PPFFA
2010 May Minutes
Posted On: Feb 25, 2011
Fire Service Advisory Committee Meeting
May 21, 2010
Minutes of the Meeting
 
Members Present                                 Staff Present                           Guests            
                                                                                    
Ben Cypher                                      Tracie Young-Brungard             Tom Garrity
Dave Witmer                                    Tim Dunkle
Al Wickline                                      Shirley Johns
Kerby Kerber                                             
Herb Adams
Bruce Manning
Perry Pierich
Sue Warchola
Robert Fleming
Dave Chiaramonte
Paul Lesser
 
Robert Fleming, chairman, opened meeting at 9:30 AM. He welcomed Tom Garrity, the new Fire Academy Director from Montgomery Co as a guest to the meeting.
 
Motion to accept minutes as presented by Al Wickline second by Bruce Manning. One addition that Dave Chiaramonte was on conference call on Feb 26. Motion carried.
 
Fire Commission is attending local firefighters funeral.
 
Tim Dunkle – We are waiting to see next years’ budget – anticipate similar as this year. If we get extra, we will run ZFID this fall. There are 3 positions vacant in the commissioner’s staff – Paul Rickenbach, Robert Bechtel retired and clerk typist is open and will not be filled. Since Bechtel retired, Gary Rickenbach and Bill Ruth have split the state to cover. We added 110 new instructors.
 
Chairman’s Report  - Exciting things, evaluator workshops, & pilots. Conference call – Bucks site to be reactivated as test site – FFI & II - May add additional levels later. After deliberation – unanimously move forward for Bucks to re-activate. Still need to visit test site, observe procedures & test site.
FESHI initiative – 26 states – intent to help professionalize fire service. FESHI group meeting for six years – need to move forward. Gary Fulton is working with this.
 
Certification Manager report – One test site put on provisional – test compromised, 2 other sites have problems. New test site coordinator for Northampton is Linda Speth. John Elliott has resigned from Washington and he will be replaced by Ron Sicchitano. Working on rescue to submit to IFSAC & Pro Board. Issue with Driver Operator about taking apparatus out of service to take to test sites. We can offer offsite testing for D/O – pilot Montgomery Co. Tweaking needs done. Going to check on other levels to take offsite to be tested. They need to submit a formal written request to me 90 days prior to testing.  In Sept a careers dept from Hazleton wants a P D/O test the Aerial. Pro Bd and IFSAC did not see this as a major change. Discussion on offsite testing – does not apply to FFI & II. This will help departments with finances.
Three standards that need skills maintenance are JFS, Pub Ed, and Airport. So far it is voluntary. Discussion on skills maintenance – need to make user friendly, focus on using LMS.
Electronic transfer to Pro Board for national. Talked to George Stapleton, test sites; what is process to transfer money. Tell candidates 7.50 will be added to cert testing cost. Getting IFSAC, Pro Bd and Nat’l certification. Collect for all applicants – if they don’t pass – it is non refundable.
Working toward fire police certification – needed letter of support from fire police organizations; meeting in June with sub-committee. Robert Hill is the lead on this committee. Training and certifications; have committee write down job performance requirements.
Tim Dunkle – try to steer toward challenge test, develop fire police cert program, NFPA is writing a standard.
Cert testing integrated with courses – works well.
Delmar does not do FFI. Lycoming wants to coordinate HMA/HMOps into Delmar.
Only 4 sites do rescues and only a small pool of evaluators for them. Chester will get rescues – Conf Sp, V&M, T. First candidate has to get certified, then apprentice twice before can be evaluator. Allegheny wants Struct. Collapse.
Upcoming pilots – JFS. FO3 in draft – challenge process; pumper-done a couple, HM Ops – 3 pilots to the new standards – Core, PPE, PC needed for FFI. Only 1 written for the three. We will submit for additional mission specifics. Technician will be going to IFSAC. 
Chief Coyne is gone from Phila and Jesse Wilson took over – smooth transition. We are continuing to work on officer. Also want to bring on Pumper.
Revised Cert Manual approved – will get out to test sites.
Need to meet NFPA 1500 – 1582 standards. Test sites can ask for maintenance records of apparatus and breathing app.
Marketing – Ed Mann says that we need to better market certification. Everything has to go through legal and Maria in Hbg. Paul Lesser said that local level instructors need to integrate info into local level classes. We can put frequently asked questions and answers on website for certification. Dunkle – maybe we could blast out emails to all 2500 fire depts. Witmer – what are the issues, what are we trying to accomplish? Ben Cypher recommends that we send the whole subject to executive committee for review - ideas by next meeting.
 
OLD BUSINESS
Ben Cypher is working on investigator update – still doing more paperwork.
 
NEW BUSINESS
None
Future meeting dates Sept 10, 1010 conf call 9:30 AM.
Nov 5, 2010 annual meeting at PSFA Nov 4, 2010 test site coordinators meeting
 
Motion to adjourn by Kerby, 2d Wickline. Motion carried.
 

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