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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Miscellaneous_06/10/1991_Public Safety Committee TE r � v ' r VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA Post Office Box 3273 357 Tequesta Drive ' Tequesta, Florida 33469 -0273 (407) 575 -6200 FAX: (407) 575 -6203 f7cH CouNty V I L L A G E O F T E Q U E S T A P U B L I C S A F E T Y C O M M I T T E E M E E T I N G M I N U T E S J U N E 1 0, 1 9 9 1 I. The Tequesta Public Safety Committee held a scheduled meeting at the Village Hall at 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida, on Monday, June 10, 1991. The meeting was called to order at 9:25 A.M. by Joseph N. Capretta, Chairman. Committee members present were William E. Burckart, Co- Chairman. Also in attendance were Village Manager, Thomas G. Bradford, Police Chief, Carl Roderick, and Thomas F. Murphy, Battalion Chief, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The Agenda was approved as submitted. III. REVIEW OF PROPOSED MEDICAL AND FIRE - TRAINING PROGRAM FOR TEQUESTA POLICE OFFICERS. Carl Roderick, Chief of Police. Chief Roderick explained that the object of the program was to train police officers in fire suppression and first - responder skills. An outline of the program has been compiled. The fire suppression course was taken from a larger scaled training outline and reduced to one applicable to Tequesta Officers and the equipment they use. This outline was presented to the Committee. All equipment is adequate and audited for working order. Chief Murphy interjected that part of the training program will include caring for the equipment, and understanding where and when to use it. Today many types of plastics are used in buildings, which, when burning, become very toxic and lethally dangerous to those exposed to it. The course outline attempts to give law enforcement officers an overview of the science of fire, what to look for, and what to be concerned about. There will be "hands -on" training, using flammable liquids. The location for this portion of the training has not yet been chosen. Recycled Paper Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes June 10, 1991 Page 2 ------------------------------- Village Manager Bradford asked if the program will properly coordinated with the Incident Command System. Chief Murphy answered that the need to coordinate and properly manage emergency incidences was seen and the Incident Command System was developed. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue used the Incident Command structure on each and every incident, regardless of how complex, which very often involves many agencies (i.e., ambulance, police, etc.). To work within a structure where there is cooperative effort is very much a part of the system. Law Officers will be given an overview of what the system does, why it is done, and familiarized with how to identify a command post. This would be applicable to emergency medical as well as fire incidences. Mr. Bradford asked for clarification on bridging the gap between a first responder whose response time may be 3 -4 minutes and the response time of the emergency team which could be up to 10 minutes. Chief Murphy explained that a fire incident could have two categories: 1) an aggressive attack mode (which will produce the best and quickest results), and 2) if the incident was beyond the capability of the Police Officer with a fire extinguisher, Fire /Rescue would have to take a defensive posture which requires more time, units and effort just to set up an attack on the fire. In other words, it would be a discretionary situation. In a medical emergency, a Police Officer with basic life - support training can take a definitive action. Chairman Capretta asked if there would be an annual update of this training. Chief Roderick stated there would be in- service training regularly (every other month) with an Officer walking in cold to a pre- determined scenario. The Officer will be graded on his impromptu response. Tequesta Officers have pistol training four times per year, compared to one time per year for County Officers. Chairman Capretta asked regarding the implementation plan of the proposed computer system. Chief Roderick explained there is an implementation goal for the first of July, 1991. Until January, 1992, dual logging will take place in order to give opportunity to clear any 'bugs' out of the new system. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes June 10, 1991 Page 3 ------------------------------- Village Manager Bradford reported that the Village has received an EMS grant for First Response Medical Computer Module and asked if there are any plans for its use as a training program. Chief Roderick explained that training would take place through Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Chief Murphy explained that medical training via modules was done at the Fire Stations. Mr. Bradford asked that since this training would be an enhancement of what Officers already know, what is the next step for moving to a higher level of training? Chief Murphy explained there really is not a step, per se. It would all depend on what the Village wanted to do. This present course for fire training is part of the Volunteer course, which is State mandated for any Volunteer Firefighter. The next step on the medical side would be EMT. However, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue no longer offers this training. Chairman Capretta asked if there was a process of review (self- regulation) to discover whether training and procedure are being applied properly by Officers. Regarding complaints regarding Officers, Chief Roderick stated it is required to have the complaint in Statement form, apprising the complainant and Officer of their rights, to follow legal standards. All complaints, however, are looked into. Chairman Capretta suggested that the Public Safety Committee be apprised of all complaints, whether from the public or not, as well as reviewing with the Committee what was done about each incident. Mr. Bradford stated there is nothing wrong with an informal citizen complaint causing an administrative officer of the Police Department to review policies and procedures to check whether or not they are properly followed or need to be changed. Co- Chairman Burckart asked if incidences are reviewed. Chief Roderick answered that only those which 'stuck out' - (i.e. if the situation was handled improperly, something has gone wrong, if there isn't enough information, etc.). Public safety committee Meeting Minutes June 10, 1991 Page 4 Mr. Bradford asked if new hires would be put through the whole training process. Chief Roderick answered that was possible, but reminded the Committee that favored new hires would be those who would come in with more training. Chief Murphy stated that Fire Rescue gets its share of complaints as well, but that the Department has an aggressive posture towards following up complaints, investigations are done (sometimes formal, sometimes informal), and post - incident analysis is routinely done (in -house reviews). He explained that he will submit monthly reports to Mr. Bradford regarding Fire /Rescue response time of fire and emergency medical calls, which will include the average number of calls for the month. Chairman Capretta asked how the bridges, trains are coordinated to help with increased response time. Chief Murphy stated that Fire /Rescue does have contact with bridge- tenders to coordinate with emergency calls, but the Village just has to 'live with' railroad inconveniences, since there is no way to contact the operators. In cases of severe emergencies, however, the ambulance is equipped to act as an emergency room. Chief Roderick stated the Police Department does have a phone number for St. Augustine (FEC's main dispatch), who can in turn, get in touch with the train, if necessary. Chairman Capretta summarized: There will be two training programs: 1) fire suppression (8 hours of training done over a two week period); and 2) medical first - responder course (more advanced than previous training - 30 hours of training done before January, 1992). The training will cost approximately $8,000. Chairman Capretta found the training proposal to be acceptable and Co- Chairman Burckart concurred. Chairman Capretta suggested that the Public Safety Committee meet more regularly, perhaps once per month, to allow Chief Roderick to give routine presentations and updates of activities of the Police Department. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes June 10, 1991 Page 5 ------------------------------- V. ANY OTHER MATTERS There were no other matters before the Committee. VI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 A.M. Respectfully submitted, Fran Bitters Recording Secretary ATT Bill C. YoKscavelis Finance Dire/tor/Village Clerk DATE APPROVED: e_ �2e 9 91