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REGULAR MEETING August 28, 2017
<br /> Department out on deployment, such as Hurricane Harvey. Right now, Indiana Task Force One
<br /> is in Houston performing search and rescues operations, currently. So, when those individuals
<br /> from our team or our department deploy to other parts of the country because of a natural
<br /> disaster or other event, basically what happens is they're not here to be able to work shifts at our
<br /> department. So, they typically will have to be filled with overtime positions. Being a part of
<br /> Indiana Task Force One, or part of the FEMA task force, allows the department to bill the federal
<br /> government—and FEMA, specifically—for not only the wages and benefits of the individuals
<br /> that are away on deployment, but also to cover the backfill—the overtime costs—associated with
<br /> filling their positions locally while they're away.
<br /> Chief Baker responded, So,this has been a work in progress for some time. As you know, we
<br /> have the Indiana River Rescue School right here in South Bend, which brings numerous
<br /> members from all over the country that are on teams—such as Indiana Task Force One—here for
<br /> our water rescue training. So, having that facility, a lot of these teams recognize our abilities to
<br /> provide assistance to them with our instructors. Over the course of several months of working
<br /> through that, they had realized that it would be a good partnership. What we are also trying to
<br /> accomplish out of this is to become a FEMA task force—so, a federally recognized center for
<br /> training excellence in swift water rescue. By doing so, we anticipate bringing in all of the
<br /> members from the different twenty-eight(28) FEMA teams to our City to train in water rescue.
<br /> Councilmember Davis asked, Are we the only one (1) in the state that has a source of water?
<br /> Chief Baker responded, Well, right now, Indy Task Force One, they have a swift water team that
<br /> can go out, and then we would be the next one (1)to go out.
<br /> Councilmember Davis asked, They train here, though?
<br /> Chief Baker responded, Yes:
<br /> Councilmember Davis asked, We're the only location that they train at?
<br /> Chief Baker responded, Yes, yes. We are probably the premiere training facility for swift water
<br /> rescue, flood response—we're the premiere training center in the Midwest. We draw people
<br /> from all over the country here. We train approximately two-hundred (200) plus people here
<br /> annually in our school, and then we host a water rescue conference, that's actually coming up at
<br /> the end of this month, where we will have members that have responded to these types of
<br /> disasters.
<br /> Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated, I thank you for seeing this opportunity to go for this
<br /> FEMA designation. I thank you for seeing that opportunity and going for it and bringing it before
<br /> the Council today.
<br /> This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and
<br /> opponents were given an opportunity to be heard.
<br /> Those from the public wishing to speak in favor of this bill:
<br /> Samuel Brown, 222 East Navarre Street, South Bend, IN, stated that he has had experience with
<br /> the deployment of which Chief Cox spoke. Mr. Brown encouraged the Council to adopt the bill.
<br /> Chief Scott Ruszkowski, South Bend Police Department, 701 West Sample Street, South Bend,
<br /> IN, stated that this measure would benefit more than the Fire Department and would have a
<br /> positive effect on the Police Department.
<br /> Linda Carter, 1606 West Sample Street, South Bend, IN, stated that she appreciates the efforts of
<br /> Indiana Task Force One. Ms. Carter stated, We had to call my niece several times to make sure
<br /> she was out of Houston. She lived right in the eye of the storm and she got out safely, and she's
<br /> in Illinois now. It would be such a shame for their families to suffer here because they moved to
<br /> help our families there. I hope they get what they need so they can take care of themselves as
<br /> they go out and take care of others.
<br /> None from the public wished to speak in opposition to this bill.
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