[00:00:06]
WELCOME TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
AFTER ROLE, WE'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM.
ONCE THE PRESENTATION AND MEMBER QUESTIONS ARE ASKED, WE'LL HAVE A TOUR OF THE WELLNESS FACILITY, WHICH I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, MEMBERS.
A QUICK REMINDER THAT YOU'LL HAVE SEVEN MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND TWO MINUTES FOR FOLLOW UP.
MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL RULE? GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBER MAKI RODRIGUEZ.
UM, MEMBERS YOU CAN USE THE, THE MACHINE TO BUZZ IN TODAY.
UM, WAIT, UH, IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOBODY SIGNED UP, UM, WITH NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
LET'S GET STARTED WITH THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE JANUARY 18TH PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
[Approval of Minutes ]
SECOND.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, WE'LL NOW VOTE ON THE MEETING MINUTES.
MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO, A PRESENTATION ON FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM.
SO ARE WE STARTING WITH, UM, CHIEF? UH,
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
YES.WE HAVE OUR FIRE CHIEF CHARLES HOOD, WHO'S GONNA GIVE A BRIEFING AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT ARE MANAGED BY OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF.
GOOD MORNING, CHIEF MADAM CHAIR.
UH, BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE BEHIND ME THE, UH, ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR NOEL HARRAN, DEPUTY CHIEF ANDREW ESTRADA, AND, UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF BRIAN NORRIS, WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, YOU'RE GOING TO GO OVER AND HAVE A TOUR WHERE YOU'RE GONNA MEET A LOT MORE OF OUR STAFF.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THIS IS BASICALLY ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR MOST, UH, IMPORTANT RESOURCE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S NOT THE TRUCKS, IT'S NOT THE STATIONS, IT'S NOT THE EQUIPMENT, IT'S THE PEOPLE.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE WORK REALLY HARD WITH THE, UH, HEALTH AND THE WELLNESS, UH, NEEDS OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO THIS PRESENTATION'S GOING TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE, THE MULTITUDE OF PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND, UH, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, SOME OF OUR CIVILIANS.
UH, SO IT ENCOMPASSES BASICALLY OUR WELLNESS CENTER.
UM, WHEN, WHEN WE ARRIVED HERE IN 2007, THERE WASN'T A WELLNESS CENTER ESTABLISHED.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH, AND I WANNA THANK THE STAFF BEHIND ME TO, TO BUILD A WELLNESS CENTER WHERE WE HAVE MEDICAL PHYSICALS.
UH, ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS JOBS THAT, OR ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KILLS FIREFIGHTERS IS, UM, 80% OF FIREFIGHTERS DIE IN THE LINE OF DUTY IS TO HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES.
SO THEY DIE DRIVING A FIRE TRUCK, THEY DIE FIGHTING A FIRE.
THEY DIE SOMETIMES WHEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY LAY DOWN BECAUSE, UH, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY WEREN'T GETTING ANNUAL PHYSICALS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE GETTING, UM, ANNUAL PHYSICALS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AS HEALTHY AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE AND OUR OTHER FIREFIGHTERS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE BLUE TEAM.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE FOR, UM, CLOSE TO 600 DAYS WITH COVID ACTIVITIES, MAKING SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS, THEIR FAMILIES ARE, ARE PROTECTED, AND WE SUPPORT THOSE THAT ARE SICK.
YOU CAN SEE OUR SPORTS MEDICINE FACILITY.
AND SO, UM, FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, AND I'LL, I'LL REALLY FRAME IT.
AND FIREFIGHTERS, WERE TACTICAL ATHLETES.
SO YOU COULD GO FROM, UH, SLEEPING, SIX MINUTES LATER, YOU'RE JUMPING OVER A SIX FOOT WALL, PULLING A HOSE LINE.
SO WE ARE TACTICAL ATHLETES, AND SO WE TREAT, UH, OUR MEMBERS SUCH AS, SO WE HAVE A SPORTS MEDICINE FACILITY.
UH, WE ALSO DO FITNESS TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEMBERS ARE PHYSICALLY FIT TO DO THEIR JOB.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, THE THINGS THAT WE SEE ON THE STREETS ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WRITE ABOUT IN MOVIES, YOU SEE ON MOVIES.
UM, BESIDE THAT, WE HAVE FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES IN LIFE THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO MANAGE, BE BESIDES SEEING THE STRESSFUL EVENTS OF WHAT WE DO.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS, AGAIN, ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT, UM, UH, ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, IS THAT, UM, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OF OUR MEMBERS.
UM, AND SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO WE APPROACH THAT? WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE? AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN SAFETY, AGAIN, WE RESPOND ON ABOUT 1400 UNIT RESPONSES EVERY SINGLE
[00:05:01]
DAY.SO, HOW ARE WE SAFE, WHETHER IT'S AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT OR WALKING INTO SOMEONE'S HOME THAT'S BEEN ASSAULTED OR ON THE FIRE GROUND OR, OR EXCHANGING OUR GEAR.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO OUR WELLNESS CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2010.
WE GIVE COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL PHYSICALS, UH, EARLY DETECTION.
WE HAVE FOUND PEOPLE WITH, UH, MEDICAL PROCESSES THAT, THAT COULD HAVE ENDANGERED THEIR LIVES IF THEY WEREN'T DETECTED OR CANCER.
SO OUR PROGRAMS MODELED AFTER THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS AND, AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS IS A JOINT WELLNESS INITIATIVE THAT WAS, UH, UH, CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS NATIONWIDE ARE GETTING THE SAME TYPES OF PHYSICALS AND WELLNESS MANAGEMENT.
SO THIS IS CONDUCTED IN, IN, IN, UH, ACCORDANCE WITH N F P A, UH, 1582 AS FAR AS HOW WE, UH, PERFORM OUR PHYSICALS.
SO THE BLUE TEAM, AS WE MENTIONED, WE WERE IN OUR ALMOST 600TH DAY OF COVID ACTIVITIES.
SO WE WERE HELPING WITH, UH, ASSESS THE SYMPTOMS OF, OF OUR MEMBERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, THE, THE HIGH OF THIS, UH, FOURTH SURGE, WE HAD ABOUT 145 MEMBERS THAT WERE OFF.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE OF STAFFING.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE TO PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE NEED TO.
WE ASSISTED IN HIGH RISK EMPLOYEES FROM OTHER COAST DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS, UH, COAST EMPLOYEES THAT WERE GETTING SICK.
THEY WEREN'T BEING TREATED, THEY WEREN'T BEING LOOKED AT.
WE PROVIDED CONCIERGE SERVICE FOR OTHER COAST EMPLOYEES, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE NOT LETTING THOSE PEOPLE STAY AT HOME AND, AND SOMETIMES DIE AS FAR AS WHAT WE WERE SEEING, PARTICULARLY IN THE SECOND AND THIRD SURGES.
SO, UM, WE DID A LOT OF WORK WITH THE CITY, DAILY CONTACT WITH OUR SICK EMPLOYEES.
AGAIN, FOLLOW UP HOME VISITS, UH, TESTING IF NECESSARY.
UH, WE PROVIDED CARE PACKAGES, UH, IN THE FORM OF OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS TO ASSIST WITH THE COVER WITH THE RECOVERY OF OUR MEMBERS AND CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO, SO FAR WE'VE HAD, UH, 399, UH, SYMPTOMATIC EMPLOYEES.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, PROVIDED ABOUT 5,800 COVID TESTS.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, THE DRIVE THROUGH AS FAR AS US TESTING OVER THE WELLNESS AS FAR AS WHAT WE DO.
AND AGAIN, IF WE TALK ABOUT COVID ACTIVITIES, UH, AS FAR AS TESTING, IT'LL PROBABLY BE CLOSE TO A MILLION PEOPLE BY NOW, OVER THE ALMOST 600 DAYS THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE TESTING MANAGEMENT AND VACCINATIONS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.
BUT THIS IS, AGAIN, SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT FAMILY AND OUR CSOSA FAMILY MEMBERS.
SPORTS MEDICINE, AS I MENTIONED, TACTICAL ATHLETES.
WE, UH, HAVE A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER, AND THAT'S TO HELP WITH THE RECOVERY, REHABILITATION OF EXERCISE RELATED INJURIES.
UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS ON THE DAYS THAT THEY'RE OFF, THEY ARE HYPER ATHLETIC.
THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS TO WHERE THEY COULD BE INJURED, WHETHER IT'S TRAINING, EXERCISING, AND HOW DO WE HELP THEM REHABILITATE THOSE INJURIES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT 1,786 EMPLOYEES, UH, WERE TREATED IN 21.
SO IF WE CAN GET YOU BACK ON TRACK QUICKER WITH THE TRAINING PROGRAM, UH, THAT'S GONNA HELP OUR STAFFING, THAT'S GOING TO, UH, RELEASE SOME OF OUR OVERTIME ISSUES.
AND THEN, UH, THE, AGAIN, THAT'S THE, THE HEALTH BENEFIT SAVINGS BY MAKING SURE THAT OUR MEMBERS ARE HEALTHY AND, UH, REDUCING OUR OVERTIME COSTS AND GETTING THEM BACK IN THE FIELD AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE ESTABLISHED THIS IN 2021, AND THIS IS, AGAIN, A JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT, UH, WELLNESS INITIATIVE.
AND SO THE COMPONENTS ARE BODY COMPOSITION, MOBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY, POWER, AEROBIC CAPACITY, MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE.
AND WE HAVE TESTED SO FAR, 540, UH, EMPLOYEES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO NOTICE WHEN YOU SEE US ON THE NEWS, AND WE TALK ABOUT A SECOND ALARM FIRE, AND I'VE GOT 40 OR 50 FIRE COMPANIES OUT THERE, AND I'VE GOT OVER A HUNDRED PLUS FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, VERY RARELY DO YOU SEE US OR HEAR US TALK ABOUT, WE'VE TAKEN FIREFIGHTERS IN FOR HEAT STRESS RELIEF.
WE'VE TAKEN FIREFIGHTERS IN BECAUSE OF EXHAUSTION.
WE MANAGE THESE INCIDENTS IN EXTREME CONDITIONS AND HEAT.
AND, UM, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR FITNESS TO WHERE YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF THESE REPORTS AS FAR AS FIREFIGHTERS, UH, GOING DOWN FROM JUST THE, UM, ACTIVITIES OF A FIRE.
AND SO, AGAIN, THE FITNESS IS NECESSARY THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UM, IF YOU SEE THERE, WE HAVE A APP, WHICH I THINK WE PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS THE LAST TIME, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S AN APP THAT THAT GIVES YOU BASICALLY THE TOOLS FOR WELLNESS, FOR COVID RESOURCES, THE BLUE TEAM, UH, TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION, WE HAVE A STAFF, A STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST
[00:10:01]
ON DUTY.UH, YOU'LL GET TO MEET HER TODAY WHEN WE GO OVER.
UH, WE HAVE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FROM DEAR OAK.
UH, WE HAVE PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS, WHICH IS, UH, PROVIDED BY OUR MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED.
UH, AND, AND YOU CAN FIND THE PERSON THAT YOU WANT TO TALK TO AS FAR AS SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW, UM, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SHARE THINGS WITH AND STUFF.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A LARGE PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM.
AND, UH, OUR CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM, WE HAVE, UM, PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE CHAPLAINS ON CALL EVERY SINGLE DAY.
A LOT OF TIMES THE CHAPLAINS ARE USED FOR CIVILIANS.
IF WE GET A, A BAD CIVILIAN EVENT, UH, SOMETIMES OUR FIREFIGHTERS MAY NOT BE AS COMFORTABLE AS STAYING WITH A FAMILY, TENDING THEIR NEEDS.
UH, AND SO WE CAN GET A CHAPLAIN TO RESPOND.
UH, WE LOOK AT OUR CHAPLAINS PROGRAM AS FAR AS BEING DIVERSE, AS FAR AS DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, DIFFERENT CHURCHES, DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.
UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE CRITICAL.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCREENING, AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE LOOKING SCREENING, UH, TO SEE WHAT, WHAT ISSUES WE MAY HAVE.
WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE CRISIS HOTLINE, WHICH YOU CAN CALL AND TALK TO A, A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER OR FIREFIGHTER THAT HAS KIND OF BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF OUR MEMBERS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY PREPARED TO DO A VERY DANGEROUS JOB ALONG WITH THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF IT.
AND AGAIN, THE CORTICO WELLNESS APP, UH, IS WHAT WE MENTIONED AND IS WHAT IS ON DISPLAY RIGHT HERE.
SO WE HAVE A, UH, UH, SAFETY OFFICER ON 24 7 EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT RESPONDS TO, UH, EMERGENCIES, UH, SUCH AS SECOND ALARM FIRES, UH, DIFFERENT EXTRICATION CALLS, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD EYES ON SAFETY AS FAR AS HAVING A, UH, A PERSON DEDICATED TO THAT.
SO THE SAFETY OFFICER'S GOING TO, UH, ADVISE THE INCIDENT COMMANDER ON HIS TACTICS AND STRATEGY AS FAR AS WHETHER WE'RE OPERATING IN A SAFE MANNER.
AND, AND AGAIN, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS COME TO WORK HEALTHY, SAFE, AND THAT THEY GO HOME THE SAME WAY.
UM, I JUST SPOKE AT A, UM, EVENT THIS MORNING WITH THE, UM, UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATOR IS IN SAN ANTONIO FOR A FEW DAYS.
AND, UH, SEVERAL, UM, LEADERS IN THE FIRE SERVICE ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR A MEETING.
AND, UM, THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD, UM, 380 FIRE FATALITIES ALREADY.
AND, UH, 60 KIDS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE'VE HAD FIVE CIVILIAN FATALITIES THIS YEAR.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, RESPOND TO THESE INCIDENTS SAFELY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS COME HOME SAFE AFTER THE EVENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE DIED THIS YEAR AROUND THIS COUNTRY.
AND SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE SAFE, THAT THEY'RE OPERATING IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT, UH, MATCHES OUR RISK MANAGEMENT PROFILE, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THEM INJURED OR, OR KILLED.
SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS OUR QUARTERMASTER PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A STATIC DISPLAY OF TODAY.
UM, OCCUPATIONAL CANCER IS A CHALLENGE.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR THE COUNCIL FOR A WHILE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE YEARS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET TWO SETS OF BUNKER GEAR.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OUR AIR PACKS THAT WE'RE IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND PUT 'EM OUTSIDE TO CREATE A CLEAN CAB.
WE'VE GONE OUT AND, AND CLOSED UP ALL OF OUR STATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING DIESEL EXHAUST OR FUMES INSIDE OF THE STATION WHERE YOU'RE EATING, BECAUSE BASICALLY, FIREFIGHTERS LIVE IN A DIESEL GARAGE FOR A THIRD OF THEIR LIVES.
SO HOW DO WE PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING CANCER, WHETHER IT'S ON THE SCENE OR WHETHER IT'S IN THE, THE, THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN THEY'RE AT THE STATIONS.
SO WE EXCHANGE GEAR AFTER A FIRE.
FIRES DON'T BURN LIKE THEY USED TO WITH COTTON WOOD AND, AND, AND, AND PAPER.
IF THIS STUFF BURNS HERE, IT IS GONNA PUT OFF CARCINOGENS, IT'S GONNA PUT OFF DEADLY GAS, IT'S GONNA PUT OFF POISONS.
AND SO THOSE THINGS ARE ABSORBED IN OUR SKIN AND ON THE TURNOUTS.
SO, UM, AT WORKING FIRES THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR, WE'VE EXCHANGED 3,800 SETS OF GEAR.
AND SO, UH, AND THEN WE'VE EXPECTED INSPECTED OVER 12,000 PIECES OF GEAR.
SO IF WE HAVE A FIRE AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS EQUIPMENT IS SOILED, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BRING A UNIT OUT THIS ONE OF THESE, UH, QUARTERMASTER VEHICLES AND EXCHANGE ALL OF THEIR TURNOUT GEAR.
WE'RE GONNA BAG WHAT HAS BEEN SOILED AND WET AND DIRTY, AND WE ARE GOING TO EXCHANGE IT WITH BRAND NEW TURNOUT, NOT BRAND NEW, BUT CLEAN GEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AREN'T WEARING THOSE CARENS HOME.
UH, YEARS AGO WHEN, UM, MY TEAM BEHIND ME, CHIEF HARAN MYSELF, WEARING DIRTY, BURNED UP BLACK GEAR WAS A BADGE OF HONOR.
IT MEANT THAT YOU WERE, UH, A BETTER FIREFIGHTER, WHICH ABSOLUTELY MAKES NO SENSE.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE CHANGED THAT CULTURE TO WHERE, UH, WE DON'T WANT
[00:15:01]
YOU IN SOIL GEAR.WE WANT TO GET YOU OUT OF THAT GEAR.
UM, THIS WEEK, UH, WE LOST A FIREFIGHTER, OR LAST FRIDAY WE LOST A FIREFIGHTER TO CANCER.
UM, HE HAD BEEN BATTLING FOR PROBABLY FIVE YEARS, ABDOMINAL CANCER.
AND SO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE LOST SIX FIREFIGHTERS TO CANCER.
AND SO WE WANT TO ELIMINATE OUR EXPOSURE TO CANCER THE BEST WAY WE CAN, AND THAT'S TO PROVIDE CLEAN EQUIPMENT AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE CREWS ARE, ARE, ARE EXCHANGING AFTER FIRE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT THAT IS PART OF OUR SAFETY DIVISION.
SO THIS BASICALLY CONCLUDES, UH, THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
I KNOW WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS OVER AT WELLNESS, TOO.
SO ONCE YOU GET OVER THERE AND YOU GET TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, WE'LL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
BUT I, I STAND READY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, ON, ON THE LAST, UM, COMMENT THAT YOU MADE, UH, HOW OFTEN ARE WE AUDITING OUR, OUR S A F D SAFETY PROCEDURES? WHEN YOU SAY AUDIT, WELL, I IMAGINE THAT NEW TECHNOLOGY, NEW PROCEDURES, NEW SAFETY PROCEDURES AS THEY COME UP NATIONWIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, ARE YOU DOING SOME KIND OF LIKE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UP TO DATE RIGHT? OR, UM, SO, SO WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT N F P A STANDARDS THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, BUT AS FAR AS US LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES, WE ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES, BUT THEN WE LOOK AT NEXT PRACTICES.
SO OUR BEST PRACTICES ARE MEETINGS WITH THE URBAN FIRE FORUM, OR MEETINGS WITH THE METRO CHIEFS, THINGS LIKE THAT, TO WHERE WE WILL GO TO THOSE MEETINGS AND WE'LL SIT IN AND THEY'LL BRING SOME OF US UP.
WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT.
SO WE LOOK AT BEING A NEXT PRACTICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT AS FAR AS BEING AUDITED, THERE'S, THERE'S NO DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT THEY GET THEIR PROCEDURES AUDITED.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE LOOK AT IS, UH, LIFE OR DEATH THAT WE SEE ON TV.
HOW COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED? WHAT ARE THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM EVERY FIRE THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE GOING ON? UM, IN, UH, REGARDS TO OUR EQUIPMENT, OUR TURNOUT GEAR, WE GET SURPRISE INSPECTIONS FROM THE STATE, OKAY.
FROM THE COMMISSION ON FIRE PROTECTION, THEY WILL COME OUT AND DO WE HAVE WHAT? LAST WEEK, WEEK BEFORE THEY SHOW UP AND CHECK OUR GEAR.
AND SO PART OF THE, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE OUR GEAR INSPECTED AFTER EVERY FIRE IS THAT WE COULD COME TO THE STATION THAT DAY AND THE STATE IS HERE TO INSPECT OUR GEAR, AND THERE'S A SNAG, THERE'S A TEAR, THERE'S A ZIPPER, A BUTTON THAT'S NOT WORKING.
SO WE DO GET AUDITED BY THE STATE.
AS FAR AS SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE CONCERNED, I THINK MAYBE I USED THE WRONG WORD.
I DIDN'T MEAN SUCH A FORMAL AUDIT PROCESS.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I, I'M I, THAT WE'RE THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY.
ERIC WALSH JUST SAID THAT IN FRONT OF THE UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.
UM, AND I KNOW, WAS IT LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE YOU EVEN WON? UM, BEST FIRE CHIEF.
BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A, UM, A GREAT FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, THAT YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH SAFETY PROCEDURES.
SO I REALLY LIKE TO HEAR THE NEXT PRACTICE, NOT JUST BEST PRACTICE RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT'S COMING, WHAT, YES.
WHAT CAN BE BETTER? AND SO, SO NEXT PRACTICE FOR US IS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THIS AFTERNOON, FOR INSTANCE, THE UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATOR'S GOING TO GET A TOUR AND DO A PRESS CONFERENCE ON WHOLE BLOOD ON OUR GOOD SAM APPLICATION.
SHE WAS TASKED BY THE FEMA DIRECTOR TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT OUR WHOLE BLOOD PROGRAM.
SO, UH, AGAIN, EVERYTHING THAT WE TRY TO DO IS, IS, IS NEXT.
IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE SAFE.
ALSO BEING ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FALLEN FIREFIGHTER FOUNDATION, WE SEE EVERY FIREFIGHTER DEATH AROUND THIS NATION.
AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THOSE TO WHERE WE ARE NOT DOING WHAT SOME OF THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING.
UH, WE ARE ACCREDITED AND WE'RE CLASS ONE.
SO WITH THOSE THINGS ALSO BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE FORMAL GROUPS THAT ARE LOOKING AT THE ACCREDITATION OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE, UM, THE I S O RATING IS, SO AGAIN, ONLY ABOUT 4% OF THE NATION IS PROTECTED BY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BOTH.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH ACCREDITATION, WHICH A LOT OF PLACES DON'T DO.
AND SO THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT ABOUT 285 DIFFERENT CURRICULUM FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE INCLUDED IN WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE TODAY.
AND I KNOW OUR, OUR, UM, SAN ANTONIO PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION, THEY, UH, PROVIDE INPUT ON WHAT, UM, FIREFIGHTERS, YOU KNOW, STREET LEVEL BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WHAT MAYBE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF COMMITTEE OR, UM, YES, MA'AM.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A TOOL AND EQUIPMENT COMMITTEE.
[00:20:01]
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES.UH, MOST OF THE FIREFIGHTERS IN, IN OUR DEPARTMENT ARE PART OF THE LOCAL ALSO, AND SO WE ALWAYS GET INPUT FROM THEM OKAY.
BUT YEAH, WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT, WE HAVE AN APPARATUS COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THE TYPES OF TRUCKS THAT WE RUN, HOW THEY'RE SPECKED OUT.
AND SO WE, WE DON'T OPERATE IN A VACUUM WITH ANY OF THESE THINGS.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER GERRAN.
SO, I, I LIKE THE PROGRAM WHEN IT, UH, UNROLLED OUT.
I LIKE THE APPS AND EVERYTHING, BUT DO WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND? BECAUSE I KNOW WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, A LOT OF THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE GONE AND HELPED IN DIFFERENT AREAS, THE WILDFIRES, THE HURRICANES, UM, AND IS THERE ANY WAY TO KIND OF EXPAND FOR THE STRESS THAT THEY'RE, I WANNA SAY EXTRA STRESS, BUT THE STRESS THAT HAPPENS FROM, FROM GOING OUT AND SERVICING THAT, THAT MAY OCCUR? UM, THE SAME RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS ON THE STREET ARE THE SAME RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO OUR MEMBERS THAT ARE DEPLOYED.
THE THING THAT'S DIFFERENT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A DEPLOYED MEMBER, THEY MAY BE AWAY FROM HOME FOR UP TO TWO WEEKS.
AND SO WHO'S LOOKING AFTER MY FAMILY, WHO'S MAKING SURE THE GRASS GETS CUT, WHO'S MAKING SURE THAT IF JOHNNY'S GETS SICK, SOMEBODY'S THERE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE EXTRA EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEPLOYED MEMBERS ARE BEING SUPPORTED, UH, WHEREAS THEY'RE NOT GONNA GO HOME WITHIN 24 HOURS.
BUT THOSE SAME RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AS FAR AS THE CLINICIANS, AS FAR AS, UH, THE PSYCHOLOGISTS, AS FAR AS ALL THE BEHAVIORAL SERVICES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE PEOPLE ALSO, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE OUT ON DEPLOYMENT.
AND, AND THAT'S JUST THE ONE THING I, I, I APPRECIATE.
I LOVE THAT OUR, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT GOES OUT AND WHEN WE HAD THE PRESENTATION ON NINE 11 AND EVERYONE THAT CAME UP AND, AND, UH, SHARED THERE, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEM, THAT THEY KNOW THAT US SENDING THEM OUT IS SOMETHING THAT WE APPRECIATE AND THAT THEY'RE SERVING THEIR, THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THE FAMILY BECAUSE I THINK FAMILIES GETTING HELP BECAUSE, AND NOT THAT IT DEPLOYMENT, BUT I THINK ABOUT THE FIRES IN CALIFORNIA AND THE DEVASTATION THEY'RE SEEING, AND THEN THE FAMILIES TRYING TO HELP.
UH, SO DO THE FAMILIES HAVE AVAILABILITY TO SOME OF THE COUNSELORS OR THERAPIST OR SUPPORT? YES, MA'AM.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LIFE HAPPENS TO US MORE THAN EVENTS, CALLS, DISPATCHES DEPLOYMENTS.
AND SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH A, A TEENAGER THAT'S HAVING PROBLEMS? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH A, UH, A FIREFIGHTER WHO LOST HIS PARENT? I MEAN, SO WE DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND WE PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES FOR THEM WHEN, WHEN THEY NEED THEM.
AND, UM, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CANCER AND HOW IT'S IMPACTING THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS KEEPING UP TO DATE ON ANY, UM, OF THE NEWEST TREATMENTS OF THE, OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE SUPPORT FOR, FOR THOSE SUFFERING WITH CANCER AND TO GET THEIR FAMILIES, UM, SUPPORT FOR THAT.
BECAUSE WE DO SEE TECHNOLOGY, WE DO SEE THAT MEDICINE AND WITH, UM, WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT WE GET BREAKTHROUGHS.
BUT I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO GET THE TREATMENT THAT THEY, THAT THEY NEED FOR THESE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A VERY, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU JUST HIT ME LIKE YOU THREW ME A SOFTBALL
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAZE CANCER CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
UM, WE WERE GETTING READY TO GO INTO A RESEARCH PROGRAM WITH THEM WHEN COVID HIT.
THERE ARE, UH, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AND PHOENIX FIRE DEPARTMENT, METRO DAY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, NEW YORK CITY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF COLUMBIA.
THEY HAVE CREATED DIFFERENT TYPES OF, OF, OF GROUPS TO LOOK AT AT CANCERS, CERTAIN TYPES OF CANCERS, WHETHER IT'S REPRODUCTIVE CANCER WITH, WITH OUR FEMALES THAT ARE COMING ON, UH, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT AGES, DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS.
AND SO BY HAVING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYS CANCER CENTER, WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH THEM AND DR.
RUBEN MESA, WHO IS, UH, WORLD RENOWNED.
AND SO HE HAS AN INTEREST IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
SO WE HAVE A CANCER MEETING SET UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE ALSO WITH THE AMERICAN CANCER ASSOCIATION.
SO WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT IF ONE OF OUR MEMBERS GETS SICK, WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH MD ANDERSON IN HOUSTON.
WE, WE WILL GET THE BEST ABSOLUTE CARE FOR OUR MEMBERS IF THEY DO GET CANCER.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS WHEN THEY GET THEIR PHYSICAL, IF SOMETHING COMES UP AND THERE'S SOMETHING GOOFY IN THEIR BLOOD, THERE'S SOMETHING GOOFY IN A TEST, WE'RE GONNA LINK THEM UP WITH AN ONCOLOGIST IMMEDIATELY.
SO WE, WE ARE GETTING THE BEST ABSOLUTE CARE THAT, THAT A FIREFIGHTER CAN GET RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS HAVING
[00:25:01]
ACCESS TO THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY HERE.AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE TO TAKING THIS TOUR.
COUNCIL MEMBER
UM, I ALWAYS APPRECIATE WHEN YOU COME OUT AND GIVE PRESENTATIONS, UM, YOU DO A WONDERFUL JOB.
UH, I HAD TO LAUGH BECAUSE I THINK MR. WALSH IS VERY BOLD, AND I APPRECIATE IT,
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION, I THINK I MIGHT'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, WHICH MAKES ME THINK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN A SIMILAR PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, IT'S ABOUT THE, THE CULTURE THAT YOU BUILD.
AND, UM, I'M WONDERING, BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IS IT AS A FIELD, IT'S ONE THAT'S VERY, YOU KNOW, MASCULINITY DOMINATED.
AND I'M WONDERING, HOW DO YOU CREATE A CULTURE THAT MAKES IT, UM, THAT DESTIGMATIZES ASKING FOR HELP, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA PROACTIVELY? RIGHT, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND AGAIN, UM, THANKS FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, UM, BEFORE THE QUESTION, BUT THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STIGMA, THE STIGMA OF FIREFIGHTERS, THE STIGMA FIREFIGHTERS 20, 30 YEARS AGO WAS ALL ANGLO, YOU KNOW, BIG, STRONG, TOUGH GUYS THAT, UM, TOUGHER THAN TOUGH.
SO NOW, YOU KNOW, THE DIVERSITY OF OUR FIRE SERVICE, AND WE, WE STRIVE FOR THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE, UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT A FIRE TRUCK THAT IT OUGHT TO MIRROR THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS RESPONDING IN.
AND SO WE HAVE FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS AND WE HAVE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC FIREFIGHTERS AND ASIAN FIREFIGHTERS.
AND SO, UM, OUR, OUR CORE GROUP OF WORKERS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOW.
AND SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT DIVERSITY.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, WHEN OUR CIVILIANS COME IN AND THEY'RE HARDEST FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE START, UM, IMMERSING THEM IN, IN BEING ABLE TO HELP EACH OTHER AND BEING ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.
AND SO, AGAIN, THE STIGMA OF THIS TOUGH GUY, UH, I'M GONNA SEE EVERYTHING AND I'M JUST GONNA GO BACK AND GET ON THE TRUCK.
UH, AND, AND THERE WEREN'T ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND SO WE REALIZED THAT MORE FIREFIGHTERS DIE AT THEIR OWN HANDS THAN FIREFIGHTERS THAT DIE IN BUILDING FIRES NOW.
AND SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT FOR HELP? AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO FORCE THAT HELP.
WHEN WE LOST, UH, SCOTT DEAN, WE, UM, WE TOOK THOSE FIRST UNITS THAT WERE THERE AND WE LOADED 'EM UP ON A BUS.
WE TOOK 'EM TO THE TRAINING ACADEMY.
WE, WE HAD SOME CRITICAL STRESS DEBRIEFING AT THAT TIME.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE INCIDENTS AND EVERYBODY'S GOTTA GO THROUGH THE DEBRIEFING, WHETHER THEY THINK THEY NEED IT OR NOT.
AND SO, BACK WHEN I WAS ON A TRUCK, IT'S LIKE, IF YOU WANTED IT, YOU WOULD GO AND PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU, OR IF YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE WEAK.
AND THE GUY THAT'S THE BIGGEST, TOUGHEST GUY THAT SAYS HE DOESN'T NEED IT, HE'S STILL GETTING EXPOSURE TO THAT DEBRIEFING.
AND SO IT'S GONNA HELP THEM OUT.
SO THERE'S CERTAIN RUNS, WE PUT EVERYBODY OUT OF SERVICE AFTER THAT CALL.
IT COULD BE A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT.
IT COULD BE A, UH, A, A CHILD THAT DROWNED RAW PARENTS.
AND SO WE MAY PUT THAT WHOLE DISPATCH ALL THOSE UNITS OUTTA SERVICE AND GET THEM BACK TO THE STATION AND, UM, PROVIDE, UH, A DEBRIEFING FOR THEM.
WE HAD A, UH, YOUNG MAN FALL OFF A LADDER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND I WENT TO THE STATION AND, AND TALKED TO THOSE GUYS AND THEY WERE REALLY DEPRESSED 'CAUSE SOMEBODY GOT HURT.
AND ABOUT 10 MINUTES, OR 10 MINUTES AFTER I GOT THERE, ONE OF OUR DEBRIEFERS SHOWED UP TO TALK TO THEM.
SO ALONG WITH, UM, DESENSITIZING AND ELIMINATING THE, THE TOUGH GUY ATTITUDE, WE ALSO HAVE TO PREACH FORGIVENESS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PREACH THINGS THAT MAYBE AREN'T, UM, WE DIDN'T DO IN A CULTURE 20 YEARS AGO.
SO WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT EVERYBODY AND PROVIDING THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND IT, IT, IT'S DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT WE HAVE A MENU OF SERVICES AVAILABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THOSE PEOPLE SHOW UP AT WORK, THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE SAFE, THEY'RE PRODUCTIVE, THEY'RE EMOTIONALLY PREPARED, AND WE WANT THAT FOR THEM THE SAME WAY WHEN THEY GO HOME THE NEXT DAY.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, AND MAYBE THE NEXT TIME YOU GIVE A PRESENTATION SIMILAR TO THIS, OR I WOULD LIKE THIS DATA, OR, UM, WHAT ARE THE WELLNESS METRICS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD USE TO MONITOR TO DETERMINE HOW WELL THE
[00:30:01]
PROGRAM IS WORKING? UM, I KNOW ONE EXAMPLE WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF DEATH.UM, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE CALLED A DECLINING MORTALITY RATE COMMENSURATE WITH THE, UH, DEPARTMENT SIZE.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THERE WOULD BE METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT AS FAR AS PEOPLE THAT WE MAY PUT OFF THE TRACK AS FAR AS, OKAY, THEY'RE NOT PHYSICALLY FIT ENOUGH TO RIDE ON A FIRE TRUCK.
'CAUSE WE GET THOSE SOMETIMES, BUT MAY BE THEIR BLOOD SUGAR'S UP, THEIR, THEIR PRESSURES HIGHER THAN, THAN WHAT IT SHOULD BE, OR THEY'VE GAINED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THOSE PEOPLE WORK ON A FIRETRUCK.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE WORKED OUT A LONG TIME AGO WITH THE LOCAL TO WHERE, OKAY, IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THEM TO BE DRIVING THIS FIRETRUCK, IT'S NOT SAFE.
AS SOON AS THEY GET HEALTHY, SOON AS THEIR NUMBERS IMPROVE, THEN WE'RE GONNA PUT THEM BACK IN THE FIELD.
SO THAT IS, AGAIN, SAVING LIVES.
SO IF YOU COME AND YOU GET A PHYSICAL OR SOMETHING'S GOING ON MEDICALLY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA LET, WE'RE NOT GONNA LET YOU GET ON A FIRETRUCK.
AND SO IT, IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
SO THERE ARE METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FOLKS ARE PERFORMING WELL.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS THE ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED IS THAT, IS THAT, UM, WE DON'T WANT OUR FOLKS DYING ON DUTY AND, AND THAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT METRICS, BUT YES, THERE ARE METRICS AS FAR AS BLOOD PRESSURES AND, AND SUGARS AND WEIGHTS AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, I'M WONDERING, WOULD WE HAVE THAT DATA AVAILABLE LIKE OVER TIME? UM, CERTAIN ME, UM, SPECIFIC NUMBER OF CASES OF EACH MEDICAL ISSUE? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.
WITH SKIRTING, WITH HIPAA AND ALL THAT STUFF, WE COULD PROBABLY GET YOU SOME, WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE OUT SOME METRICS THAT THAT, THAT WE COULD GIVE YOU WITH BEHAVIORAL STUFF.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S HIPAA RELATED MM-HMM.
AND I WANTED TO ADD ALSO, WHEN WE ADDED THE WELLNESS FACILITY, ONE OF THE, THE BUSINESS CASE THAT THE CHIEF MADE WAS THE FACT THAT BY HAVING THIS, UM, SERVICE, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO THE FIREFIGHTERS, THOSE FIREFIGHTERS WOULD COME BACK TO DUTY, UH, QUICKER SO THAT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE OUT SICK BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEEDED A LOT QUICKER AND THEY WERE GOING TO THAT REHAB ON A MORE CONSISTENT BASIS.
SO WE CAN GO BACK AND PULL THOSE, UM, METRICS THAT WE DEVELOPED WHEN WE, UM, WHEN WE MADE THE BUSINESS CASE TO, TO, UH, HAVE THIS IN THE BUDGET AND THEN TRACK IT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO, WE'LL, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
I WAS GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION, BUT I THINK I, UM, I JUST REMEMBERED WHAT THE ANSWER MIGHT BE.
YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT WHENEVER A FIREFIGHTER IS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO LINK THEM UP IMMEDIATELY, UH, WITH, UH, THE MD CANCERS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER.
WELL, ACTUALLY IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S WITH THE MAIZE.
OH, MAZE IS UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, BUT MAIZE HAS A DIRECT PARTNERSHIP WITH MD ANDERSON.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS SOME OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE HAD TO GO TO MD ANDERSON IN HOUSTON, BUT THERE'S DELIN, THERE'S A DIRECT LINKAGE BETWEEN THE MAYS CANCER CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND, UM, MD ANDERSON IN HOUSTON.
SO MY QUESTION, UH, HAD TO DO WITH, UM, ARE THEY REQUIRED TO REPORT THAT TO YOU? I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT TYPE OF DIAGNOSIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PRIVATE BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR DOCTOR.
YOU KNOW WHAT, SOMETIMES IT IS, BUT AGAIN, WE, OUR, OUR, OUR DEMOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDS THE DANGERS OF CANCERS AND HOW THOSE COULD BE, UM, DIRECTLY, UH, CORRELATED TO A FIRE INCIDENT.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT THEM, JUST LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE STIGMA OF, UM, A MEMBER GOING THROUGH A CANCER SITUATION AND THEY'RE NOT INFORMING US TO WHERE WE CAN GET THEM THE BEST CARE.
UM, AGAIN, YOU MAY HAVE SOMEONE THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT KNOWN, HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THEM THE BEST POSSIBLE HELP THAT, THAT WE CAN GET THEM.
ALSO, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT STIGMA WHEN WE STARTED THE, UM, PROGRAM BECAUSE A LOT OF FIREFIGHTERS WERE VERY SECRETIVE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH, NOT WANTING PEOPLE TO KNOW.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO OPEN UP ABOUT.
BUT YES MA'AM, IF WE, IF WE DO GET THAT INDICATION ON A PHYSICAL, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO LINK THEM UP AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
SO THEIR PHYSICALS ARE SUBMITTED TO YOU, THEIR PHYSICALS ARE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE WELLNESS, BUT IF THEY COME BACK TO OUR DOCTOR MM-HMM.
[00:35:01]
THAT SITUATION UP.IF IT'S A 12 LEAD ISSUE WITH A CARDIAC ISSUE, THE DOCTOR'S GONNA SIT DOWN WITH THEM AFTERWARDS AND, AND TALK ABOUT THE FINDINGS OF WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PHYSICAL.
JUST SO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO TALK TO THEIR SUPERIORS ABOUT A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, BUT NOT REQUIRED? YEAH, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED.
UM, I, I WON'T SAY THAT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED, BUT THEY'RE GONNA SIT DOWN WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT PHYSICIAN AND, UH, IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO, UH, I THINK, UH, THE ATTORNEY WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
UM, AM I SPEAKING OUT OF TURN? PLEASE STOP ME IF I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
NO, COUNCIL JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
IN THE EVENT, IN WHAT CHIEF IS TRYING TO EXPLAIN AS A MATTER OF, UM, EFFECTIVE, UH, WORKERS' COMPENSATION COVERAGE, IF THERE IS A BELIEF THAT IT IS WORKPLACE RELATED, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO REPORT IT.
SO I JUST DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FACT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT IF THERE IS SUSPECTED TO BE A LINK OR ANTICIPATION OF SOME SORT OF LINK TO WORKPLACE.
SO NATURALLY, IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO SEEK, UM, WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PART OF CORRECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT COMES OVER.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, RECOGNITION OF AND, AND UNDERSTANDING OF DIESEL EXHAUST AS A CARCINOGEN FOR, FOR THE WORKFORCE.
IT IS ALSO A CARCINOGEN FOR EVERYBODY ELSE WHO'S NOT A FIREFIGHTER.
UM, SO WHAT EXPLORATION HAS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BEEN DOING OR YOUR TEAMS BEEN DOING REGARDING, UM, OTHER TYPES OF VEHICLES OR VEHICLES THAT ARE OPERATED THROUGH, YOU KNOW, EITHER ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE? AND WHEN CAN WE SEE THOSE COMING FORWARD? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONLY LARGE DEPARTMENT THAT I KNOW OF RIGHT NOW THAT HAS DONE A TEST ON ER, ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS LA CITY.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THAT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE EVEN WITH AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE A MOTORIZED PUMP TO PUMP THE WATER ON THE FIRE TRUCK.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR DEPARTMENTS TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO THE MAIN THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE CREATED A, UH, CLEAN CAB INITIATIVE.
SO WHAT THAT MEANT IS THAT WE TAKE ALL OF OUR BREATHING APPARATUS THAT WE USED TO CARRY IN OUR, THE BACK OF OUR SEATS, WE'VE TAKEN THOSE OUT AND PUT THEM ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK SO THE FIREFIGHTERS AREN'T PUTTING THOSE BOTTLES BACK IN THE TRUCK AFTER THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO A FIRE.
SO WE'RE KEEPING THOSE OUTSIDE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE, UM, CREATED SEATS TO WHERE THEY CAN BE REMOVED AND VACUUMED AND CLEANED OUT BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY EMBERS, ANY BURNED UP DRYWALL ON THE INSIDE OF THOSE TRUCKS.
THE OTHER THING I THINK YOU MAY REMEMBER, I'M SORRY IF I COULD ASK ABOUT, UH, AT LARGE EXPOSURE TO THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST THE FIREFIGHTERS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOU WOULD NEED A, A PUMP FOR A FIRETRUCK, BUT OFTEN WE KNOW THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES RUNS ON AMBULANCES.
ARE THOSE DIESEL POWERED AS WELL? EVERYTHING'S DIESEL POWERED RIGHT NOW.
SO HAVE YOU EXPLORED ALTERNATIVES AT LEAST FOR THE AMBULANCES? NO, MA'AM.
I DON'T THINK, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY ELECTRONIC AMBULANCES OUT THERE? WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T SEEN, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY EMERGENCY VEHICLES AS FAR AS, UH, AMBULANCES THAT, THAT ARE ELECTRIC RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, ANYBODY ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS TODAY.
THIS WAS AN INFORMATIVE MEETING FO FOCUSING ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF, OF SOME OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 21ST AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.
[Executive Session At any time during the meeting, the Committee may meet in executive session for consultation with the City Attorney's Office concerning attorney client matters under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. ]
TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW.THE TIME IS NOW 10:19 AM ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH, 2022.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL IS RECESSING AND WILL RECONVENE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WELLNESS BUILDING LOCATED AT TWO 15 SOUTH SUN SABA, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 7 8 2 2 8 TO BE GIVEN A TOUR.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DURING THAT TIME.
WE, UH, RECONVENE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THIS IS A, WHICH ONES WE GET OVER THERE? YEAH.
UH, WE RECONVENED FROM OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[00:40:01]
POSTED.WE WILL NOW, UM, ATTEND THE TOUR AT THE WELLNESS CENTER.
GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE MEETING.
AND, UM, OFFICIALLY, UH, ACTUALLY I THINK I DO NEED THAT LANGUAGE.