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Minutes of Fire Chiefs Meeting - 03-07-07

Activity:     Fire Chiefs’ Meeting
 
Date:          March 7, 2007
 
Organizations Represented:
Public Safety Administration
Department 1/Rocky Mount Fire
Company 3/Ferrum Fire
Company 4/Glade Hill Fire
Company 5/Callaway Fire
Company 6/Snow Creek Fire
Company 7/Boones Mill Fire
Company 8/Fork Mountain Fire
Company 9/Burnt Chimney Fire
Company 10/Scruggs Fire
Company 11/Smith Mountain Lake Fire
Company 14/Henry Fire
 
Organizations Not Represented:     
Company 12/Hardy Fire
Company 13/Cool Branch Fire
 
TOPICS OF DISCUSSION: Please find below a summary of the topics that were discussed and relevant information regarding those topics. If you have any questions, please contact your Rescue Captain or Fire Chief for details.
 
  • The meeting was moderated by Public Safety Director, Daryl Hatcher. Mr. Hatcher opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and thanking them for their attendance.
 
  • Mr. Jim Jegel, a sales representative for Fire & Safety Equipment Company gave a brief presentation on Carbon Monoxide Detector and Combustible Gas Indicators.
 
  • Mr. Morris Stevenson from The Franklin News Post gave a brief update on the Volunteer Retention and Recruitment project he is working on and solicited more information. He will report back at a later date.
 
  • Billy Ferguson advised that the Franklin County Board of Supervisors has agreed to allow billing for false alarms. There was an ordinance adopted in the 1990’s which allowed residential or commercial buildings that exceeded the maximum of 2 alarms per year be charged for any alarms received after the maximum number at a rate of $75.00 per billable alarm.. The billing process has not been utilized for several years but the procedures are in place to start again. Tracking and billing went into effect as of January 1, 2007. The Public Safety administrative offices will handle tracking and invoicing any billable alarms and then any revenue which is collected as a result of alarm billing will be returned to the budget of the department who answered the alarm call. For more information regarding alarm billing, contact Billy Ferguson.
 
  • Billy Ferguson also reminded everyone of the Franklin County Public Safety website and encouraged all departments to participate in the website by providing information and pictures of events, personnel or anything else you would like to see on the site. Also, most commonly used forms are also available on the website.
 
  • Billy Ferguson advised everyone of the upgrade of the Firehouse Software. The upgrade is estimated to cost approximately $45,000.00. One of the features of the new software is that anywhere you have internet access you can have connectivity with the Firehouse program. Another feature is that once the call is dispatched from the Communications Center, all the data from the dispatcher will automatically be plugged into the Firehouse report. Because the new software will be a web based program the departments will need to connect to the wireless system that the County is installing. The Information Technology (IT) Department has set the requirement that they own any and all computers using this technology. To most departments this will be to their advantage because the IT department in exchange for ownership assumes responsibility for maintenance and replacement of your department’s computer. Billy has all the particulars about how to opt in or out of this program.
 
  • Bennie Russell gave an update on the process of the ISO ratings. He provided copies of correspondence he has received to date regarding the new classifications, a copy of which is attached. For more information regarding the ISO rating, contact Bennie.
 
  • Bennie spent the rest of the meeting discussing truck details with those in attendance..
 
Meeting adjourned.