CO Sierra Fire Protection District gains new members
“Captain Chrispy” takes charge of Station 7
The Colorado Sierra Fire Protection District (CSFPD) Board of Directors was joined by their agent from Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services (VFIS) at their meeting on January 11, 2010. Directors Gail Maxwell, Walter Perryman, Chris Schimanskey, Taffy Skudneski and Rick Wenzel were present, as were Chief Ryan Roberts, Captains Chris Patrick and Randy Beaudette and Administrator Scott Nordgren.
You’re Covered!
Jerry Ward of VFIS told the Board their insurance coverage was in effect even if a firefighter from another district was driving one of their vehicles. The question had come up as CSFPD and High Country Fire Protection District (HCFPD) are in the process of merging and firefighters from both districts are responding to emergency calls together. “We go through a lot of these consolidations and it’s not a big deal,” said Ward, who clarified that CSFPD personnel would also be covered in reverse situations – when they are operating vehicles for other departments as in mutual aid arrangements, provided they are acting on behalf of the fire district. Ward was asked to do some preliminary cost estimates of what premium costs might be post-merger, using the existing combined inventory and call volume. Ward, who also handles HCFPD’s insurance policy with VFIS, said he would contact their administrator for HCFPD’s information and provide the estimates as soon as possible.
Kudos!
Firefighter Chris “Chrispy” Patrick was voted in as Captain of TFA Station 7.
Roberts was commended by Schimanskey for inviting HCFPD to his last CSFPD meeting – another step in merging the two departments and an opportunity for all personnel to hear things first-hand.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Schimanskey said “Things are good,” which other Directors joked was all he needed to say. However, Schimanskey further reported the district checking account contained $2,029 and they had $53,456 in savings. The district had not exceeded spending in anything and would start the year with about $51,000, he said. Schimanskey then requested the Board approve paying $10,000 toward CSFPD’s $12,400 share of merger costs to the Timberline Fire Authority (TFA). He said he would request that HCFPD also put in $10,000. TFA is the entity tasked to accomplish the merger and will soon encounter fees for their attorney, survey, election, etc. The Board approved his request.
Administrative Report
Nordgren reported 287 CSFPD calls and 402 TFA calls as of the end of December. The calls are verified with the Gilpin Sheriff’s Office.
Training hours for CSFPD personnel have all been recorded and Nordgren said he plans to distribute the results to officers soon. He is in the process of storing and purging old records.
CSFPD is now using QuickBooks Pro accounting software for managing finances. Nordgren said that system is moving along for deposits, bill paying, etc. and he will enter the 2010 Budget information after final updates. The district had just received $900 from their insurance company on a claim filed for extrication equipment that was damaged when it “jumped off the truck.” Nordgren is accumulating the accounting information requested by El Pomar who awarded CSFPD grant money. That is due next month, he said. He expected to have information required for Senate Bill 0987 (regarding transparency) finished by Friday.
A folder containing CSFPD meeting and other information is kept at the Gilpin County Public Library. Nordgren is keeping it up to date.
Hepatitis B vaccinations are still available for CSFPD personnel.
The district has hired Gene Rausch as Fire Marshal to inspect their commercial and residential buildings as needed. Nordgren is meeting with Rausch to go over those needs. The administrator is also completing a 1099 form for the TFA consultant, Don Taylor.
CSFPD has added new security systems to their stations and equipment, including new coded locks and security cameras. They plan to add a Knox box lock system that will record who accesses a building and when. Estimated cost of the Knox box system is $500 plus software at $245. Nordgren is researching systems. CSFPD is also plans to work with HCFPD regarding access to each others’ facilities. That means working out a code/key system for each other. Roberts said he would coordinate that with the HCFPD chief.
Chief’s Report
Roberts said he’d provide a written report “later,” noting with chagrin that he’d prepared a report, saved it on a portable flash stick drive, put the drive in his pants pocket – and his pants in the washing machine. His report was verbal.
Training: Beginning this month, CSFPD and HCFPD is planning coordinated trainings under the direction of HCFPD Training Captain Jake Vassar. Vassar is also setting up access for CSFPD personnel to HCFPD’s new training software program, “Target Safety.” CSFPD will need to pay the fee per individual using the system, as does HCFPD for their own personnel; however the joint effort saves CSFPD a set-up fee of about $800.
Both districts have approved a training requirement of 50 hours per year.
Schimanskey had just completed an online class that he and Roberts recommended other Board members do as well.
Equipment Needs: Chains are needed for two vehicles which Roberts will obtain.
Accountability Tags will be ordered, costing a total of about $150. The tags are used on fire scenes, generally placed on an accountability “board” to identify personnel who are on the scene and make sure they are all accounted for and safe.
A Standards Committee has been formed to look at vehicle and equipment needs and placement post merger. Some equipment is not compatible, Ryan noted (specifically SCBA bottles) and the two districts need to work toward fixing that. HCFPD’s Jim Crawford is heading up that committee.
Command Structure: Officers from CSFPD and HCFPD met and discussed a future command structure of one Chief, three Battalion Chiefs (with geographical jurisdictions) and Lieutenants at the individual stations. The Training Officer would be at the Battalion Chief level, but would have no vote as that position is filled by the Chief’s appointment and could potentially be used politically. Another officers meeting was scheduled for those who couldn’t make the first.
Grant Opportunities: Noting that grant application time is coming up, Roberts asked if CSFPD should apply on its own, or if grant efforts should go through TFA. Also, whether funding should be sought to cover merger costs, or for equipment needs. The consensus was for CSFPD to proceed independently and seek funding for equipment or vehicles – whatever is needed, as the district has already committed and budgeted funding for the merger.
Busy: Roberts told the Board he will be unable to make any meetings on Monday or Wednesday nights from now until June as he will be taking classes in the metro area.
Follow-Ups
Schimanskey asked that ongoing tasks be completed soon by volunteers or hired done. That included expansions on the security system, programming radios and securing the extrication pump.
Schimanskey also inquired as to command protocol when Roberts, who is a paid firefighter for Nederland Fire Department, responds to a CSFPD/ TFA call. When that happens, Roberts may not be the Incident Commander as he would if he was responding as a volunteer. Although the Nederland Chief has told Roberts to do whatever is needed for the call, Schimanskey said TFA would have to look at how they would deal with paid employees and volunteers.
New Members
Beaudette provided the names and a little background on two new members: Caleb Knopft and Christina Vanderberg. Additionally, one participant in the CSFPD Cadet Program will turn 18 this month and plans to become a regular recruit, although will still have some limitations due to school activities.
Head’s Up
The CSFPD Board meets next on February 8, 2010. Maxwell, Schimanskey and Wenzel also sit on the TFA Board and will join their HCFPD counterparts for a meeting of that Board on January 25, 2010.