Boards And Commissions Fire Commission Fire Commission 07/14/2011
| Fire Commission 07/14/2011 |
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WEATHERSFIELD FIRE COMMISSION Minutes - July 14, 2011 Ascutney Volunteer Fire Station 1: Call to Order- Pat Daniels called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. 2: Attendance- Members Present: Gordon Eglintine, Bob Compo, and Pat Daniels Public Present: James Payne, Ernie Shand, Mark Girard, Josh Compo, Shawn Brown, Gordon Eglintine Jr, Edith Stillson, Pat Howe, Jim Mullen, Ron Main, Mike Barrup, Mike Thomas, Mark Knight, Barb Thomas, and Don Reynolds. 3. Additions to Agenda- There was none. 4. Comments for Citizens There were none. 5: Approve Minutes of Last Meeting(s) Gordon Eglintine made a motion to approve the minutes of June 9, 2011 with corrections. Bob Compo seconded it. All were unanimous. 6. Review Fire Commission Financial Monthly Report(s) The Commission postponed this to their next meeting. 7: AVFA Monthly Report Shawn Brown presented the report to the Commission. Gordon Eglintine wanted to know if Engine 2 was currently working. Shawn Brown said that as far as the department knows. Pat Howe stated that Dingee Machine does not know what caused the fire. Josh Compo said that the power is going from the battery to the master switch now. Gordon Eglintine wanted to know how long Engine 1 was out of service. Shawn Brown said it was about 48 hours due to ordering parts. Shawn Brown said that the air canisters had to be replaced. Gordon Eglintine wanted to know when the department will have the information for their coin drop in August. He said that the Springfield Human Society is doing one in September. He stated that the fire department needs to have it into the Board soon. The department should send a letter to the Board with the date and where it will be located. Pat Howe said that they had planned on doing it the week of the Shriner's. 8: WWVFD Monthly Report The Commission was told that Josh Dauphin will email the report to Pat Daniels by WWVFD members. 9: New Business
AVFD will be selling refreshments in the afternoon. WWVFD will be doing a chicken barbeque and corn on the cob from 6:00 PM on. Pat Daniels said that the parade is approximately from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM. This celebration is happening on August 20th. Gordon Eglintine asked if the fire department was approached for traffic control. Shawn Brown said that the department was told that they were not needed. Pat Daniels said that each department will have a truck at the beginning and at the end of the parade. Then the fire trucks will be on display. Chief Brown is going to be in charge of traffic control. Ernie Shand said that each department needs to provide an EMT. There is another meeting on Saturday to discuss locations. Parking is their biggest concern. The Select Board has authorized for the road to be shut down for the parade.
Pat Daniels stated that an email from the town manger went to both departments regarding speeding which she read out loud. She stated that this came about from several complaints from the weekend of July 4th. She and Darrin Spaulding received calls over that weekend. In particular it was WWVFD members. The callers were complaining about speeding on Route 131 and in the village of Ascutney. She spoke with Jim Mullen and he sent out an email to both chiefs. It does not mean that one department is at fault. Both departments needed to be notified. There are several fire department members that have similar looking vehicles. People do not look at license plates or who is driving. This needed to be discussed. Ernie Shand presented the Commission copies of the Statues for Emergency Vehicles (Title 23). He went over the Statutes. He heard that there were some people that said departments do not have to follow those rules or rules of the Town. The departments are covered by the Town's workmen compensation insurance as soon as they respond to the fire. The department members are bound to follow the Town's rules since the members are contractors. The Town tells us how to use our red lights. It is our responsibility to maintain safe highways. There once was a volunteer firefighter that had an accident on the way to a fire. The department had to send a truck to the fire and to the accident scene. If a firefighter has a red light on their personal vehicle, he/she needs to have a permit for the red light. If any member is not doing it properly, he would support Chief Brown giving tickets. Mark Knight wanted to know if the complaints were signed by anybody and what qualified them speaking about the speeding. Pat Howe said that at a meeting several months ago, the Commission told the departments to handle their own issues. The town manager got involved in this matter. As far as he knows, it was not the AVFD. He wanted to know why it was sent to both chiefs. He stated that he was upset to be called to a special meeting and to sign a letter in regards to following the speeding rules. The complaints could have been handled by Chief Brown. Pat Daniels said that she spoke with Jim Mullen. She did not tell him to do the email. She did tell him to speak to Chief Brown. She understood Pat Howe's concern. She spoke to Chief Brown and he has spoken to the chief that was involved. Chief Brown would be willing to go to a WWVFD meeting and/or speak with the individual(s). The email was generated from two to three people complaining. She spoke with Jim Mullen prior to Chief Brown. Both departments were notified. Darrin Spaulding decided to call a meeting. Hopefully WWVFD chief will tell his department. Mark Knight stated that WWVFD has already discussed this. Some members of the audience disagreed. Gordon Eglintine said that it sounds like Darrin Spaulding was being proactive. Mike Barrup said that when you are driving with red lights, people can say you are speeding. Josh Compo said that numerous complaints came in. Pat Daniels said that there were two incidents with more than one complaint about each incident. Pat Daniels stated that the Repeater Association had a meeting on June 30, 2011. She had a copy of those minutes. It says at the bottom of the minutes that radio etiquette was discussed. There has been inappropriate communication over the radio. She knows that the chief of AVFD has spoken to his department. The chief of WWVFD needs to speak to his department. The radio frequency needs to be used for proper communication. Each fire department should have a representative that attends the Repeater Association meetings.
Pat Daniels stated that the departments should get their budgets for 2012 in order and to the Town Office with their Annual Report shortly after September 1st. 10: Old Business
Pat Daniels stated that the Commission should be receiving drawings for the dry hydrant at Spencer's Pond and for the Weathersfield Inn soon. She has a copy of the deeds and should have the easements soon. Gordon Eglintine asked about the dry hydrant in Perkinsville. Pat Daniels stated that it still is not working. They are waiting on John Arrison and the water level in the river. Jim Mullen stated that the Town is waiting for the river to go down some so they can see the bottom of the pump. He stated that the dry hydrant for the Spencer's Pond is going to be expensive since it is a long ways out there. The bids might come in at $10,000 to $15,000. Mike Thomas asked about the dry hydrant at Jeff Eaton's pond since it has one million gallons of water. Pat Daniels stated that there has been one done on Drumlin Road, but he has not been forgotten. There is a list of dry hydrant locations from each department chief based on priority.
Pat Daniels has a copy of WWVFD's. She will get it out to Commission members. Diana Day sent AVFD's copy to the Town Office. Pat Daniels will check with the Town Office for AVFD's copy. This will be on the agenda for the September meeting. Josh Compo asked if the Commission has an opinion. Gordon Eglintine said that the Commission is gathering information.
The missing caps have been ordered.
Pat Howe stated that AVFD has taken care of theirs. The Town has given them $5000 towards the cost and the rest will be through a loan of $14,500 for which they have applied for. He would like to see the Town send a letter to the state representatives. He stated that this is going to be difficult for some volunteer fire departments. It is going to cost Hartland $60,000. Pat Daniels stated that the Commission has been asked to send a letter to our state representatives. Mark Knight asked if any money went to WWVFD. Mike Barrup said that WWVFD received $1000 from the town and the rest of the money came from grants.
Jim Mullen is waiting from someone from the steel company to look at it. Josh Compo was unable to read the numbers. Roger from Miller Construction has contacted the steel company to look at it. Pat Daniels will contact Roger at Miller Construction. 11. Items of Information for Select Board Gordon Eglintine will bring up the topic of the letter to senators and representative in regards to narrow band. 12: Next Meeting Agenda Items -September 8, 2011 The Commission will continue discussing dry hydrants, fire engine driver requirements, narrow band, and department budgets. 13: Adjourn Gordon Eglintine made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 PM. Bob Compo seconded it. All were unanimous to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, Diana Day |
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