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Home My WebLink AboutFire Commission 2024-01-10 Agenda PacketAGENDA SAN RAFAEL FIRE COMMISSION Wednesday, January 10, 2023 @ 4:00 P.M. Public Safety Center, Lobby Conference Room 1375 5th Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901 Watch on Zoom: https://cityofsanrafael-org.zoom.us/j/83441506482 Webinar ID: 834 4150 6482 Listen by phone: +1 669 900 9128 Members of the Public May Speak on Agenda Items 1. Open Time for Public Expression The public is welcome to address the Fire Commission at this time on matters not on the agenda that are within its jurisdiction. Please be advised that pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2, the Fire Commission is not permitted to discuss or take action on any matter not on the agenda unless it determines that an emergency exists, or that there is a need to take immediate action which arose following posting of the agenda. Comments may be no longer than two minutes and should be respectful to the community. 2. Approval of Minutes – December 13, 2023 Recommended Action: Amend and or approve as submitted. 3. Appoint Chair and Vice-Chair for 2024 Recommended Action: Appoint and approve a Chair and Vice-Chair for 2024 4. Fire Foundation – Verbal Update from Commissioner Donna McCusker Recommended Action: Accept Verbal Report and take appropriate action. 5. Current Media Coverage Marin mental crisis team fortifies public safety system – Marin Independent Journal 6. Chair and Commission Member Reports: Stan Burford– Chair David Fonkalsrud- Vice Chair Ken Johnson Thomas Weathers Donna McCusker John Chung Brian Waterbury Informational only. No action to be taken on these items. 7. Fire Chief Report Informational only. No action to be taken. Any records relating to an agenda item, received by a majority or more of the board or commission less than 72 hours before the meeting, shall be available for inspection at San Rafael Fire Department’s Administrative Office, 1375 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA. Sign Language interpreters and assistive listening devices may be requested by calling (415) 485-3066 (voice), emailing Lindsay.lara@cityofsanrafael.org or using the California Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing “711”, at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Copies of documents are available in accessible formats upon request. Public transportation is available through Golden Gate Transit, Line 22 or 23. Paratransit is available by calling Whistlestop. Wheels at (415) 454-0964. To allow individuals with environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivity to attend the meeting/hearing, individuals are requested to refrain from wearing scented products. CITY OF SAN RAFAEL FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING December 13, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. In person meeting at 1375 Fifth Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901 The meeting was called to order at 4:04 p.m. by Chair Burford Present: Chair Stan Burford Commissioner Donna McCusker Commissioner Ken Johnson Commissioner Dave Fonkalsrud Commissioner Weathers Commissioner Waterbury Commissioner Chung Chief Sinnott Thomas Wong 1. Open Time for Public Expression No public comments 2. Approval of Minutes Commissioner Weathers makes a motion to approve the draft minutes. Commissioner McCusker seconds the vote. The minutes are adopted unanimously. 3. Appointment Certificate Presentation for Fire Commissioners and Alternates Chief Sinnott presents a Certificate of Appointment to Commissioner Johnson 4. Fire Foundation Commissioner McCusker reports that the Crab feed was postponed due to lack of crab and that the new date is January 13. Tickets are still for sale. 5. Current Media Coverage Best Way to Extinguish a Flaming Electric Vehicle? Let It Burn – Wall Street Journal Commissioner Fonkalsrud shares the news article and adds that EVs are prevalent now and you basically have to let them burn out. Captain Berkey says there are currently no special tools that SRFD uses for EV fires, but you need a lot of water and it’s a known hazard. Benign hurricane season ends ‘peak hardening’ for US commercial property – Insurance Insider US Commissioner Johnson reports that we’ve had 31 $1B events around the globe in the past 20 years but this was a light year for hurricanes. It’s slowly getting better than it was. 6. Improving Public Engagement Commissioner Burford questions whether Falkirk is fire safe and whether there is enough lighting there. At night it was very hard to get from the parking lot to the building. Chief Sinnott states that Falkirk does not have fire sprinklers but is inspected annually. The building is run by recreation and staff will pass along the concerns. Commissioner McCusker talked to her councilmember and will not be attending future events at Falkirk. We should use PSC lobby instead. 7. Commissioners’ Report Commissioner Fonkalsrud did his ride along with Commissioner Weathers and E51 two weeks ago. They went on one call and were impressed with how fast they got out. Commissioner Fonkalsrud suggest that commissioners should do these ride alongs more often. Commissioner Fonkalsrud requests that the social media handles be included in these minutes. Department Social Media https://twitter.com/SRFD https://www.instagram.com/sanrafaelfd/?hl=en https://nextdoor.com/agency-detail/ca/san-rafael/san-rafael-fire-department-1/ Fire Foundation Social Media http://srfirefoundation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/people/San-Rafael-Fire-Foundation/100054385425915/ Commissioner Johnson has no updates. Commissioner Weathers says that the ride along was the best thing he has done on his 10 years on the Commission. He learned about the staff turnover which has been high due to pay. Was very surprised by the number of calls that have increased. Commissioner McCusker tells the Commissioners to keep seeing the firefighters and interacting with them. Commissioner Chung asks if there are any BLS units in San Rafael. Commissioner Waterbury has no updates. Chair Burford states that each January a new Chair and Vice Chair are elected. Commissioner Weathers nominates Chair Burford and Vice Chair Fonkalsrud to maintain their current positions since they have not been in their position for a year. It was seconded by Commissioner Johnson and approved unanimously. 8. Fire Chief’s Report Chief Sinnott provides department wide updates including two new ambulances, staffing, Station 54, and MWPA updates. Meeting adjourned at 5:18 PM