GLOUCESTER COUNTY FIRE CHIEF’S & FIRE
OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION
Delsea Drive Station
Deptford Township
October 15, 2015
The meeting was called to order by President Zimm at 1930 hours. The
group saluted the flag the invocation was given by Assistant Chaplain
Archie Roemmich.
Address of welcome was given by Battalion Chief Joe Tull of the Deptford
Fire Department
NEW MEMBERS: No new members
Drew Bain motion to suspend normal order of business, seconded by Pat
Robinson, motion passed.
President George Heflich of the New Jersey State Firemen’s Relief
Association spoke on a few of the items that had taken place during the
convention. A discussion was held where members were asking questions
about the election how someone gets their name on the ballot, and why the
ballots cannot be printed after the meeting on Friday. President Heflich
stated that the voting machines that the Association presently uses are
obsolete and they will have to be replaced. Another question was why the
motion from the floor to replace the legal counsel was not acted upon.
George stated that the executive committee hires the legal counsel.
Randall Gartner motion to resume with the meeting seconded by Butch
Myers, motion passed.
MINUTES OF PAST MEETING:
Pat Robinson motion that the minutes of the September meeting be approved
as emailed seconded by, Steve Mower, motion passed.
FREEHOLDER REPORT: Freeholder Chila stated that Director Tom
Butts was unable to attend this evenings meeting as he was attending to the
electrical problem at the Center.
Freeholder Chila stated that the Freeholder Board had received the letter
from President Zimm requesting a meeting to discuss the Fire Academy.
That meeting will be held in the near future.
Freeholder Chila stated that a change order to the 700 radio project for rack
potable radio chargers will be approved at the next Freeholders meeting.
FIRE MARSHALS REPORT: The following is the report:
The following is my report for the actions taken by the Gloucester County
Fire Marshal’s Office for the period of September 01 to September 30, 2015
and the totals for the year of 2015.
Inspections for the period: 170 Total for the Year: 1281
Fire Investigations for the period: 15 Total for the Year: 163
Fire Fatalities for the period: 0 Total for the Year: 0
Fire Scene Injuries for the period: 2 Total for the year: 73
Juvenile Fire setter actions for the period: 0 Total for the Year: 8
Training Sessions for the period: 3 Total for the Year: 21
Fire Extinguisher Inspections: 221 Total for the Year: 1152
Meetings/Lectures/Court for the period: 11 Total for the Year: 96
Fire Prevention Demo for the period: 2 Total for the Year: 4
Fit Testing for Other Agencies for Period: 3 Total for the Year: 51
Total Actions Taken by the Fire Marshal’s Office to date: 2776
Respectfully Submitted;
Edward J. Johnson
Edward J. Johnson
Chief County Fire Marshal
FIRE ACADEMY REPORT: Bob Hill’s report is as follows:
Gloucester County Firefighter’s & Fire Officer’s Association
FIRE ACADEMY DIRECTOR’S REPORT
REPORTING MONTH: October 15, 2015
GLOUCESTER COUNTY FIRE ACADEMY
FIREFIGHTER 1
Fall program underway with 20 recruits participating.
Class recently completed both Midterm practical skills exams
as well as their state hazmat exams.
Mostly, the results were favorable. I am working with those
who failed one or more sections and remain optimistic that
they will pass on their next attempt.
I hope to announce the start date for our spring semester at next
month’s meeting.
FIRE ACADEMY GENERAL BUSINESS
Progress is being made toward on connecting our air compressor to
electrical service. Electricians have begun work. It is anticipated that
the compressor could be in service within two weeks. Thank you to
those stations that have assisted us with SCBA refilling during this
period.
Burn building: The building has been removed. I hope to begin design
plans for adding one section of the burn building to our existing
CLASS A building in the coming weeks. Once this has been
completed, I will seek approval and funding from the college.
Replacement building, this will be discussed as part of the building
committee’s report.
In a few weeks, the academy will launch a new program advertising
our commercial/industrial programming. It is hoped that this will
generate additional income which in turn should serve as evidence
that we are both fiscally responsible and that we have a sustainable
academy.
TRAINING & EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
Meeting next week at which time I will present my recommendations
for the state program to include recommendations a text book for this
course
NJ DIVISION OF FIRE SAFETY:
Fall menu of courses out. General registrations are not possible. You
are reminded that registration is done online.
Respectfully submitted
Robert V Hill Sr.
Director II
Bob was asked a question by President Zimm, if the fire academy had
encountered any problems with the classes that were held at Camden County
Fire Academy so far. Bob’s answer was the classes ran smoothly with no
problems.
G.C. EMERGENCY RESPONSE REPORT: Dennis Kappler reported in
Tom Butts absence that the center had experienced a power failure today
when a vendor was upgrading the UPS system. The center had lost phones,
radios and computers, for a short period. The vendor was waiting on
equipment which should be at the center at this time to complete the
upgrade.
Dennis also reported that the CBRNE team members had participated in
training yesterday at the Camden County Fire Academy and had completed
all of their competencies.
Chuck Murtaugh reported the following regarding the 700 radio project:
1. The Gloucester County Freeholders will be approving at their next
meeting a MOU that each Municipality and or Fire District will have to sign
prior to any radio’s being distributed to any Emergency Service Agency in
Gloucester County.
2. Portable Radios are being programmed at this time, once your
departments portable radios are finished being programmed, you or a
responsible representative of your department will be asked to come to the
Gloucester County Clayton Complex to pick up your departments portable
radios. You or your representative will have to go through each box and
count to verify that all of the items that you are entitled to are verified, once
you leave with the radios and something is found to be missing, it will be
your responsibility to replace it.
3. Initial Training for the operation of the radios that you will receive will be
after the 1
st
of the year in 2016 at the Government Services Building in
Clayton, Times and Dates will be sent out at a later date.
4. All of the radio program templates are completed and will not be changed,
every radio in the county will be programmed the same, all Gloucester
County Fire Department radios have been assigned individual ID’s.
Portables are being programmed to coincide with all of the apparatus
numbers and will be programmed according to the apparatus templates that
have been set up.
5. You need to decide whether you are leaving your current VHF / UHF
radios in your cab to be used for radio interoperability or have the
installation vendor remove your current mobile radios and returned to you at
the completion of your new 700 MHz mobile radio.
6. You will be contacted in advance when your truck will be needed at one
of the installation sites, please plan the day before to have the truck that is
being requested to be out of service for the entire day so we do not have any
delays in installation. If you only have one of these types of trucks we are
asking for please set up automatic mutual aid in advance to take your trucks
place, again please remove all projectile objects from a tilt cab. It will not be
necessary to stay with your truck if you do not want to.
7. Mobile radio installation will be at regional sites throughout the county,
you will be asked to have your tilt cabs cleared of any objects that can fall
and damage something(SCBA ECT NEED TO BE REMOVE PRIOR TO
THE TRUCKS ARRIVAL), you will be asked to have someone who is
authorized to speak on your departments behalf on where your mobile radio
is to be mounted and where the microphone is to be mounted, this person
will also have to sign off that the installation is satisfactory and is complete.
8. If you choose to purchase radios from another vendor other than
Motorola, please contact me or our radio shop to see if we have the
capabilities to program your radios if we don’t, please ask for the
programming software and cables from your vendor so the County Radio
Shop Can program your radios.
9. If you would like to receive a copy of what radios that you will be
receiving from the County please ask for a list for your station.
FIRE COORDINATION: Dennis Kappler did not have anything to report
at this time.
GLOUCESTER COUNTY EMS: Chris Rosser was unable to attend the
meeting.
N. J. DIVISION OF FIRE SAFETY: Captain Gallagher was unable to
attend the meeting.
N.J. STATE FIREMEN’S RELEIF ASSOCIATION: Bill McNulty
reminded all that the quarterly treasurer’s report was due into the state office
along with the pink and blue forms from convention. Bill was asked a
question regarding having a microphone for use of the floor during the
caucus. There was a motion made at the caucus that at all future caucus
meetings that there is a microphone available to the floor for questions. It
was the understanding of the person asking the question that Bill had said
that there was not going to be microphone as he felt a microphone is not
necessary. Bill stated that he will work on having a microphone at the
caucus.
N.J. FIREMENS HOME: Harry Strube reported that the Board of
Managers has had their reorganization meeting and he was reelected as
Secretary. The Home’s budget had been turned over to the State with an
increase of 1.39%.
N.J. EXEMPT ASSOCIATION: Glenn Roemmich reported that the
Exempt Convention was held last weekend in South Amboy. Next year’s
convention will be on June 25
th
in Sayreville.
LAW & LEGISLATION: Frank Lambing reported that there was no
activity to report.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: President Zimm appointed the following
the committee: Rick Thomas is the chairman as directed by the By-Laws as
he is the Sergeant of Arms, Larry Cranes as membership secretary. Steve
Smith was appointed to fill the member at large position.
BEAREAVMENT COMMITTEE: Nothing to report.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: President Zimm reported he requested a
meeting with representatives of the Freeholder Board and the College to
discuss the Fire Academy.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
RADIO COMMITTEE: Nothing to report
TECH RESCUE:
To: Gloucester County Fire Chief’s Association- Secretary
Subject: GCTRT Training Report for September
The Gloucester County Technical Rescue Task Force (GCTRT) participated
in the third drill for the trench rescue quarter.
During this evolution members were faced with a 7’ deep straight trench
with one victim entrapped. Topics practiced included trench safety and
dynamics, metering and monitoring, equipment logistics, ground pad and
trench board deployment, as well as shoring operations using inside walers
to open up the trench when extricating the patient. Two methods deploying
the inside walers were practiced, both traditionally lacing the shores and pre-
staging, where better efficiency was accomplished through new methods.
The attendance for this drill included 13 personnel and the task force was in
service for a total of 3.5 hours.
Respectfully submitted,
Shawn Andersen
GCTRT Training Coordinator
Washington Twp. Fire District
TENDER TASK FORCE: No report
FOAM STRIKE TEAM: No report
LARGE DIAMETER HOSE TASK FORCE: They are in the process of
revising the SOG’s.
LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE: The leadership seminar was held. 130
persons had registered with 90 people attending. The expenses for the
seminar were $ 5,115.00 money raised was $ 5,500.00 for a profit of $
385.00. Chief Cardile thanked all who helped make the seminar a success.
BANQUET COMMITTEE: Vice-President Ross has met with the staff at
Adelphia’s. The banquet room will handle up to 500 people, and that the
facility will more than meet our needs. The committee will meet to finalize
the menu. This year the price of a banquet ticket will be $ 30.00 per person.
There was a question from the floor asking if we had notified Masso’s that
we will not be holding our banquet at their facility. If that has not been done
it will be handled.
CORRESPONDENCE: Two Thank-You cards were received from the
families of Ed McMahon and Harry Leuallen for the assistance of the
bereavement committee’s assistance during their viewings and funerals.
A letter was read that was received from Mark Ciaglia who is the chairman
of the board for the Marlborough Fire District in Marlboro N.Y. He stated
that they are looking to purchase several HT1250 portable radios Motorola
Model #AAH25SDF9AA5AN. They are hoping to purchase close to 20
portables depending on the price. Any interested department can contact
Mark Ciaglia, 845-236-4121 Office or 914-424-3569 Cell.
A letter was read from the Division of Fire Safety advising that the term of
County Fire Coordinator Dennis Kappler will expire on December 31, 2015.
The Association is to submit to County Emergency management
Coordinator Tom Butts by November 13, 2015 a name to be considered for
the position.
Bruce Scott motion to forward the name of Dennis Kappler for County Fire
Coordinator, seconded by Ed Johnson, motion passed. The Secretary will
write a letter to Tom Butts with our submission.
PAYMENT of BILLS: No bills
TREASURER’S REPORT:
GLOUCESTER COUNTY FIRE CHIEF’S ASSOCIATION
TREASURER’S REPORT
STARTING BALANCE
$7,108.86
TOTAL OF DEPOSITS
$4,359.00
TOTAL OF EXPENSES
$4,015.00
ENDING BALANCE
$7,452.86
RECEIPTS
CAMPTOWN
$ 83.00
MEMBERSHIP
$ 20.00
DUES
$ 6.00
HARRISON TWP FIRE
$1,000.00
$1,250.00
$1,000.00
$ 500.00
$ 500.00
DEPOSITED
$4,359.00
EXPENSES
247
CLEARVIEW HS
$ 50.00
248
FIRE COMMAND TNG
$ 500.00
249
FIRE COMMAND TNG
$3,465.00
250
NAPLES PIZZA
$1,100.00
EXPENSE TOTAL
$5,115.00
SUBMITTED
Robert V Hill Sr.
Treasurer
Drew Bain motion to accept the Treasures report seconded by Butch Myers,
motion passed.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Nothing
NEW BUSINESS: The Secretary brought up the schedule for 2016 and
asked if the Association still wanted to meet at the Fire Academy and the
Emergency Response Center. Drew Bain motion that we continue to meet
at those locations seconded by Dana Decsari, motion passed.
CAMPTOWN: $ 43.00
GOOD & WELFARE OF THE ASSOCIATION:
Dennis Kappler thanked everyone for their support when he had to call upon
them as County Fire Coordinator, and he thanked all of his deputies:
Ryan Pierson
Bill Ross
Ed Johnson
Eric Farley
Al Silbaugh
PLACE OF NEXT MEETING: November 12th Franklinville Fire
Company in Franklin Township at 1930 hours.
Pat Robinson motion to adjourn seconded by Ed Johnson,
motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 2045 hours.
Respectfully Submitted
Glenn Roemmich
Secretary