VTEMSD#3 Board Meeting November 11, 2004

Meeting called to order at 1830 by Chief O’Neil

Introductions (O’Neil)

• Mary Crabtree from South Hero for Rae Patrick.
• Charlie Cole from Essex Fire Department.

Approval of Minutes (O’Neil)
 

• Motion to approve minutes as presented (Jones/McCarthy).  Motion approved.

Correspondence (O’Neil)

• Memorandum from Vermont EMS Office Mike O’Keefe & Ray Walker to District Chairs and Trainers regarding exam scheduling and recertification.
• E-mails regarding committee assignments.
• E-mail from Chief Rice regarding Essex Fire Department license.

Treasurer’s Report (McCarthy)

• No report this month due to technical difficulties with PC.  Little change in accounts.

Medical Direction (Weimersheimer/James)

• (James)  Would like survey returned.  Purpose is to begin the process of evaluating what the resources are of the District (both personnel/financial) for future consideration of advanced levels.  Research will likely result in future paper publication.

Training Coordinator (Ziter)

• EMT-Intermediate Transition Courses
  • Start:  Friday January 7, 2005 (1/7-8, 1/21-22, 2/5)
    • Application deadline December 15, 2004
    • Have 11 people, need 16 to run the course.
  • Start:  Wednesday March 30, 2004 (VT EMS pre-conference)
    • Application deadline as per VT EMS Conference
  • Start:  Monday April 3, 2005
    • Application deadline March 15, 2005
• Tuesday November 16^th at 1830 recertification testing.  Need evaluators, would like one from every service.
• Saturday November 20^th at 0830 recertification testing.  Need evaluators, would like one from every service.
• Evaluators should be approved by their respective Training Officer.
• Any folks needing combitube – forward names to Jason.
• Reminder:  Intermediates not transitioned by 7/01/04 may not practice as EMT-I until transition course is completed.

FAHC (Helmken/Jaquith) 

• Construction status quo until opening of new ED May 05.
• No closing of ambulance bays anticipated.
• (Jones) Cold air in rooms?  (Jaquith) Add another airlock door.

MCI/CCRPC (Dusha)

• Emergency Response Guide Books are here tonight for agencies needing one.
• Training exercise program planning:
  • Eliminating full scale exercise
  • Will allow sufficient time for proper table top drill
  • Will allow for appropriate planning
  • Previous plan was compacting an 18-month exercise schedule into ten months – pace would obscure learning opportunities.
  • Update will go out to agencies via mailing.
  • Inventory Resource Survey will be performed and condensed into a quick guide for active incidents.
• (Baron) Grand Isle County MCI trailer/vehicle ready to go.
• (O’Neil) Memorandum of Understanding regarding new BFD MCI trailer circulated.  BFD Captain Seth Lasker present with trailer tonight for members to peruse.  Captain Lasker reviewed inventory sheets at the end of the Board meeting an provided a tour of the trailer after the meeting to interested persons.

Logistics (Jones)

• Winter weather is coming.  Need to reinforce policy regarding second ambulance; dispatch as needed.
• (Jaquith)  Shelburne Dispatch will dispatch two ambulances due to response time.
• (Putnam) Discussion to allow discretion for dispatcher, as well as crew chief.  (Munsell) Reinforce crew chief discretion.

Policies (Jones)

• Out of service reports are consistent from some services, and not from others.  Has made a difference in objectively examining licenses.  Due quarterly.

 Licensing (Jones) 

• No outstanding issues – very easy year.  Congrats to everyone for due diligence, keeping in service and good operations.  O’Neil, Weimersheimer and Jones have reviewed. 
• Request to upgrade of Essex Fire Department First Response from basic level to intermediate level.  Motion to upgrade (Brent/Baron).  Motion carries.
• Motion to forward all licenses to VDH with VTEMSD#3 approval (Jones/Brent).
• (Malone) Was Champlain Valley Exposition First Response’s (CVE) license temporary?  Was the Board to consider changes, upgrades, or modifications?  (Soons) CVE was issued a license for the remainder of the current cycle.  CVE would then join the standard cycle and submit their license with all other District services at the end of 2004.  Vermont Department of Health did express concern about the creation of more first response services and directed VTEMS/Manz to have further discussion with District #3 about this.  (Jones) CVE did an excellent job.  (Phelps) We had no problems this year.  (Danaher) Essex Rescue had no problems this year.  (O’Neil) VDH supposed to have a meeting, did not happen.  (Malone)  Need to have a discussion about these types of services.  Provision of EMS has a cost associated with it and someone has to pay that cost.  District needs to establish a position.  (James)  Dr. James attended the ACEP meeting and heard a speaker on the topic of mass gatherings (sporting events, concerts, etc.); one idea is the use of independent services that provide EMS and do not tap existing resources.  James reviewed CVE operation this year and was pleased with operation and performance.  Danaher echoed sentiment.  James agrees modification is possible.  (Malone) Phish concert promoter received a bill for EMS and a system was built.  (James) Dan Manz needs to have his meetings.  (Malone) VDH approved what District approved.  It’s a catch 22.  (Danaher) Was any service put out of service?  (Jones) That was a pre-requisite and that did not happen.  (Putnam) Isn’t creating this entity forcing the fair to do what they need to do?  This is putting the requirement on the fair to provide EMS coverage.  (Jones) CVE covers all CVE events.  (Laskarzewski) Transport was not addressed.  (Malone) It’s taxing a system that’s already taxed.  (Jones) If it’s the process you’re questioning – it’s the state end of the process.  (Malone) If the District doesn’t change the process, it won’t get changed.  (Jones) We can force the State to establish the meetings.  (Ziter) Suggestion to table discussion to committee.
• Motion to request further discussion in committee (Baron/Lindquist).  Motion carried.
• Vote by display of hands to carry original motion by Jones/Brent.  Motion carried.

 Old Business (O’Neil)

 Article VI Committees:

• Few emails received regarding request for membership on newly established committees.
• Training:  No additional requests.  Wendy James.
• Resource Management:  Howard Rice, Al Barber, Karen Danaher, Mike Ackerlind, Chris Putnam, Pete Munsell.
• Administration:  Pete Weimersheimer.  Chris McCarthy, Lee Jones.  Spots open.
• Public Information:  Jason Ziter.  Spots open.

 New Business (O’Neil) 

• (Crabtree)  Request to allow reinstatement of EMT-I’03 certification.  More than adequate CE.  Had an injury and was unable to test.
  • (James) need to observe two shifts in the ED.
  • (Ziter) Training Coordinator approves. 
  • Motion to approve request for reinstatement of EMT-I’03 certification for Mary Crabtree (Adams/Baron).  Motion carried.
• (Malone) Three course approvals:
  • Spring EMT-B
  • Summer EMT-B
  • Requesting retroactive approval for EMT-Basic Refresher Course conducted at Camp Johnson in September. 
  • Motion to approve all three courses (McCarthy/Jones).  Motion carried.

 Homeland Security (Marcus) 

• Grants:  anyone still purchasing things, be careful about prices – possibility of price gauging.  Examine previous prices paid and conduct price comparisons.
• Grants:  personnel turnover, trying to process requests in 48 hours and forward to next department (accounts payable).
• Grants coming up - $8 million to local, $1.6 to Chittenden county – request for proposal date will be forthcoming.
• Recent review of appropriate spending – Vermont is doing a good job of spending the money at the local first response level.
• Communication study ongoing.  Contractor chosen, Chief Barber a member of the committee.  Meeting to be scheduled.
• (Ziter) Can district be able to apply for grants?  (Marcus) Unknown.  Training funds went to Police and Fire Academy.  $1.1 million from FY04 sent to the academies; have them handle requests for training.  EMS component needs to be examined.
• (Ziter) Simulaids manakin – has WMD component.  Apply for it.

• Next meeting December 9, 2004 @ 1830 – St. Michael’s College, Tarrant Center, Hall of Fame room.
• Light dinner provided at December meeting in observance of holidays.
• Motion to adjourn at 1931 (Shea/Lindquist). Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Kate Soons

Clerk

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Last updated: December 06, 2004