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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Services Committee Minutes 06.25.2001Emergency Services Committee 6-25-2001 Committee Members: Ken Olson Charlle Pratt Lauron VanRoekel Polic~ Chief R~k Masson Ambulance Director Jan Faught Fire Chief Terry Ruff City Attorney Matt Erekson Mayor Charles Rodgers Gay Easton Ken olson called the meeting to order. WiIllmn Staudinger Dan Dart Bill Brcaoan Ambulance: Ambulance Director Jaa Faught stated that Jack Crabrian reported that Montana Raft Link is interested in Spending money for the purchase of training manne~dn~ ff it is a go, seven new mannequl~ would be purchased to replace the three old ones tlmt were donated in 1977 by the Auto Mak~'s Association The new ones have been modified from full-body to just head and chest mannequins. These marmeq?ina are for training of A.E.D., I-~imlich Maneuver, and CPR with prompt. There would be five adult and two children mann~lnln.~ With a case. Jan repmxed that the Ambulance crew is getting geared up for the ¢~ of July. Double crews will begia with the slxeot dance and stay on through two a.r~ on the 5~ of Suly. Durin~g' the parade one ambulance~wfll'' enter the.parade and the other will be stationed at the 5~ Avenue crossing. Both ambulances will be located at Thomson Park with one staying there while the other goas on calls. The Laurel Volunteer Ambulance will be on stand-by during the Big Sky State Games at Riverside Park In the.past, this part of the games was held at Riveffront Park with AMR on s~aud-by. The Laurel Volunteer Ambulance will not only receive free publicity, it will also receive free t-shi~. Jan stated that she is still looking for a medical director. The Stale has been apprised of the sJ~mion. The Laurel Volunteer Ambulance Department will have to submit an A.E.D. plan with the State and report defibrlll~or use. This is an in-depth report and the department will probably allow use of the defibrillmnrs. They will have to drop the "D" on the license and go back to "B'. William Staudinger asked how the boundary issne is going. Jan stated that eveo~.hing has been approved. A letter with a map of the boundaries will be sent to the ComCeater. Ken Olson aske~ to have this committee receive a map of lite boundaries when everything is done. Charlie Pratt stated that the Frontage Road will soon be tom up for redesign and will be tom up for at least one year. He stated that the Ambulance Department would not be able to use the Frontage Road for AMR Wnnnflgrs O11~ this work begins. H~ staled that the eastbo~md scale could be used if dispatch were to call ahead so traffic could be shut off. He said that the area of the jersey rml could also be used for this puipose. A crossove~ could be put ia the area from the on-ramp of the scales to the jersey rails. He asked ff an official lotlcx should be sent in order to gain permission for this purpose. Ken stated that there should be official correspondence sent in order to us~ this area so there is something on record to show good faith. Charlie ~ that the only place to mm around without use of the eastbound scale or a crossover built is eight miles away at Shiloh Road. It was also slated that Dave Gait, Director of Tran~on should be asked for a crossover to be built. William stated that Bruce Bar~t is anothex contact at the Department of Tmnslx~rtation. Emergency Services Committee June 25, 2001 Page 2 Police: Police Clfief Rick Masson stated that the Police Department is gearing up for the Fourth of July. A full ¢,¢~ of reserves witl be on duty sha6~g with tim 3~a at the S~an:~t Dance. There will aiso be font or five full-time officers on duty at that time. The crew will be the same size on the 4*. Rick stated that the reserves have been busy during Aviation & Teclmology Week last month. The same type of thing happened during the Fire Department Convention. The Fourth of July will also keep the reserves very busy. The work done by the reserves is appreciated. Chief Masson stated that he plans to go before the Budget and Finance Committee in regard to changing the way of dispatching personnel. They ate supposed to have two relief dispatchers. Something drastic needs to be done with the way things are being done. He would like to see the communication officer position made into two positions with one being a relief position and the other made into a communication officer. They are looking at five full-time paid positions. He would also like to see more detail put into the job description handed dOWll in tho City Mamlal. If this is not achieved this year, efforts will be made to get this done next year. The afternoons are the busiest time and two people are needed during this time. A flem'ble person is needed who will work in conjunction with one other relief dispatcher. The relief job is very demanding in terms of hours and family life. The position was advertised in the l. mn~l Outlook and advettiscd through Job Service with three people responcRng to it He slated that it is expensive to go throngh the hiring process since the applicants go through Waining, testing, background checks, and drug screening. When a Communications II dispatcher is h/red, they will need to keep one part-time dispatcher un duty also. Connie puts in 20 hours each week doing animal COOtlOI, and works as a relief dispatcher.. There would be an increase of $20,000.00 to the budget if a relief dispatcher were hired. William Smudinger said lhat he would like this committee to go on record to offer ml)pOet for the hiring of a Commllule.~ulons II dispatcher. William matte a motion to recommend that Chief Masson ~,et th/s.~oin~, to get a Comm~mleatious II dl. ,qpatcher. Dan Dart seconded this motion. The motion carried with a unanimcnls vote bY all members oresent. Rick said that he would like to see Laurel get a Police motorcycle program going in the future. Discussion was held on the costs and benefits of one of these programs. There would be addi~/onal clothing, gear and Waini~lg COSTS. A benefit would be the money saved on gas. Rick said that he could check further into the figures for this program. The committee told Rick to go forward to cheek into the figures and report on this at the next meeting. Chief Musson stated that the SRO process is moving along. On July 31~t, there will be a community SRO meeting at 7:30 at the High School anditotimn. At this meeting, ~ ,sp~ ~er, Kent. Ewalt..a~d a~. assistant. principal from Senior High School will be brought in. On August 6 , there wall be a joint City Council and School Board meeting held with one of the main topics bein~ the SRO Program and the school's budget. This meeting will be held at 7:30 in the Laurel Middle School meeting room. The Chief reported that the animal shelter issue has gone nowhere at this point. Mayor Charles Redgers wrote a letter to the State asking for ownership of tho budding. They are still waiting on an answer. Bill Breanan asked if the rifle range issue was resolved. Rick apolog/zed for missing the Public Works meeting in which this issue was discussed. He is not aware of the outcome of this discussion. It was stated that the Park Committee write a clause into the lease agreements when they meet to discuss the renewal of the leases at Riverside Park. Ken Olson stated that the leases for all the buildings in Riverside Park have been.put an hold for the last three years in order to address the liability issues. All enlifies involved will be involved in the agreements since flwy are looking for input on all the conditions put un the buildings. Ken said that he does not know when this meeting has been set for. Rick said that the Police Doparmaant is not asking for mantr They do not want to have anything to do with the lease; they just want to be able to have L Emergency Services Committee June 25, 2001 Page 3 an area to tram officers. He further stated that the officers should not have to buy a membership in the Rifle Club to train there. They use the area around seven to eight limes a year and when officers go there for practice. Ken stated that they are trying to open the lines of communication with the Rifle Club. ConSol would be placed with the Rffie Club with conaidemtion made for the Police Department. It was told to the Public Works Committee that the Highway Pa~xol and County both use the range and they donate money for the use of the club. Rick said that the Highway Patrol has their own range located at the gravel pit at 72~a San:et West. The County Sheriff's Office has a range located at 87 North on the Shepherd/Acton Road with moving targets and other lyaining toots. Both these groups have not used the Laurel range for many years. Rick further stated that the Laurel Police Deparunent is the only Law Enforcement Agency using the Laurel range since the 1980's. They are careful to always call and ask to reserve the use of the range beforehand. Ken stated that this could be worked out when the meeting is held to discuss the lease agreements. Fire: Pire Chief Terry Ruff slated that the Fire Department is waiting for LUFSA (Laurel Urban Fire Service Area), to sign the contract for fire service. He spoke to Doug Allen last week about this. Boys and Gifts Ranch and Laurel Airport have already signed contracts with the Laurel Volunteer Fire Deparm~eat. Terry stated that they try to get all contracts signed before June 5~ of each year. William Staudinger stated that a deadline should be set and ffthat deodline is not met, then fire protection should not be allowed. Terry said that the LIJFSA recently wont through some changes and this may be the reason why the contract has not been signed. Ken Olson said that another reason for this is that LUFSA is treated ~,~J~,t~ us~ assessea accommg to be mm levy m that district By assessing according to the b?ldiags, this causes built in ta'oblems. Ken advised Terry to keep after LUFSA to get this canlract s~gued. He said to mal~e so~ ths~ the File Delmrtmem is paid and said that if it starts gelling late, a meeting will be set in order to discuss the problem. Ten3, said that he wrote a letter to the County Commissioners and the Board of Directors of the districts as to who regulates the districts. He has not received word yet on this issue. - · · It was stated that Conmuss~ener Ztggy Ziegler would make a final decision soon on what areas will be closed and what areas will stay upea~ Terry stated that be would call him again tomorrow. He has left him many messages. The Commissioner set the policies in the districts. William Staudinger stated that fireworks are already being set off late into the hight and wondered what could be done to conlxol this problem. Chiof Ruff said that the ban is m~l~ng matters worse and this ban won't stop the use of fireworks. The only thing accomplished by the ban is that people are running out to those districts to shoot offfireworks. Ken stated that there is a City Ordinant~e about the ntisuse of fireworks. Sma~er fireworks are allowed. There will be an article in the Laurel Outlook explaining this Ordinance. ' · ChiefMusson slated that the Police Department cannot keep up with all the calls received ubom the fireworks. He timber stated that Glendive City Council drafted a letter to allow fireworks to be ed only on the 4 of luly and rackets are written on all other days. Cl~.lie Pratt asked if there is a fire in another district, does the Fire Department bill these districts for senace. Terry answered that these other districts are billed for services. Ken Olson asked Chief Mussun when the Reserve meetings are held. Rick stated that the meetings are held .each month on the third Monday. There is a special meeting tonight in order to discuss the 4~ of July Ambulance Director Jan Faught stated that stated that there was a recall on the driveline on Care 1. This ambulance hms much better now. The next meeting of the Emergency Services Committee will be held on Monday, July 23~a at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. At 6:17 p.m., the meeting was adjourned. Emergency Services Committee June 25,2001 Page 4 Respect~lly submitted, Klm Wombolt