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5.3. SR 01-10-2005 Item # 5.3. MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Bruce A. West, Fire Chief DATE: January 10, 2005 SUBJECT: Apartment Inspection Program Update I would like to update the Mayor and Council in reference to the apartment inspection program that the Elk River Fire Department has taken over from the Building and Environmental Department. The apartment inspection program started in 1995 and within the City of Elk River there are 1,080 units within 53 apartment buildings. License applications are sent out to the apartment owners in our community along with a license fee of $15 per unit to be paid to the City of Elk River. After receipt of the rental dwelling license application and the license fee, the Fire Department Housing Inspector Jeff Smith will set up inspection times with the apartment owner or the apartment owner's representative. Many times the inspection will be conducted with the housing inspector and the caretaker of the individual building. A copy of an inspection notice is given to all tenants providing them with the time and date the housing inspector will be conducting an inspection in their apartment building. The Elk River Fire Department and our housing inspection bureau will be using the 2000 International Property Maintenance Code as its guideline for all apartment inspections. The code is designed to provide concise, consistent model property maintenance requirements with required property improvement provisions. The code establishes minimum regulations governing the condition and maintenance of all property, buildings, and structures by providing standards for supplied utilities and facilities and other physical things and conditions essential to ensure that structures are safe, sanitary, and fit for occupation. Use also provides a basis for the condemnation and demolition of buildings and structures unfit for human occupation. During our apartment inspections, areas to be covered include light, ventilation and occupancy limitations, plumbing facility and fixture requirements, mechanical and electrical requirements, and fire and safety requirements. Housing inspections will continue to be on an annual basis within all 1,080 units of apartments in our community. Our recendy hired Fire Prevention Specialist/Housing Inspector Jeff Smith will be working with both Fire Inspector Cliff Anderson and myself during the first year of transition from the turnover of the inspections from the Building and Environmental Department to the Elk River Fire Department. I will be in attendance at the Monday, January 10, 2005, City Council worksession to update and discuss the apartment inspection program for the City of Elk River. If you have any questions prior to the meeting, please feel free to call me at the Elk River Fire Department (763) 635-1105. Item # 5.3.a MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Bruce A. West, Fire Chief DATE: January 10, 2005 SUBJECT: Out of State Conference for Training Officer The Elk River Fire Department has been very fortunate to have a dedicated training officer for our Fire Department in Assistant Chief Mike Trunnell. Mike has been the training officer for over fifteen years and also has become an assistant chief along the way. As of December 31, 2004, Mike has decided to step aside as training officer but remain assistant chief for the Elk River Fire Department. One of our captains within the department, Phil Collins, has been assisting Mike with the training program for the past two years. Phil Collins will now be assuming the role of lead training officer for the department with Terry Elliot and Jim Hildebrandt assisting Phil with the training officer duties. I have discussed with Mike Trunnell in years past about attending the National Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has chosen not to attend the conference due to conflicts in years past with his work schedule. The Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) is the largest fire service training conference and expo in North America. The FDIC provides the most extensive hands-on training, evolutions, and workshop along with numerous classroom sessions. Its mission is to provide serious training to Fire Department instructors because we know a firefighter's life may depend on it. One of the signature trades of FDIC is the high caliber, hands-on training programs that are offered. The sessions feature respected industry experts who instruct students on everything from live burn to collapse rescue. More importantly, hands-on training programs arm attendees with knowledge that can easily be brought back to train members of their own Fire Department. A sample of some of the workshops include: I'm the training officer, now what?, Designing and Implementing an Emergency Vehicle Driver Training Program, Training Officer Development, Confined Space Rescue Operations, Engine Company Operations, Vehicle Extrication, and many, many others. The Fire Department Instructors Conference is April 11 - 16, 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The cost for Phil Collins to attend the conference will come from the Fire Department training budget and will be approximately $1,500. Action Requested Council approval to send Elk River Fire Department Captain/Training Officer Phil Collins to the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 11 - 16, 2005. I will be present at the January 10,2005 worksession to answer any questions you may have in reference to the above item.