ATTENDEES: Chief Hohman, Assistant Chiefs Hubbard and Preis, Chief of Staff Stewart, Division Chiefs Ewers, Kuruc, Miller and Robinson, Battalion Chiefs DiPaula, Tome, and Utz, Directors Griffin and Murphy, Fire Lieutenant Ringgold, Administrator Coleman, PIO Armacost, Management Analyst Holman, Executive Secretary Thomas, and Quartermaster Gibson

Safety Reminder: Seat Belts Are Not Optional - Buckle-Up! FIRST ALARM BLOG : HTTP://BCNET.CO.BA.MD.US/AGENCIES/FIRE/FIRSTALARM An ongoing dialogue about events, best practices, achievements and other matters of interest to members of the Baltimore County Fire Service.

STAFF REPORTS

CHIEF HOHMAN

• Retirements: o FADO Wayne Redding – September 29 o Fire Capt. Marion Davidson – September 19

• Presented 30 year service pins to: Fire Captains

Thomas Brown and Paul Eurice and FS Thomas Fabrizio

• On September 25, attended a ceremony at the

Catonsville Fire Station where County Executive Kevin Kamenetz presented an Executive Citation and a Baltimore County Hero Pin to Bruce Wood, a trash truck driver. Mr. Wood noticed smoke coming from the roof of a home, immediately called 911, and then roused the sleeping occupants, saving them from harm.

• Attended the BCVFA Annual meeting and Installation of Officers on September 28.

Thanked outgoing President Chuck Bollinger for his service and welcomed John McDowell as the new President of the Association.

ASSISTANT CHIEF HUBBARD

• Attended the following: o September 18 - a full day retreat at MEMA for emergency managers to receive

updates on key MEMA projects and initiatives. One of the topics was an overview of plans for more outreach and interaction with the business community during community wide emergencies.

STAFF MEETING NOTES October 1, 2013

Office of the Fire Chief 10:30 a.m. John J. Hohman, Chief Dulaney Room

Chief Notes No.: 13-19

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o September 24 - Mid Atlantic Life Safety Conference at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. A keynote topic was the need to change the firefighter culture away from unnecessary risk during fire ground operations and engage all operations positions in fire prevention strategies.

o September 26 - Metro Fire Chiefs meeting in Salisbury, Maryland.

COS STEWART

o Attended the BCVFA Annual meeting and Installation of Officers at Bowleys Quarters on September 28.

ASSISTANT CHIEF PREIS

• Attended the following: o Baltimore Urban Area Workgroup meeting on September 17 at the Harford

County EOC. o BCVFA Senior Officers meeting on September 19 at Chestnut Ridge VFC. o Annual Fire Service Memorial on September 22. o Met with Local 1311 on September 25 to discuss issues relevant to active shooter

situations. o Event at the Catonsville Fire Station on September 25 honoring a citizen who

notified a homeowner their house was on fire. o Family Night for the recruit class at the FRA on September 25. o BCVFA annual meeting at Bowleys Quarters on September 28.

• The Baltimore City Firefighters Local 734 called to thank the crew of Truck 8, C-shift,

for assisting with the funeral of one of their members. DIVISION CHIEF EWERS FMO Report

• Progress continues with the former Seagrams plant in Dundalk. Maps have been given to area stations and the buildings have been numbered.

• EMS Lt. Andy Magness is now in charge of the Western District office.

• There are still outstanding Forms 145s pertaining to door closures. Even if the complex

verified that they are compliant, a signed copy of the 145 is still needed for our records. DIVISION CHIEF KURUC

• The first edition of a Departmental fitness newsletter is attached. The newsletter was designed and edited by EMT/FF Corey Morton and Fitness Coordinator Lainy Dill.

DIVISION CHIEF MILLER (not present) • The Department will be ordering station calendars for 2014 in the near future. Once

again, C-shift officers will be responsible for coordinating the selection and returning the information to DC Miller. A forthcoming email will have the details and deadlines.

• Attended the following:

o 9/17 - Managers Guide to the new EAP o 9/18 - BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grant Kickoff o 9/18 - EM Transportation Webinar o 9/18 - Meeting with OIT regarding EM projects o 9/19 - BCVFA Senior Officers Meeting

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o 9/20 - Earth, Wind and Fire Seminar (Health Department) o 9/22 - Annual Memorial Service o 9/28 - BCVFA Annual Banquet

DIVISION CHIEF ROBINSON

• Commended BC Utz, A-shift crews, and the volunteer companies that responded to the two-alarm apartment fire last week in Lansdowne. Risk based decision making by first in officers assured fire ground safety.

• Budget direction will be sent today to station captains on A-shift who are responsible for

station budget preparation. This will be for the FY 2015 operating budget.

• Beginning today, the regular calibration of all field gas instruments/meters will be shifted to the BA shop. Once the technical training is completed, the regular maintenance of these devices will also transition to the BA shop. These devices will be moved via the current transporter system.

• Congratulations to President John McDowell and the newly installed officers of the

BCVFA and also to outgoing president Chuck Bollinger for his outstanding years of service.

• Activities and Events:

9/17: EAP training class at OHR 9/17: Retirement event for Captain Marion Davidson (pictured right) 9/19: Regional exercise for the Balto. Regional Incident Mgmt. Team 9/19: BCVFA Sr. Officer’s meeting 9/22: Memorial Service at Towson UMC 9/28: Annual Meeting/Awards for BCVFA

BATTALION CHIEF DiPAULA

• Congratulations to the following members: o Fire Capt. Todd Gibney for being cleared as an Acting Battalion Chief o EMT/FF Michael Murphy for obtaining his Class A license o PFF Charles Kolkin for being cleared as an acting Paramedic

• Interviews for seven Fire Specialist vacancies will be held on October 11.

BATTALION CHIEF HUGHES (not present)

• PM/FF Kevin Palmer (12-B) recently participated in a BGE sponsored "Utility Worker for the Day" program. The program emphasized the relationship with Emergency Management after a large scale weather event. The demonstrations focused on activities pertinent to the power restoration process, including personal protective equipment, equipment maintenance, and bucket truck and utility pole operations.

• Attended the State Training and Exercise Planning Workshop on October 1 that

was sponsored by MEMA. This group focuses on the coordination of training and exercises throughout the state for the next two years.

BATTALION CHIEF KIMBEL (not present)

• Attended the Annual Memorial Service held on September 22.

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• Thanked the crews of the Middleborough VFD, Rockaway Beach VFC and Wise Avenue VFC for participating in the breathing apparatus demonstrations.

• Welcomed the new recruits at the FRA on September 23 and attended Family Night on

September 25. Extended his thanks to all the mentors that were in attendance.

• BC Utz and crew did an excellent job on the two-alarm apartment fire on September 26.

• Attended the BCVFA Installation of Officers held at Bowleys Quarters VFD. Central Alarmers placed their new “coffee wagon” in service that same evening; it is a very nice upgrade.

BATTALION CHIEF TOME

• On September 21, the below personnel participated in The Goruck Nasty, an obstacle course modeled after "Nasty Nick," which every Green Beret must successfully negotiate during their selection process. The course covered six miles on the scenic ski slopes of Massanutten Ski Resort, with 27 obstacles. All proceeds from the event support the Green Beret Foundation.

Fire Capt. Dave Angelo Fire Lt. Scott Ebbert FS Aaron Carter FS Adam Lublinsky EMT/FF Steven Lee FS Kim Meyers FS Katie Coleman FS Tom Kimbel FS Leslie O'Neal PFF Michael Cover EMT/FF Philip Tran PFF Nick DeVries

• Congratulated Acting Fire Captain Herman and the crew of the Sparrows Point Fire

Station, D-shift, for their thoughtfulness taking care of a forgotten hydrant in an active industrial area. (pictured below)

Before After

• Recently, a cardiac arrest survivor met with Dispatch personnel and the medic crew at Fire Dispatch to thank them for helping to save her life. Pictured left to right are; Larry Baker, 9-1-1 Supervisor, Polly Engles, 9-1-1 Call Taker, citizen, EMT/FF Jermaine McCullough and PM Teresa Sindler. (pictured right)

• The following personnel recently attended the

"Andy Fredericks Trainings Days" seminar

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held in Alexandria, Virginia. This seminar, held in memory of an FDNY Firefighter who was killed on 9-11, provided basic and advanced concepts in areas of leadership, officer skills, tactical considerations, flow paths, engine and truck company operations, size-up, and thermal imaging. Fire Capt. Eric Endryas Fire Capt. James Radomsky Fire Lt. Ben Schuler Fire Lt. Eric Cole Fire Lt. P.J. Cusic Lt. Tim Hannan Lt. Dan Jarkiewicz Fire Lt. Rob Johns Fire Lt. Erik Reinhardt FADO Mike Stuart Jr. FS Lee Jenkins FS Zack Johns FS Rick Swinder EMT/FF Jerry Miller EMT/FF Paul Willhite

• Thanks to BC Jennifer Utz and Fire Director Christian Griffin for assisting with the

delivery of the Fair Practices Program to the 102nd Recruit class at the FRA on September 26.

BATTALION CHIEF UTZ

• Attended the African American Festival held on September 21 in Towson. Thanked all personnel who assisted with distribution of EMS and fire safety education literature and the hands only CPR demonstrations. Those present were EMS Capt. Kim Glaze, Fire Lt. Ed Dezurn, FADO Louis Dixon, FS Aaron Tapp, FADO Duburne Reid, PM/FF Tiffany Queen, and EMT Amahl Foster. Thanks also to FADO Juan Paige and the Guardian Knights for their assistance. (pictured right)

• Commended the crews who responded to the two-alarm

fire on Silverton Road in Lansdowne. The community and management company were very grateful for the fire department’s actions and assistance during the course of the incident. (pictured right)

FIRE DIRECTOR GRIFFIN Expired Medications

• Expired medications (Non-CDS) will no longer be returned to Supply, with the exception of EPI-Pens. EPI-Pens will still be replaced on a 1:1 basis upon expiration. For expired CDS, continue to follow the procedures in place. Please follow the appropriate infection control measures when discarding wasted medications.

Triage Tag Days

• Triage Tag days are October 3 and October 7. Triage tags shall be completed by all units who have patient contact. The Tags are to follow the patient and then to be given to the receiving hospital staff when patient care is transferred. This process familiarizes providers and hospital staff with the triage tags. After the tags are turned into the hospital, the data is returned to the EMS Operational Programs in Region III (Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Anne Arundel) indicating performance and areas of improvement.

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EMS Training • Shock Trauma’s Advanced Airway Course for experienced ALS providers will be

October 18, November 22, December 6, and December 13. This class is offered to Maryland EMS 9-1-1 providers who already have their paramedic license and want to refresh and sharpen their skills. These classes run from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., and require about 2-3 hours of online pre-course work. If you would like to register please email DClapp@umm.edu with the date you would like to attend, your name, affiliation, MIEMSS provider level and number, and email address you would like to use for the class, along with a phone number. These classes are limited in size so please commit to your space, and you cannot have attended in the last 3 years.

• A Trauma and Burn Collaboration: Multi-trauma Case Study in an 18 Year Old Post-

MVC class will be presented by the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center on October 2 from 1900 – 2100 hours. The class will be held at the Shock Trauma auditorium on the 1st floor.

Attendances

• 9/20 Sinai Hospital • 9/22 Annual Memorial Service • 9/25 Region III Medical Directors • 9/25 Region III EMS Advisory • 9/26 Fair Practices Training

Reserve Unit utilization

• RM33 by M475 since 9/8 • RM35 by M415 since 9/24 • RM36 by M395 since 9/28 • RM38 by M325 since 9/25

FIRE DIRECTOR MURPHY

• The 102nd Recruit class started on September 23 with 34 Probationary Firefighters. Family Night for the recruits was held on September 25 was very successful and was well attended.

• An Aerial Operations class is under way with eleven students.

FIRE DIRECTOR ROGERS (not present)

• Safety Report: FIRE CAPTAIN TUDOR (not present, reported by Quartermaster Gibson) Fire Maintenance Tip When sending appliances and equipment to Supply that are in need of repair (i.e. nozzles, hydrant gates, hydro-rams, etc.), please make sure these items are clearly marked with a tag that contains a detailed description of the type of repair needed. Also, make sure that the equipment is clearly identified with the unit, so it can be returned easily.

Total Year-to-Date

Total 2012 YTD

Comparison

VEHICLE ACCIDENTS: 11 102 110

INJURIES: 10 137 115

EXPOSURES: 0 44 7

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• Station 5: New floor tile has been installed and completed.

• The Recruits visited Supply on September 25 and picked up their uniforms and gear.

• COOP planning for Fire Supply and Fire Maintenance is progressing.

• BA Report:

• BSR 32 PLYMOVENT 8

FIRE LIEUTENANT RINGGOLD

• Attended the Veteran’s Job Fair at CCBC, Catonsville campus on September 21.

ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN • 508 monies in the amount of $185,195.21 were paid to twenty-six companies for

October, November, and December.

• Along with County Executive Kamenetz and Chief Hohman, attended the BCVFA Annual meeting and Installation of Officers. The County Executive presented a ceremonial check (pictured) for approximately $6.9 million that the County will distribute to the volunteer fire companies this year. Thanked Chuck Bollinger for his service to the Association and welcomed all the incoming officers listed below.

President John McDowell Senior VP Glen Resnick VP Finance Jamie Cahn VP Ops Tom Ludwig VP Admin Kathy Walker Secretary Robert Frank Treasurer Bill Kern Chaplain Timothy Feaser District Reps: Eastern A Bill Pearson Northern A Larry Gribble Western A Doug Brinkley

PIO ARMACOST • Will be attending an all-day seminar on Thursday regarding the Boston bombings and the

lessons learned. MA HOLMAN

• Administrative Services has begun preparations for the FY 2015 budget proposal. Please be mindful of and adhere to any deadlines relative to budget requests.

Item Previous Current Report Current Total Air-Paks 11 39 456 Masks 39 65 494 Cylinders 1 3 29 Cascades 1 6 65 Fit Tests 0 0 896 Oxygen Repairs 11 22 210

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RECOGNITION

• Police Chief James Johnson wrote, in part, the following letter regarding the passing of POFC Jason Schneider:

“I would like to express my deep gratitude, and the gratitude of all the men and women of this department, for the assistance you and your staff provided following the tragic death of Officer Jason Schneider. The many courtesies extended by members of your department are greatly appreciated. We would like to extend special thanks to Lieutenant Mike Fold for his assistance in planning for the services and for arranging for the Fire Brigade Pipes & Drums of Greater Baltimore to perform during the services.”

• A county resident wrote to commend FS Don Muddiman (FMO) for answering her

questions about rental properties. He noted that he was “really nice about the entire situation. So I felt his kindness, thoroughness and responsive service should be recognized.”

• EMS Lt. David R. Snyder was thanked by a citizen for his assistance with arranging a meeting and providing information on the care of elderly patients.

• Retired Chief Elwood Banister thanked the entire Department for our contributions to

the Annual Memorial Service that was held on September 22.

Next Staff meeting: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. in the Dulaney Room

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Thanks to Fire Captain Tom Hoffman (18-B) for his contribution to the Staff Notes Art Gallery.

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