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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Services Committee Minutes 02.26.2001Emergency Services Committee 2-26-01 Committee Members: WilFmm Staudioger Lau~n VanRockel Pat Kirnn~et Dan Dart Ken Olsua Charlie Pratt Police Chief Rick Musson Fire Chief Jim Stevens Ambulance Director Jan Faught Ken Oison called the meeting to ordex. He stated that after the business part of this meeeing, all pre, seat would go over to the Complex in order to gee an idea of the amount of area that is used by each department. Fire: Chief Jim Stevens reported that he would like to request the use of two acres at the City of Laurel container site to be used as a fire dopartment training facility. According to Section 580, there has to be an area for Waining By using the caraatocr site for training proposes, this would develop the Laurel Volunteer Fire Deparaneat's capabilities and fulfill the requirements needed for the insurance services. Jim said that if anotbor ~ea hecomcs available at a later dat~, they would be willing to look at moving the training area site. Witliam Standinger made a motion to allow the Laurel Volunt~r Fire Dqmrtment to take this issue l~for~ the City CounCtl. Charlie PraR s~ond~l this motion, and all present voted in favor of the motion. Police: Chief Rick Musson reported that the dog issue was addressed at the last meeting and since that meeting he has contacted Nancy Siegel, owner of the Pee Palace on Washington Avenue about the use of the kennels. There are eighteen kennels in the building. Nancy had indicated that she would like to get out of the boarding of dogs business and would be interested in working out a deal. Rick stated that he has drafted a letter about this. The problem that Nancy has with this issue is that the kennel area may have to he divided in half. One half of the keunels would be designated for vaccinated dogs and the other area would he used for sWays. The Billings Animal Shelter is divided in this way with strays on one side and the vaccin~ed animals an the other side. Hc further stated thai he is currently waiting for a definite answer from Nancy about this. William Standmger stated that the Pee Palace location would he nice since it is close by and there would not he any worries about getting a building or hiring personnel. This would also alleviate aips back and forth from Billings and w~uld save money. Rick stated that even with the use of the Pee Palace, there would sffil be some transporting of dogs for enthanasing. He would like to see the ordinaace changed to allow a 3-day wait instead of a 5-day wait for euthaaasing. Nancy does not want to get involved in any of this me~ This issue is being worked on with the Biiliags Animal Shelter. William said that if the dogs are kept for three days, this would allow for more than one dog at a time to he lransported~ He suggested either having a van with kennels or lmving a waller with kennels for this purpose. Chief Musson said that it would bo idoai to have a van eventually. The Police doparlment does not have a trailer, but could look into getting one. Dan Dart asked ffthe jmisdieeien changes since Billings has a 3-0ay wait, while Laurel has a 5-day wailing period. Rick said that the ordinance does not change when the dogs are wausported to Billings. He said that Billings bas been supportive since they will hold a dog for more than three days and do not charge for the exixa time. Dan asked when this issue should be put b~fore the City Council. Rick said that he would go to the City Attorney to get him to make the d,anses on the ordinance. Charlie Pratt asked ChiefMusson if there have been any more complaints by Wes Hartford aboul the dog problem that was brought up at the last meeting. Rick stated that the complaints are siowing down at this flare. In the bogianmg, there were about three complaints each day and now there are about four complaints each week. The problem that the officers have with the dog complaints is that it is difficult to find the dog that is causing the problem. All of the dogs in the area bark when the officers are in the area, which makes it difficult to enforce the law. The officers are going to the area every tLme there is a call, which muses anofl~:r problem. The other day, two officers spent two hours on one dog call. Ken Olson asked Chief Musson ii'Mr, Hartford is satisfied with the process. Rick stated that he has not been Chief Rick Musson stated that the School Resource Officer Program has formed a new committee which consists Of: SupL Al IVlclMilin; SChOOl board members, Doug Neihart, Bud $ohnsen, and Dan Dar[ This committee met last Wednesday and is committed to getting an officer in the school. There is 100 million dollars left that can be applied for in the form of a gram for this purpose. Rick spoke to Mayor Charles Rodgem about this grant and the committee is going to apply for the gram funding. With all of ~e resoumes, there is a good chance of beillg successful with this. If not approved, they can always reapply. Amb~hm~e: Ambulance Director Jan Fanght reported that Aaron Hams filled rite vacancy on the crew leR by Mandy Gabfian. Jan presented the AMR stmisiics asked for at thc last meeting. These arc as follows: Jmmmy - Received 29 calls, 9 of these calls were responded to by AMR, and 1 call was a go~-response, Febma~ - Received 56 calls with 5 of these responded to by AMR Jan ~ that she would be meeting with Commissioner Bill Kennedy on Friday m order to go over the boundaries on the map. She will make sure that there are no problems with the County Commissioners at that time. By setting up the definite boundaries, it alleviates any liability issues. Charlie Pratt stated that he would like to compliment the Laurel Volunteer Ambulance Department for a call they received. Them was a vehicle by the side of the road in which the ambulance was dispatched to. The Highway Patrol detective had called off the ambulance since the patient was a diabetic. The ambulance continued to respond to the call. Ken Olsun asked about the protocol on thc issue of what it lakes to call off the ambulance crew. Jan slated that the Montana Highway Patrol could call the ambulance off. Ken Olson presented a book called Eme, r~encv Ooemtions Hast He stated that Cenex Harvesl Slates Cooperatives has one of these books. This book was offered to anyone to take a look at. Fire Chief Jim Stevens slated that the plans in the book have been used and work well. The plans were used at the refinery and when thc ditch overflowed. Ken Olson stated that this meeting would now move to the Safety Complex in order to view the space issue. At the Safety Complex, Chiof Musson showed the dispatch arem He slaled that there is always one dispatober on duty, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. The dispatcher handles all 911 calls for the Police, Fire and Ambulance dapmUnenls, a multitude of agency calls, and Police side calls. The dispatcher also does the secretarial won~ needed. The area is a oue-person workstation that serves as headquarters for the department. The county had set up a computer area for the deputies to come into to work, which saves them f~om having to go book and forth between Laurel and Billings. The Laurel officers do not work in thisarm. Rick slatcd that this area is ve~y crowded as all could see. The room next to the dispatch area is a D.U.I. room equipped with a computer, came~ and an intoxilyzer. There was also a blue tapeline that was on rite floor in the hallway. The next room viewed used to be a holding room while there was jail facilities. They are in the process of getting this room redacomted since there is graffiti on the walls. This will be used as an inteaxiew room and is currently being used as a waiting room for people being picked up. Another room used by the Police department used to be the judge's chambers. This is the biggest room m the area. In this morn, there were ~ desks with workstations for the office~ Rick slated that the area above the jail is used for storag~ and contains old files and old computer equipment. There is not any area for training purposes in ~e police part of the complex. The next room that was sb,owtq was the Chiefs office. The jail cells are ~y being used as evidence holding moms. The old jail was designed to hold one prisoner per cell in the two back cells. Pat i<immet asked ffthere was any way to utilize more space from the jail area. Rick stated Chat them would be a problem with getting all of the cell material enC He also asked ffthe area was used for office space, where the evidence would be kepL All evidence has to be kept ,mil there is a court order to get rid of it. ffthc evidence v~re stored in another area, them wonld have to be an alarm system set up so this area would not be accessible to everyone. Rick showed all present the stai~vay going upstairs. He stated llmt this was pot in the late 1980's or early 1990's for a storage are~ Ambulance Director Jan Fanght presented the ambulance area. She explained that the office area is used 24-hours a day by berseif and the ambulance crew. The area had a desk, computer, and storage area for supplies. She stated that when they make towel rolls, they set a table up between the two rigs to do this. They take as much space as they can get in tbe back. Pat Kimmet asked if the area used by the Ambulance Department ware freed up, would this help thc other two departments? Jim Stevens stated that this would help a little but there would still be a need for room by both the Police and Fire Departments. Jan gave all preseot a handout with figures, designs, and other information if the lot by thc Yellowstone Bank were to be turned into a home for the Ambulance Department. This area used to be the Laurel Outlook building years ago. Jan stated that she received a cost estimate with several plans from Lar~ LeBran abuot a 30- foot wide building with two 12-foot doors. This building would be 55 to 60 dollars per square foot and would include a new sidewalk, curb and gutter, exterior work and plumbing. The building would have a firewall and would be of cement block. The cost estimate for this building would be around $155,000 to $170,000. The front area could be fumed into a park to keep with thc Laurel Revitalization League's plans for the Town Square Park. This building would not block the view. There is only one problem and that is parking. Ther~ would have to be reserved parking either on the street side or in the City's part of the parking lot for the crew. Ken Olson said thai this issue could be addressed. Larry McCann had suggested making the building a two-story building with an elevator. Will/am Standinger s~ted that he liked the idea of having the building made om of cement block since this is a more efficient way to heat and there is little or no upkeep with painting. Jan said that she checked into the price for a 40-foot by 60-foot metal building with a loft across the back. This would be all tarnk~y. She stated that the cost of this would be around $175,000. Fire Chief Jim Stevens showed the area in the complex that is used by the Laurel Volunteer Fire Depamnent. The office space is used for reporting and E.O.C. The Chiaf and two d~puty officers use this area. He stated that he would like to have a regular E.O.C. center set up at sometime, but they use what they have now for ~his. This room is used for nmmng thair own commumcations at times. Tbe next room shown was the drill mom. Jlill stated that the both the Police and Ambnlance crews have access to this room. The L.V.F.D. Company leases this room. There are currently 35 on the department. The garage area was shown next. This is used for the storage of the firemen's bunker gear. The firemen change in this area and get on the Inxcks. Engine 1 is a pumper that holds 1,000 gallen~ of water. There were two water tenders that are used for rural fire calls since water has to be hauled to those areas. Each tender holds 4,000 gallons of water. The next Uuck was Engine 4, which holds 500 gallons of water. Jim said that they can haul 9,500 gallons of water at a time. Engine 4 responds to city or rural fire calls. Jim said that the department has two brush trucks, Engine 2 (reserve engine), and a 100-foot ladder truck that is stored at anothes locatien since there is not enough room for these other U-acks. Their goal is to have all housed in one facility. Jim said that ffthc Wailer court and hobo hill are annexed into thc city, another fire station has to be provided. This fire station would have to be equipped with one engine and one suppm't vehicle. (He explained that ff there are ever 50% hydiams coot:~ined in any area, there is a requirement to have an additional station in that area.) A fire station also has to cover an area of 1 ~A miles from each station. Laurel now has a population base of 6,500 but if thc munber is at 7,500, there bas to ha a paid fire dopartmenL which consists of at least one to two people or a full-crew if required by the City. Jim stated that it is their priority to get the ladder m~ck into the station. William asked if the ambulance were moved, would there be room for the ladder truck? Jim stated that this has been discussed as well as pulling on an addition omo the east side of the building. He said that there is a need to lonk at building one more fire hall Ken said that he would like to get more information about the construction, costs, hackg~oand in growth, etc. He said that it is hard to make decisions without this information. He further stated that this is the beginning of the issue that will be brought before the City Council. He would like to see a task force set up in order to pursue this issue. After 6 to 8 months, a presentation could be made. He would like to encourage the doparm~ot heads to do a space survey of thc building. William s~ted that the park area is wasted space and could be used for an addition. The City owns this land. Jim stated Williams offered this land at a cost of $41,000, which the City did not have at the lime. There was $200,000 in the Caifital Pro. jecls Fund in ordar to buy a fire engine. The City took $41,000 out of this fund at the time to pa~hase the land and was to be put back when the Chexfy Hills subdivision was sold. The City had planned on selling this for $90,000 but only received $50,000. Icing at the doorways was presented. It was stated that floor-diy, sail, shov~iug and chipping ham all been done in the iced areas. There was a thick build-up of ice on the eaves and the pads m the areas. Jim stated that the City people have been cleaning the area as well as sanding and salting the area. Two ye, ars ago the gutters were replaced. There was also a cost eslimat¢ of around $10,000 to change the pads. William suggested building a wall with a roof in the area, This could be used as a stall area. Rick Mussen showed all present the mea on south side of the building with the same problem of ice build-up. The next Emergency Services Committee meeimg will be held on Monday, March 26* at 5:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers. Respectfully submitted, Kim Womholt