Minutes of Regular Monthly Meeting
of the
Haworth Volunteer Fire Department
CALL TO ORDER
The Haworth Volunteer Fire Department held a regularly scheduled monthly business meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 at the Haworth Fire Station.  Meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m. by Boyd.  Members present were: Storey, Boyd, Batson, Middleton, Ferguson, Farley, Cowart, Hall, Ebert, & Gray.
   
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Minutes from the previous meeting were read.  Ferguson moved to accept.  Middleton seconded.  All members in favor.  Minutes approved.

FINANCIAL REPORT
Beginning Balance:    $1,076.17
Income:                    $            0
Expense:                  $            0
Ending Balance:        $1,076.17
Cowart moved to accept report.  Batson seconded.  All members in favor.  Finance report approved.

CHANGE DATE OF REGULAR MEETINGS
Boyd reported that the Town Council had changed the time of their regular monthly meetings to 6:00 p.m.  He expressed a desire to change the Fire Department’s regular meeting date from the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., to the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.  This would allow him to attend the Town Council meetings and keep Town officials apprised of the Fire Department’s activities.  It would also allow Don White, who is also a member of the Town Council, to be able to attend Fire Department meetings again.  Gray moved to change the meeting date to the second Tuesday.  Cowart seconded.  All members in favor.  Motion carried.

DRIVER TRAINING
Boyd reported that Risk Management had notified the department of changes to the Liability Insurance program.  Effective January 1, 2003, all departments participating in the liability insurance program will be required to train all fire department personnel on apparatus they will drive.  The training must be documented and Road Tests given to each member on each piece of apparatus.  Copies of Road Tests must be submitted to Risk Management by September 1, 2003.  The training and testing must be conducted each year.  A date for the training and testing will be selected in the near future.

NO SMOKING POLICY IN STATION
Boyd stated that he would like to implement a “No Tobacco Use” policy inside the fire station and while firefighters are driving apparatus.  This policy includes cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff.  Boyd cited safety and housekeeping issues as the primary reasons for implementing the policy.  Middleton moved to adopt the policy.  Farley seconded.  Vote was held by show of hands.  The results were:  5 votes for the policy and 4 votes against the policy.  Motion carried.  No Tobacco Use policy adopted.

APPARATUS RESPONSE PROTOCOLS
Members discussed proper apparatus response protocols.  Boyd stated that wildland firefighting vehicles were not to be used as primary response vehicles to reports of structure fires.  The first-out apparatus is to be a pumper, followed by a tanker.  If the fire has spread, or threatens to spread, to surrounding wildlands, it would be permissible to respond with a wildland unit.  Wildland vehicles may be used to transport additional firefighters and/or equipment to a fire scene after all other appropriate apparatus has responded.

OLD BUSINESS
Middleton reported that the mufflers on Engine-2 and Engine-3 have been replaced.

Storey reported that he had spoke with John Redman with the US Department of Agriculture – Rural Development concerning the department’s pending grant application.  Storey was told that all necessary documentation had been received and that the proposed project met the criteria for a Community Facilities Grant.  Redman stated that no decision could be made until the new federal budget was approved.

NEW BUSINESS
Storey reported that Michael Carrell had informed him of a program that would supply emergency vehicles to police and fire departments free of charge.  The vehicles are provided by corporate sponsors who place advertisements on the vehicles, just like NASCAR race cars.  Members agreed to look into the program and try to obtain a rescue unit.

Boyd cautioned members about positioning apparatus on the “green” (unburned) side of wildland fires.  Apparatus should always stay on the “black” (burned) side, to provide protection for firefighters and apparatus.

ADJOURN
Batson moved to adjourn.  Middleton seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.

Signed:
Jeff Boyd, Chief
Kyle Batson, Assistant Chief
Kirk Storey, Secretary/Treasurer