Meeting & Agendas

Present: Larry Whitis, Texas Commission on Fire Protection; Chief Larry Hodge, Round Rock FD; Assistant Chief James Mallinger (Board Chair), Cedar Park FD; Battalion Chief Eric Carlson, Lake Travis Fire Rescue; and Captain Terry Hill, ACC Fire Academy New Members: Chief Scott Kerwood, Hutto Fire Rescue; Chief Ken Bailey, Travis County Fire Rescue; Assistant Fire Chief Butch Miller, Pflugerville FD; District Chief Robert Hartigan, Oak Hill FD; and Battalion Chief Thayer Smith, Austin FD Academy Not Present: Chief Jerry Doyle, Lockhart FD; Assistant Chief Clay Shell, Georgetown FD; and Assistant Chief Matt Orta, Austin FD Operations Others Present: Department Chair Paul Menches, ACC Fire Protection Technology

For planning purposes, Department Chair Menches announced he will finish this academic year and will be relocating to Chicago in late July/early August 2010.

Next Meeting: Scheduled for January 12th @ 10:30-12:00

Minutes from 07/14/2009 Action: Motion to accept minutes made by BC Carlson Motion 2nd by Captain Hill Motion Carried; Minutes from 07/14/2009 were approved

Approval of Lt Troy Wenzel’s request to step down from representing Oak Hill FD and be replaced by District Chief Robert Hartigan. Action: Motion to accept DC Hartigan replacing Lt. Wenzel made by Captain Hill Motion 2nd by BC Carlson Motion Carried; DC Hartigan will represent Oakhill FD on Advisory Board Board thanks Lt. Wenzel for his service. Due to recent changes in AFD Training, Battalion Chief Thayer Smith has replaced Battalion Chief Chris Watson. Action: Motion to accept BC Smith replacing BC Watson made by BC Carlson Motion 2nd by Captain Hill Motion Carried; BC Thayer will represent AFD Academy on Advisory Board Board thanks BC Watson for his service. Recommendation to add members to representation the Southeast Travis County, Hutto, and Pflugerville areas. Action: Motion to accept Chief Kerwood (Hutto); Chief Bailey (SE Travis County); and Assistant Fire Chief Miller (Pflugerville) made by BC Carlson Motion 2nd by Larry Whitis Motion Carried; Chief Kerwood, Chief Bailey and AC Miller will represent their respective areas on the Advisory Board

Presently, the master firefighter certification from TCFP requires 60 college credit hours with 18 hours in fire science. Should TCFP require an Associates Degree for the Master Firefighter Certification? Discussion: Assistant Chief Mallinger provided an update on how the attendees of the Central Texas Fire Chiefs meeting supported such an initiative. However, there are concerns on how well this will be supported from a labor perspective. Due to the vast numbers of new membership, it was agreed to table this for the next meeting giving the new membership time to review this and provide their input. Action: Motion to table this for further discussion made by BC Carlson Motion 2nd by Captain Hill Motion Carried; Tabled until next meeting in January 2010. However, support was given to address the appropriate Commission Advisory Board and advise them in a communiqué that the ACC Advisory Board is looking into this and may be addressing this in the near future.

Recommendation was made to limit membership to a maximum of 15 members. Action: Motion to limit membership to 15 voting members made by Captain Terry Hill Motion 2nd by BC Carlson Motion Carried; Membership will expand to no more than 15 members. Current membership is at 13.

 Dept. Chair Menches advised that the Curriculum Review Board approved the Fire Degree changes that the Advisory Board recommended for Fall 2010 (refer to pass meeting minutes).  Enrollment and graduation numbers are starting to show signs of improving. Enrollment and graduation numbers were provided. Goals are to increase enrollment by 20% each year over the next 5-years and graduation by 25% each year over the next 5-years.  Cadet Class 39 was very successful at the 2009 Buda Fire Fest. Team Score improved from 2:33 in 2008 to 1:50 in 2009. Four of the six cadets were under 2 minutes with the other two in the low 2’s. Also, this team was able to win 2 of the six heats. Much improvement in the ACC Physical Fitness program has been attributed to this success.  Academy has received the much needed UHF radios required for better communication on the training field during drills and live fire week. They will be implemented into the program. Thank you to those who responded to this need.  ACC Open House to show the new training facilities located at the AFD Fire Academy off of McKinney Falls Road and Shaw Lane will be December 2, 2009 @ 10:30-12:00. All are welcome.

Creating 8, 16, 24 hour supplemental training courses during weekends and the summer semesters. Discussion centered around the possibility of creating supplemental skill courses based on industry needs. Members were asked to identify their needs in this area of training and bring these needs to the next meeting for discussion. This concept is 12-18 months away. Whatever is decided, ACC must work within the current context of the existing inter-local agreement it has with the City of Austin. Action: Motion to table this for further discussion made by AC Mallinger Motion 2nd by BC Carlson Motion Carried; Tabled for further discussion at the next meeting in January 2010

Discussion centered around looking into the following three possible alternatives: (1) Western Illinois University (WIU); (2) Columbia Southern University; and (3) Texas A&M Central. It was agreed that we need to find-out from Dr. Hampton the next level required in pursuing these options. Especially the one from WIU, which we have already received and reviewed a draft articulation agreement. It was also discussed the possibility of forming a subcommittee on this with BC Carlson leading it with a couple of members assisting him on the committee. Both Chief Kerwood and Chief Bailey have addressed their desire to assist BC Carlson with this initiative. Action: Motion by BC Carlson: (1) to form a subcommittee comprised of those identified in the above Discussion; (2) have Department Chair Menches set-up a meeting with Dr. Hampton to discuss the status of the WIU draft articulation agreement and what perimeters this sub-committee will have in addressing this initiative and communicating with the three possible alternatives. Motion 2nd by Captain Hill Motion carried; Subcommittee has been approved and Department Chair Menches will set-up a meeting with Dr Hampton, BC Carlson and himself, to find out the status of the WIU draft articulation agreement and the perimeters associated with the other alternatives.

Curriculum updates to comply with NFPA 1001, 2008 edition, will require the implementation of IFSTA Essentials, 5th edition, to be the standard in June 2010. ACC Fire Academy has already implemented this into the program.