MINUTES Central Region Homeland Security Advisory Council April 2, 2013 CMEMSC 361 Holden Street Holden, MA Members Present: Chairman, Edward McNamara, CMEMSC; Chief Kevin Roy, Fitchburg Fire; Chief Gerard Dio, Worcester Fire; Director David Clemons, Worcester Communications; Chief Dean Kochanowski, Dudley Fire; Chief C. Thomas O Donnell, West Brookfield Police; Chris Montiverdi, Worcester EMA; Deputy Chief Sean Fleming, Worcester Police; Chief Bert DuVernay, New Braintree Police; Julie Jacobson, Town Manager, Town of Auburn; Carl Ekman, Charlton EMA. Non Members Present: Jim Barclay, Royalston EMA; Jeff Wilson, Fire District 7 John Fabiano, EOPSS; Manny Litos, Motorola Solutions; Janet Pierce, CMRPC; Mark Widner, CMRPC; Mike Dunne, CMRPC Call to Order: Chairman McNamara called the meeting to Order at 1:00 PM. Mr. Dunne introduced Mark Widner of CMRPC. Mark and Retired Southborough Fire Chief John Mauro have been hired on a part-time basis to assist Mr. Dunne. Mark Widner is a retired Asst Chief of Kansas City, MO and Independence, MO Fire Departments and former EMD for Independence, MO he now resides in Northbridge. John Mauro is the retired Fire Chief and EMD of Southborough, MA and resides in Northborough. Minutes: The Minutes of the March 5, 2013 meeting were presented for approval. A Motion was made by Chief Dio to accept the Minutes as presented and a 2 nd was made by DC Fleming. The Minutes were so Voted. Financial: Mr. Dunne noted the each member s packet contains the full spreadsheets for FFY09, 10 and 11. He further noted that FFY08 is now complete and closed out. Mr. Dunne referenced a short form in each packet showing the available funds for each year remaining and the status of open projects that may not be completed within the current grant time frames. He stated he would give the report from the short form unless there were objections there were none. FFY09: Uncommitted is $181,201 Mr. Dunne reported this was because the funds for Ragged Hill Pole Project of $162,878 had been moved to FFY11 because this project cannot be 1
completed during FFY09 and that an additional $15,660 had become available due to the CEMLEC Traffic Trailer project coming in under appropriation. Mr. Dunne noted that the FD-7 Simulcast Project is dependent on receiving the EHP approval Lt. Cady noted the approvals have been coming back in about 4-6 weeks from submittal in recent months. FFY10: An extension of 6 months from June 30 thru Dec 2013 has been submitted. Uncommitted: $143,152. Charlton Tower $426,100 will not be complete by June 30 th but hopefully the extension will come through. Equipment Distribution Project is $1 million Mr. Dunne noted that his office expects to have the packet out on April 10 returns due April 26 bids received by May 15 th with the exception of trailers he has been advised that at least one company can deliver on this time frame. FFY11: Uncommitted: $875,878; Ragged Hill Pole Project $162,878; Exercises and Training $182,364. Mr. Dunne advised the Council that based on votes taken at this morning s committee meetings that Motions would be made to fund additional projects for FFY09 Phase II and FFY10. Committee Reports: Mass Care/Shelter Committee: Mr. Montiverdi reported that the speakers listed on the Agenda from SAIC and MEMA would not be present today to discuss the Statewide Shelter Plan but they have asked to be re-scheduled for the May 2013 meeting. Mr. Montiverdi reported the state plan is identifying the following and the plan is in DRAFT stage. Citizen care centers: locations in each community that would open for the purpose of providing information; charging batteries for cell phones and computers; and providing general support but not shelter facilities. Short Term Shelter: shelters that would open for the short term for local needs probably 12 hours to Over-nite. Regional Shelters: would take over after the first 24-48 hours of shelter activity at the local level. He noted that the state would not mandate regional shelters and the option for maintaining a local shelter will always be a community choice. Defining large scale shelters. Identifying potential large scale shelters Evacuation Planning: Mr. Montiverdi reported that CMRPC and MRPC are working on Phase II of the Evacuation Plan and have meet with approximately 50% of the communities. 2
Inter-Op Committee: Director Clemons reported the committee met this morning. They reviewed one project for CEMLEC Portable Radios and voted to table the application pending additional information. He noted the committee had discussed the battery caches for portable radios located in the field comm units and the EMS Disaster Trailers. The committee is recommending that additional batteries be purchased for each cache. A MOTION was made by Chairman Clemons to approve an amount not to exceed $45,000 from FFY09 Phase II for the purchase of batteries for the cache portable radios. The Motion received a 2 nd from Chief Roy and was so Voted. Director Clemons gave a report on the CMED appeal to the SIEC regarding the Charlton Tower. The SIEC remained with their original vote not to provide funds for CMED to locate on the tower with SHSP funds and not to allow CMED to use SHSP funds for radio equipment related to this project. Director Clemons noted that the SIEC will meet tomorrow for the month of April and that CRHSAC has no projects before the SIEC. He noted the Western Council has a project involving Region I CMED and it will be interesting to see how the SIEC votes on that proposal since their position is that CMED is not multi-disciplinary. Director Clemons asked Mr. Dunne to confirm with Comtronics that the Templeton-Phillipston Project will be completed by June 30 th. Mr. Dunne noted he will contact Comtronics this week for an update on the project. Equipment Committee: Chief Dio reported the committee had met this morning. He noted that the DPW Debris Removal Trailers are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. They are supposed to leave South Carolina today. All equipment has been delivered to the towns. The CEMLEC Trailers are being built. The award went to Trailerlogic of South Carolina there bid was $15,660 lower than US Reflector of Worcester. The first two CEMLEC Traffic Trailers have been issued to Rutland and Southborough. It was noted that Southborough was awarded the trailer that had been previously designated for Douglas by CEMLEC. Equipment Maps: Chief Dio noted the committee had asked Mr. Dunne to obtain prices to upgrade the equipment maps and to have the equipment maps mounted on foam boards for dispatch locations. Mr. Dunne noted he will have a price for the next meeting. 3
Chief Dio advised that the committee was in support of increasing trailer mounted generators and trash pumps for the region. He noted the committee felt that north county needed a generator and that Gardner had agreed to accept. Chief Dio made a Motion to appropriate $36,000 from FFY09 Phase II to purchase 2 3 inch trash pumps and one trailer mounted generator. The Motion received a 2 nd from Mr. Montiverdi and was so Voted. Chief Dio reported that CMED had presented a request for an upgrade to their dispatch computer system plus an upgrade to software and a recorder. He noted the application was in each members packet and that the Equipment Committee was recommending approval. Chief Dio made a MOTION to approve $32,190 from FFY09 Phase II for CMED as outlined in the application package titled Central MA CMED Console Equipment. The Motion received a 2 nd from Director Clemons and was so Voted. NOTE: Mr. McNamara recused himself from the discussion and the vote as this project benefits his organization. Chief Dio reported that Grafton EMA had submitted an application with sponsors from surrounding towns for a tower surveillance unit. He noted the committee had voted to Table the application pending more information and also reports from FD-7 and Central MA Police Chiefs. Chief Dio reported that Chief Kochanowski had brought up funding of Level A &B suits for responders but that the committee felt there was not a need. He noted that Chief Roy reported that FD-8 was all set with this type of equipment. Based on the lack of support he noted the project was not being brought forward to the council. Equipment Distribution Project: Mr. Dunne noted that the goal of CMRPC is to have the project out the door by next Wednesday April 10 th. The return date will be Friday, April 26 th. They will then tabulate the results and get bid prices hopefully by May 15 th and award the contracts for delivery not later than June 30 th. A MOTION was made by Chief Dio that the letter accompanying the notification have a firm deadline and that it clearly state that applications not received by the deadline will not be accepted. The Motion received a 2 nd from Mr. Ekman and was so Voted. Mr. Ekman asked if towns were going to be allowed to combine funds for shared equipment. Mr. Dunne replied he could accommodate that the council concurred that this was allowable but that communities would have to agree to cover any overage. 4
Training Committee: Chief Roy reported the committee met this morning. He reported the committee had discussed funding projects. Police will be encouraged to explore Active Shooter exercises. Dive Rescue: committee confirmed previous discussions on dive rescue certification should be from Dive Rescue International. Tech Rescue is available from DFS and the training committee is waiting to hear from EOPSS on regional tech rescue teams. Procurement is now required for exercise coordinators. State law exempts exercises and trainings from bid but federal requirements supersede when using federal funds. Mr. Dunne reported he had recently submitted the AAR follow-up Improvement Plans to EOPSS for 2011. He expects to have 2012 back from Lynne Shaw very soon for submittal to EOPSS. Lynne Shaw is completing this paperwork because she wrote the original AAR s for both Quabbin Active Shooter and Nishwaug Inn. Mr. Dunne will complete the Worcester Housing Authority form. Fusion Committee: Chief O Donnell reported the committee met this morning (actually early afternoon). He reported on the status of the MDT project all towns that wanted to be onboard are now being served by Verizon or AT&T. Chief O Donnell noted the committee is recommending it be dissolved and/or absorbed by another committee as it has had very few projects and with the exception of continuing the ACAMS program doesn t see a lot of work ahead. Chief O Donnell made the Motion to in-activate the Fusion Committee and shift its responsibilities to another committee. The Motion received a 2 nd from Chief DuVernay. Discussion: short discussion on the roll of the Fusion Committee to date. The Motion was so Voted. EOPSS: Mr. Fabiano noted the end dates of all current grants and urged the council to complete as many projects as possible within the time frames. He stated that although EOPSS will apply for an FFY10 Extension there is no guarantee it will come through from DHS. In response to a question relative to time frame he stated that EOPSS was seeking a 6 month extension but it was possible for DHS to come back with less time or to deny altogether. MAPC: Mrs. (Amy) Reilly reported that MAPC has been working with MARPA pushing congressional legislators across the state to support a time extension for FFY10. 5
She also reported that MAPC is working with all the Councils to keep FFY09 Phase II and FFY10 spending on track by getting quotes and bid proposals out as quickly as possible. New Business: Mr. Dunne advised that a memo is in each packet from Under-Secretary Schwartz noting that a 5% reduction of funds is expected for FFY13. The memo has a chart attached with possible allotments for each council. Next Meeting: May 7, 2013. Committees will meet in the morning and Council at 1:00 PM. Location will be CMEMSC, 361 Holden Street, Holden. Adjourn: The meeting adjourned at 2:30 PM. Minutes taken and prepared by Michael Dunne, CMRPC Approved: 5/7/13 MCD 6