’t listed as “staffed,” the first due and first staffed unit would be toned. He said that if it was a priority two, then it rolls at three minutes; a priority three rolls at ten minutes or at some point. Chief Alibertis stated that most systems have more tiers than that, and in Phoenix the fours and fives don’t roll but there are two tier priorities – two tier ALS, one BLS tier, and ten two non-rolling. Chief Puckett said that this all hinges on whether ECC goes to HAPCO, and their management board had approved it but was just waiting to move forward. Chief Puckett clarified that they would be cutting the 12-minute tone and would retone the rescue or fire unit, and if a station is not staffed, there would be retoning for at least four times – even if the call gets satisfied with another unit. Chief Belgard asked how that would affect Seminole in the event they got a call at the Laurels and Medic 12 and Engine 121 had to come down, and whether it would continue toning. Chief Puckett responded that it would likely tone Medic 8 four times. Chief Grandstaff asked how they would get a second unit out if they only had one unit. Chief Puckett said it would keep toning empty 8, based on the direction being decided now with the retoning – which stipulates to keeps toning even if no one is coming. Chief Grandstaff commented that it didn’t make sense for 11, 12, and 15 to keep getting hit. Chief Alibertis said they can’t isolate just those stations. Chief Puckett responded that they could from a written policy standpoint, but the dispatcher would have to minimally consider that and decide when to tone and not retone. Chief Alibertis stated that they could check with Chief Richardson as to whether this is something they can do operationally.

Chief Belgard said that even if they couldn’t reprogram the algorithm, they could at least change the unit label so it differentiates and empty station that’s really just for notification like “empty 8.” Chief Puckett stated that maybe they could call it something different. Chief Alibertis responded that his units were already 1-A and 5-A. Chief Puckett explained that this was because they have to use 5-A to redispatch, so they keep a second one in to satisfy the next all that comes in. He said that he would check with Chief Richardson. Chief Belgard mentioned that adding or renaming units is fairly easy. b. December 2017 Meeting Date Chief Alibertis stated that they don’t usually have a meeting the third week of December because of the holidays, and instead have a combined meeting for November/December, held the first week of December. Chief Puckett recalled that he had seen that date on a calendar. Chief Grandstaff noted that it was on an initial calendar that Chief LaBelle had sent out. Chief Alibertis said the second week was better for him and the meeting had been moved to Thursday, December 7th – but December 13th was better for him. He said that if they were going to change it, they would need to propose it to the FEMS Board. MOTION: Chief Grandstaff moved to recommend to the FEMS Board to change the December meeting from the 7th to the 13th, with the original date having been December 22nd. Chief Alibertis seconded the motion, which passed unanimously (4-0). c. Other Business Chief Grandstaff asked if they had discussed having the FEMS meeting at the February conference event held in Virginia Beach. Chief Puckett responded that he had not heard that they were not doing it, and it seems that chiefs have enjoyed it and participated in it previously. Chief Grandstaff clarified that it was February 21, 22, and 23. Chief Puckett said they could discuss it at the next FEMS meeting. d. Driving Release Policy Chief Grandstaff said he had received a lot of feedback from other chiefs about the driving release policy, so they had been tasked at the conference to come up with driver

guidelines on when people could start driving – but that has morphed into a release policy that nobody has requested. He stated that the FEMS Board had not asked anyone to move onto doing a release policy, but there had been no resolution. Chief Grandstaff mentioned that there had been discussion between his training officer and Chief Lambert that the policy was going to be pushed through regardless. Chief Alibertis asked if Training had taken that on as a policy. Chief Puckett explained that the Operations Committee had met and the had discussed the general framework regarding eligibility requirements – whether it be age, insurance, or driving violations – and Chief LaBelle had a draft policy available. He said that somewhere in that discussion, they decided that there was also training that was beyond the Operations expertise. Chief Puckett stated that the idea is to have a floor for minimum level of training. Chief Grandstaff said that Chief Kester had brought it up at a FEMS Board and was kind of stonewalled with it, and essentially no one has asked FEMS Board or the EC to handle it. Chief Puckett responded that he did not think there was any policy on the table. Chief Grandstaff said that it was hit pretty hard at the training officer meeting. Chief Alibertis stated that they also talked about the committee not putting energy into things that they were not tasked to do because it was frustrating for them to work on something and have it not go anywhere. Chief Grandstaff said that the Operations Committee was tasked with coming up with the regulations for someone to drive – and they did that – but now it seems to have morphed into a release policy issue. Chief Puckett stated that a release policy could create a floor, with stations going higher than the floor. Chief Grandstaff said that most of their station’s policies aren’t meeting the floor. Chief Puckett clarified that he was referring to FEMS policies. Chief Alibertis added that they have a few policies in place that they just don’t observe. Chief Puckett said that if they are going to put a policy in place, they should follow it. Chief Alibertis commented that the reason they would put a systems policy in place is because there is inadequate policy at the department level. Chief Grandstaff commented that he agreed with the HazMat and water rescue teams.

Chief Alibertis noted that it involved multiple agencies working together on a common policy. Chief Grandstaff said that with driving release, he is not aware with a station that doesn’t have one – but it would make sense to focus on that station rather than do all. Chief Alibertis commented that a common policy would probably not be needed for driving, whereas something like water rescue may involve exchange of personnel. Chief Puckett said that he would have a conversation with Chief Lambert to see where the policy stands and what the intent is, and perhaps if they can get the eligibility items off the floor for the EC to process, that might answer some of the questions. He stated that they have a release process now, but it only covers firefighters. Chief Belgard stated that there is a county DPO, and when he was running at Seminole, most of the DPO work he did was on county forms. He said that included diagrams of the cones that had to be navigated, pump scenarios with checklists, etc. Chief Grandstaff noted that minimum training standards had been done a long time ago. Chief Puckett commented that they needed to tie all of the policies together from a system perspective. Chief Alibertis said it should find its home in Operations first. Chief Grandstaff responded that this was where it started, and Chief Lambert had come into an Operations Committee meeting and discussed it. Chief Puckett recalled that at the Operations Committee, they had discussed road time in a non-urgent setting from an eligibility standpoint. He said that they had asked Chief Lambert to come in and talk about the hours needed for it. Chief Grandstaff said the two policies should be different – one for driving eligibility, and one for training release – which could be addendums to existing policies. He noted that before they can send anyone to EVOC, they must know those requirements. Chief Alibertis commented that he would rather have people go to EVOC and learn good habits. Chief Belgard emphasized that it was important to recognize that the eligibility policy is specific to insurance, and the reason it must be created is because the previous insurance company dictated the requirements and the current one did not. He added that they would not want a situation in which a non-driving related, non-safety related paperwork error caused someone to not be able to drive apparatus.

Chief Grandstaff said that the FEMS Board was simply caught off guard with the policy going to the Training Division. Chief Puckett stated that he would contact Chief LaBelle to see about getting a copy of the policy for the Operations Committee meeting the following Wednesday. 6. Next Executive Committee Meeting a. Monday, November 6, 2017, 1630hrs. ACFR Conference Room 7. Adjournment MOTION: Chief Grandstaff moved to adjourn the Executive Committee adjourned their meeting at 1715 hrs. Chief Alibertis seconded the motion, which passed unanimously (4-0).

ALBEMARLE COUNTY FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

ACTION RECORD

AGENDA TITLE/ISSUE: AGENDA DATE:

DECEMBER FEMS EXCOM MEETING October 9, 2017

MOTION: MOTION MADE BY: SECONDED BY:

CHANGE DECEMBER FEMS EXCOM MEETING FROM DECEMBER 7TH TO DECEMBER 13TH

Mike Grandstaff Kostas Alibertis

SUBSEQUENT MOTIONS/AMENDMENTS:

1.

CALL OF THE QUESTION: Yes No Abstain

Chief David Puckett (ACFR)

Chief Alex Belgard (CARS)

Chief Calvin Butler (East Rivanna)

Chief Michael Grandstaff (Scottsville Fire)

Chief Kostas Alibertis (Western Albemarle)

I hereby attest that the foregoing is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

David Puckett

October 11, 2017

Clerk Date

ALBEMARLE COUNTY FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

ACTION RECORD

AGENDA TITLE/ISSUE: AGENDA DATE:

DECEMBER FEMS EXCOM MEETING October 9, 2017

MOTION: MOTION MADE BY: SECONDED BY:

CHANGE DECEMBER FEMS BOARD MEETING FROM DECEMBER 7TH TO DECEMBER 13TH

Mike Grandstaff Kostas Alibertis

SUBSEQUENT MOTIONS/AMENDMENTS:

1.

CALL OF THE QUESTION: Yes No Abstain

Chief David Puckett (ACFR)

Chief Alex Belgard (CARS)

Chief Calvin Butler (East Rivanna)

Chief Michael Grandstaff (Scottsville Fire)

Chief Kostas Alibertis (Western Albemarle)

I hereby attest that the foregoing is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

David Puckett

October 11, 2017

Clerk Date

ALBEMARLE COUNTY FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

ACTION RECORD

AGENDA TITLE/ISSUE: AGENDA DATE:

October 9, 2017

MOTION: MOTION MADE BY: SECONDED BY:

TO ADJOURN Mike Grandstaff Kostas Alibertis

SUBSEQUENT MOTIONS/AMENDMENTS:

1.

CALL OF THE QUESTION: Yes No Abstain

Chief David Puckett (ACFR)

Chief Alex Belgard (CARS)

Chief Calvin Butler (East Rivanna)

Chief Michael Grandstaff (Scottsville Fire)

Chief Kostas Alibertis (Western Albemarle)

I hereby attest that the foregoing is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

David Puckett

October 11, 2017

Clerk Date