HomeMy WebLinkAboutFire Commission 2016-05-11 MinutesCITY OF SAN RAFAEL FIRE DEPARTMENT
FIRE COMMISSION MEETING
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
May 11, 2016
Fire Station #51, 1039 C Street, San Rafael
PRESENT STAFF PRESENT
Stephen Mizroch, Chair Fire Chief Chris Gray
Larry Luckham Assistant Fire Chief Robert Sinnott
Carolyn Lenert Battalion Chief Jeff Rowan
Leonard Thompson
Thomas Weathers, Commissioner
ABSENT
David Fonkalsrud, Commissioner Alternate
Chair Stephen Mizroch called the Fire Commission to order at 4:01pm. The Minutes of the April meeting
were approved.
Public Open Time: A valued supporter pledged to donate funding needed for pet emergency oxygen
masks for Department apparatus. Training may also be provided on the use of the equipment. Chief
Gray responded to the kind and generous offer with his enthusiastic acceptance.
Reports
Chair Mizroch complimented and thanked Chief Gray for the depth, power and transformative qualities
of the formal rituals of the Department such as promotion and retirement ceremonies. He then shared
additional information about community paramedicine as reported in the following attached article:
“Community Paramedicine---Addressing Questions as Programs Expand” in New England Journal of
Medicine, March 24, 2016. The article concludes that up to 15% of emergency 911 calls could be
handled by such programs instead of medical emergency room services.
Commissioner Luckham reported from his activities with SRPhoto50 which has been very busy with, for
example, the Canalways vegetation fire incident. In the past month, he also served as a staff member
for a post-Bomb explosion class. Photos are online via a link at www.SRphoto50.com and/or
www.advexprec.com. As a follow up to the trip to Peru, he will be partnering with a fire investigator
there to provide information and resources in coordination with their professional association. Another
possible project is the conversion of Volvo for emergency response.
Commissioner Lenert reported on her contact with the Marin Medical Reserve Corps. She anticipates
providing them with a very large tenant for their response trailer. MMRC has begun recruiting non-
medical personnel to support their operations.
Commissioner Thompson reminded the Commissioners, on behalf of the San Rafael Fire Foundation,
that the 2016 wine stroll fundraiser is on hold temporarily due to organizational changes. The upcoming
Great Race event being hosted downtown needs volunteers on June 18, 2016. The Department will be
providing a pancake breakfast starting at 6 a.m.
CITY OF SAN RAFAEL FIRE DEPARTMENT
FIRE COMMISSION MEETING
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
May 11, 2016
Fire Station #51, 1039 C Street, San Rafael
Commissioner Weathers. The Chief presented new Commissioner Weathers with his City certificate of
appointment together with other memorabilia. Congratulations to Commissioner Weathers!
Fire Chief Gray provided the attached report regarding promotions, service awards, the joint fire
academy*, fire response activity, the essential facilities project update including temporary relocations,
City budget and the City Social Responsibility Award winner, firefighter/paramedic Angel Landaverde.
Also, with respect to personnel, he noted that five additional firefighter/paramedics will result in a full
Department complement. He noted that in 2008, 28 of 69 personnel had been with SRFD prior to 2008
and the average age was 50. Regarding Essential Facilities, the negotiations for temporary facilities
during the construction have reached a milestone and will be shared with San Rafael Police Department
at 519 Fourth Street (likely in October). New facilities at Stations 52 and 57 are scheduled for
completion in March 2018; and June 2019 for the downtown safety center.
The meeting adjourned at 5:05pm.