09-07-16 Personnel and Finance - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Committeemember Voorde asked how many stations there are that are designed to accommodate both sexes. Chief Cox stated that Station Ten (10), Station Two (2), Station Five (5), and Central are, and Station Four (4) wasn't initially built to house women but will be able to shortly because it has been modified. When we build new stations we have separate quarters with individual rooms. Each shift will share two (2) rooms with a locked facility they can use in between the two (2) rooms. Brian King from Epic Architecture was also present to represent the firm that is working on the new station. Chief Cox continued on to the smoke detector and carbon monoxide program. They have secured donations from Lowes, Walmart, Red Cross, and First Response. The department has been going out and installing smoke detectors, and as the program has expanded, they have changed the way they are doing the program. When the one (1) fire death occurred this year, the individual units canvassed the homes in the several block area and handed out eighty (80) smoke detectors within several days following the incident, knowing that there was a heightened interest in that neighborhood in protecting their families from fires. When we go into a neighborhood immediately following an incident like that, there are more people who are interested in allowing us into their homes to get detectors installed. We are also continuing to look at challenges and opportunities manifested by the Affordable Care Act. We're evaluating partnerships that will position the department to provide community paramedicine, which is a concept that is evolving the way EMS service is provided to folks before 911 is called. For example, if there is a person you care for that has a chronic condition, who calls the EMS often, in a non - emergent setting, you would check their blood sugar and blood pressure, check their heart on a cardiac monitor and call their doctor, and get them taken care of with Medicare or Medicare issues. Chief Meyer, the EMS Chief, is working with several different local agencies and Memorial Hospital to try to get this program up and running, and there has been interest from local organizations to help fund the program. There will probably be more information forthcoming once we have the plan fully developed and actually have paramedics going out into the neighborhoods. We are also looking at long -term station relocation and replacement efforts. Finishing the Station Four (4) project is the top goal and challenge for 2017. The building there used to house our garage, but after the City merged everything into the Central Services, that building is just huge, and the space isn't used for what it once was designed for. We are working with Epic Architects to design the building, and that process is almost complete. C