Big Country Firefighters Association
Meeting Minutes - March 24, 2003

Place - Hamby Fire Station


Host Dept - Roscoe VFD


Time - 1900


Training - Don Turk, State Fire Marshal (Western District)
- 24 full time investigators
- 4 K9 Handlers
Criteria for Investigator Response:
- Fire or explosion resulting in death or serious bodily injury of one or more (immediate response)
- Major fire/explosion resulting in significant property damage
- Fire or explosion which placed a member of the general public at great risk of serious bodily injury
  or death
- Ongoing series of suspicious fires or explosions believed to be work of same person or group
- Fire or explosion which seriously compromises the operation of a vital public institution such as:
  church, hospital, school, library, utilities, police/fire station, sheriff's office, jail/prison, airport, bank,
  courthouse or city hall
- Fire or explosion believed to be part of a hate crime
- Fire or explosion which seriously threatens the economic well being of a community or industry
- Fire or explosion, the investigation of which creates a clear conflict of interest for local authorities
- Fire or explosion with credible evidence linking the unlawful cause of that event to an identified or partially
  identified suspect
- Fire or explosion resulting in the arrest of a suspect on Felony charges which have not yet been accepted for
  prosecution
- A suspicious fire or explosion involving allegations of misconduct by a Peace Officer, Firefighter, Magistrate
  or other key public official
- Other investigations as assigned by the Commissioner of Insurance or State Fire Marshal\
- Death of any Firefighter for any reason on any call




Call meeting to order:


Roll Call - Departments present:
- Albany, Buffalo Gap, ECCA, Eula, Hamby, Hawley, Lawn, Merkel, Moro, Mulberry Canyon, Potosi, Roscoe,
  Shackelford County, Sipe Spings, South Taylor EMS, Trent, Tye, View


Minutes from last meeting: in January (no meeting in February due to weather):
- Sipe Springs motioned to accept minutes, ECCA second


Treasurers Report:
- Checking: $1612.88
- C.D.: $4401.09
- Sipe Springs motioned to accept report, ECCA second


Announcments:
- Texas Forest Service: Justin Hall
  -  Inspection time for TFS equipment
- View VFD:
  -  Rabies Vaccination Clinic, Saturday, April 5 from 10am to 2pm - Dr Hitchcock - Cost, $10 (city tags extra)
- Shackleford County:
  -  Basic EMS Course, Begins April 1, 2003 on Tues & Thurs, from 6-10pm at the Albany H.S. Auditorium
    Cost: $200 per person - FMI, Call 915-762-3313
- Nolan County (Sweetwater F.D.)
  -  SKYWARN, Monday April 7
- Mid-West Firemans and Firemarshal Convention, Saturday April 12 in Snyder at the Fire Station - 10am          registration
- Merkel Chamber of Commerce Cook Off, 1st Saturday in May
- Brownwood Fire Academy, April 23-27 (see 2003 Course Schedule on the training page FMI)


Old Business:
- Wal Mart Grant
  -  Burn Ban magnetic signs 10x12 w/ 3" letters
    -  Justin Hall: 50 or less, $11.80ea - 50 or more,$9.50ea
    -  Triple A Signs, $10ea for 20 or more
  -  Burn Ban flags
    -  2 x 3.5', $20.00ea - 3 x 5', $25.00ea
- Rattlesnake bite victim kits available at Wal-Mart
- Firefighter legislative brochure distributed by Steve Cochran
  -  This is for the 78th Legislative Session.  Some of the key House and Senate Bills follow:
    -  HB 93, HB 53, HB 108, HB 861, HB 873, HB 911, HB 1247, HB 1519/SB 1658, HB 1937/SB 1687, HB
       2116, HB 2210, HB 2237, HB 2264, HB 2413, HB 2519, HB 2701, HB 3162/SB 1414 HB 3277, HJR 61,
       HJR 83, SB 1020/SB 1021/SB 1022, SB 1131, SB 1264, SB 1461, SJR 20, SJR 29, SJR 45, SJR 53
       Click here FMI on individual Bills
- Training Library
  -  Action Training System, cost $10,800 - fully paid by grant
    -  View motioned to purchase if 100% paid by grant, Sipe Springs second
- Emergency Managment - DOT funding for equipment
- BCFFA Mutual Aid agreement being used state wide as an example for other departments
- Second repeater for southern BCFFA area
  -  Licensing for Wide Band needs to be in within next 5 months.  After 5 months, only narrow bands will be
    licensed


New Business:
- Steve Cochran brought up issue pertaining to elected members being members of a BCFFA Fire Dept.
  Per By-Laws, this is correct.  Shawn Hicks will assume Secretary duties.
  -  View motioned to accept, ECCA second.


Adjourn Meeting:
- Motioned by View, second by Sipe Springs


- SH