Windham – Windham Joint Fire District Board met for their regularly-scheduled meeting recently with all members of the board present.
Chief Clair Simpson reported that Warren Fire Equipment was out to conduct bench tests on the Scot Air Paks. They determined that several of the current air paks are out-dated and the cost to replace them would be $4,442 for fiberglass tanks and $4,184 for aluminum tanks. After some discussion, the board approved the purchase of four Scot Air Paks with fiberglass tanks. They plan to evaluate how many more they will need to purchase next year.
The chief reported that we do not have to have the narrow band updated until 2012/ 2013. He had been originally told it must be done by 2011. The chief requested permission to send Justin Martin to take a 36-hour fire-fighters course at Maplewood; the cost of this class is $700 and much of it will be reimbursed under the fire grant from the state, providing he completes the course. The board approved this expenditure.
Once again there was a discussion of purchasing blood and air-born pathogen jackets for the EMS crew. The coats cost $289 each. After a long discussion, the board approved purchasing coats for those who have over volunteered over 1000 hours/ year to the department. Currently there are six EMS personnel who qualify for the jackets. The board stated that the jackets are property of the fire district and if one decides to leave the district the jackets are to remain with the district.
The fire board thanked Chief Clair Simpson for his 32 years of service to the department. During his 32 years of service Simpson had worked his way up thru the ranks from cadet to chief. Simpson has been chief for over 8 years and is retiring from the department at the end of this year.
In other news, the board approved a maintenance agreement for the life packs. The life packs will be inspected and have new batteries installed each year. The contract is a two-year agreement. The board appointed two firemen, Mike Iwanyckyj and Gary Barnard, along with two board members, George Bengtson, Don Altiere, and the fiscal officer Jayme Neikirk to serve on the Volunteer Fire Fighters Dependent Fund Board.
The fire board meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7pm at the fire station. The board has scheduled an emergency end of the year meeting on December 14, 2010 at 7 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to give the oath of office to the new Chief Mike Iwanyckyj and to award a snow plowing contract for the station.
