FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS BRIAN. WE'RE OUR DISTRICT FOUR CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS MAY 2ND, 20, 24. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH CITY DAS COUNCILOR DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964 THE COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BEGAN IN APRIL AND WILL RUN THROUGH JUNE.  WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD. YOU CAN DO THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS. ONE IN TEN ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GET PUBLIC AND GET PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTMENT OF HEARING AND ALSO ADD TO HEARINGS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THE FULL HEARING SCHEDULE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM.  BACKSLASH COUNCILOR DAS BUDGET ARE SCHEDULED HERE AND DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE ON TUESDAY MAY 22ND AT 6 P.M.. YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM BUT IN-PERSON TESTIMONY. PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THIS ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE. FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT CC THAT W M AT BOSTON DOT GOV WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION OR RESIDENCE AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO A FEW MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS CAN BE HEARD TOO. YOU CAN EMAIL YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT C C W M AT BOSTON.COM OR THREE SUBMITTED TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH. COUNCIL COUNCIL DRAFT BUDGET TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 067020672. ORDERS FOR THE FBI 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDE AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. DOCKET NUMBER 067320675 ORDERS FOR CAPITAL FUND TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS IN DOCKET NUMBER 0672620678. ORDERS FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL TEN, 2020 FOR THE FOCUS OF THIS HEARING WILL BE TO DISCUSS THE FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.  TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN ORDER TO RIVAL COUNCILOR ED FLYNN COUNCIL FOR ANDERSON AND THE VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.  VICE CHAIR PEPE. TODAY PEN TODAY PANELISTS CONSIST OF ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION COMMISSIONER OF THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. COMMISSIONER BURKE CHIEF OF OPERATIONS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.  CHIEF CABOT TABRIZI FELLOW CALABRESE. CHIEF OF OPERATIONS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. CHIEF MARSHALL. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER COYNE AND DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT OFFICER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MICHAEL GASKET. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  WELL, THANK YOU, CHAIRPERSON WUERL.  I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK COUNCILORS FLYNN PEPEN,  FERNANDEZ, ANDERSON AND FITZGERALD. AS A FITZPATRICK I'M SORRY FITZGERALD FOR BEING HERE TODAY.  THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S FINANCIAL OPERATIONAL NEEDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT YEAR ROUND. I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED THE FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE. WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  NOW I'LL GO TO MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES BECAUSE NO, NO PRESENTATION. NO, NO. OKAY, FINE.  FOR QUESTIONING STARTING WITH COUNCIL FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  AND TO THE COMMISSIONER AND THE COMMISSIONERS TEAM. THANK YOU FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK AND LEADERSHIP THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.  I'M HAPPY TO KNOW THAT AND TO WORK WITH BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ON A NEW FIREHOUSE IN THE SOUTH BOSTON WATERFRONT . THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER BURKE AND MAYOR WU AND OTHERS FOR WORKING WITH ME ON THIS.  COMMISSIONER BURKE, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT THIS NEW FIREHOUSE. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR US ABOUT POTENTIAL TIMELINE?  ANY ANY CHALLENGES, ANY ISSUES ? JUST WANT TO JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT INFORMATION I CAN GET ON THAT.  THE LATEST AS I SEE THAT COUNCIL IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES. IT'S BEEN ALLOTTED $4 MILLION IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET FOR THE PLANNING STAGES WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW OF THE SITE AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY.  SO IT'S POSITIVE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING BECAUSE I'VE HAD A HARD TIME LIKE YOU FIND IN ANY INFORMATION ON THIS AND I ALSO BELIEVE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT FIREHOUSE THAT THIS IS AN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS TWO THAT NEEDS A FIREHOUSE WITH THE WATERFRONT AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. THE POPULATION INCREASE THAT THAT SEAPORT HAS SEEN.  THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US THAT TO GET THIS COMPLETED.  YEAH. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. ALSO AS YOU KNOW WELL THE SOUTH BOSTON WATERFRONT HAS A LOT OF NEW COMPANIES THERE INCLUDING BIOHAZARD AND THE LIFE SCIENCES AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE RESPONSE IN CASE THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED TO RESPOND TO A FIRE INVOLVING A HAZMAT OR BIOTECH RELATED ISSUE. SO CRITICAL THAT WE HAVE AND I'M ALSO WORKING TO GET AN EMS PRESENCE THERE AS WELL.  THAT'S A THAT'S BEEN A TOP PRIORITY OF MINE. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THANK YOU TO YOU, COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER ON THAT. ON THAT NOTE, CHEMICALS IN FIGHT AND FIRE AND FIGHTING FIRES WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES WHAT ARE WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PLANS THAT YOUR WORKING ON OR WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON WHEN A FIREFIGHTER IS EXPOSED TO HARMFUL TOXINS CHEMICALS FIGHTING FIRES WHAT IS THE WHAT IS HOW IS THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDING TO ENSURE THAT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND SAFETY OF FIREFIGHTERS IN THEIR FAMILIES IS ALWAYS A TOP PRIORITY? INITIALLY AFTER AN INCIDENT WE REQUIRE THEM TO CLEAN TO TAKE THEIR GEAR THAT THEY WEAR AND SEND IT OUT TO BE CLEANED BECAUSE THE TOXINS THE GEAR IS POROUS. THE TOXINS GET IN THAT. AFTER THAT WE HAVE CANCER SCREENING PROGRAMS THAT THE SAFETY HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIVISION SUPERVISES AND WE THINK THEY'RE GOING WELL, WE'VE WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS THAT HAVE SERIOUS CANCER ISSUES THAT ARE BEING TREATED NOW. BUT OUR OBJECTIVE IS PREVENTION TO TRY AND STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING. WE REQUIRE THEM TO WEAR THEIR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS MORE WHEN THEY'RE IN A FIRE EVEN WHEN THE FIRE IS OUT. WE TEST THE QUALITY OF THE YEAR BECAUSE THE AIR QUALITY IS TERRIBLE EVEN WHEN THERE'S NO FIRE THE SOOT AND THE PARTICLES ARE GETTING IN THE LUNGS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO REGULATE THINGS LIKE THAT. THOSE TOXINS, THOSE CHEMICALS THEY REALLY NEVER LEAVE YOUR BODY THOUGH, DO THEY? IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE. YES, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE CORRECT IN THAT IN THOSE TOXINS CHEMICALS THOSE ARE POTENTIALLY WELL, THEY ARE CANCER CAUSING RELATED ISSUES. YEAH.  THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION THEY THEY RATE THINGS AS CARCINOGENIC, POSSIBLY CARCINOGENIC. I MEAN I HATE TO SAY THIS ONE THING DIESEL EXHAUST WHICH IS IN EVERY FIREHOUSE THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM POSSIBLY CARCINOGENIC TO CARCINOGENIC.  SO DIESEL EXHAUST CAUSES CANCER . COMMISSIONER, WHAT WHAT IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON A YOUNG FIREFIGHTER THAT'S FIGHTING FIRES AND WANTS TO START A FAMILY? THE FIREFIGHTER IS EXPOSED TO THOSE CHEMICALS AND IS IN HIS OR HER BODY BUT YOU KNOW THEY WANT TO START A FAMILY TO HAVE WE'VE DONE ANY STUDIES HAVE OF BEEN AN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES THE IMPACT THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE ON CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTERS NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF . I KNOW THAT I THINK SAN FRANCISCO DID A STUDY ON FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS AND THEY FOUND THE THE RATE OF FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS WAS VERY HIGH FOR THE CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES IN THEIR BODY.  SO I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS ORGANIZATION AND VIETNAM VETERANS THAT WERE EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE.  THEIR CHILDREN HAD A HIGH RATE OF HEALTH RELATED ISSUES VARIOUS HEALTH RELATED CHALLENGES THAT ARE THAT ARE WELL DOCUMENTED.  I WON'T GO INTO THE SPECIFICALLY WHAT THOSE ARE. WHY ARE WE ABLE TO SOMEHOW THINK ABOUT EITHER SHORT TERM OR LONG TERM IDENTIFYING A STUDY WHERE WE COULD DETERMINE WHAT THE HEALTH CHALLENGES WERE OR ARE AS IT IMPACTS THE CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTERS?  WE HAVE NOT DONE IT TO DATE BUT THAT'S A GOOD I BELIEVE IN THAT WHAT WE DO DO AFTER AN INCIDENT. EVERY FIREFIGHTER THAT WAS AT A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT HAS TO FIRE FILE A FORM THAT SAYS THEY WERE EXPOSED TO THESE CHEMICALS SO WE TRACK THEM SO DOWN THE ROAD IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING SOMETHING COMES UP IN THEM. WE SEE IF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THAT INCIDENT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. SO WE COULD PINPOINT WHAT THE CHEMICAL MAY HAVE BEEN AND THE TREATMENT.  OKAY.  MY FINAL QUESTION REGARDING TO TRAFFIC.  IF WE HAVE A SPEED BUMP ON A ON A MAIN ROAD, DOES THAT DOES THAT IMPACT THE THE FIRE TRUCK GETTING DOWN TO THE STREET? I KNOW THE FIRE TRUCK WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO SLOW DOWN IN AND STOP GOING OVER THE SPEED UP. BUT DOES IT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE RESPONSE TIME? IT DOES NOT CANCEL.  I ACTUALLY RAN THE NUMBERS THIS MORNING TO MAKE SURE I TAKE PRIDE IN THE OUR ABILITY TO BE THE NUMBER ONE AGENCY TO GET TO ANY INCIDENT IN THE CITY AND WE GET THERE WITHIN 4 MINUTES AND IT'S STILL AT 4 MINUTES 4 MINUTES OR BELOW. SO I MEAN THE SPEED BUMPS I THINK THAT THEY'RE LOWER THAN A REAL THE ODDS TO BE BUMPS WITH THE OLD ONES WE ONCE IN A WHILE WOULD LOSE A HOSE OR SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, THINGS WOULD FLY UP WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TOWN I THINK IT WAS SOMERVILLE THE HOSE FLEW OFF AND IT KILLED A LADY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD A PEDESTRIAN. SO I THINK THESE ARE A LITTLE MORE TENABLE FOR US TO NOT AS BIG OF A BUMP.  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO STOP THERE. I KNOW MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS BUT I DO WANT TO SAY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THEIR FAMILIES WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR UNIFORM OFF. I SEE THEM COACHING SPORTS AND THE COMMUNITIES I SEE THEM INVOLVED IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES OF SUPPORTING NON-PROFITS,  HELPING OUT IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES NOT JUST MY DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THEY'RE REALLY AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON, THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FIREFIGHTER FAMILIES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO BOSTON.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BRAEDEN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNTER COUNCILOR FRIEND IS INNOCENT. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. GOOD MORNING.  THE COMMISSIONER THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY PASSED A PETITION AS YOU KNOW WHOM I SHOULD SAY COUNCILOR WERE FILED AND LED US TO PASSING FOR THE CADET PROGRAM AMENDMENTS FOR THE CADET PROGRAM GIVEN THE COUNCIL AMENDMENT POWERS I WANTED TO GET AHEAD OF THE CONVERSATION AND JUST SEE IF THERE WOULD BE IF YOU ANTICIPATE ANY BUDGETARY CHANGES OR THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE MADE PROVIDED THAT THE HOMEOWNER PETITION MAKES IT THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE. NO, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING I THINK WE CAN AFFORD I AS I TOLD YOU I THINK THE CONVERSATION WE HAD TODAY THE OTHER DAY I BELIEVE IN THIS PROGRAM I BELIEVE IT'S CITY JOBS FOR CITY CHILDREN AND THEY WOULD THEY WOULD BE INCORPORATED IN ANY DRAFT CLASS. SO LET'S SAY THERE'S 15 OF THEM IN THE DRAFT CLASS.  THAT DRILL CLASS WOULD HAVE 15 PEOPLE. THEY'D HAVE 45 PEOPLE, THEY'D BE 15 AND SO IT WOULDN'T AFFECT THE FINANCES OF THE DRILL CLASS BEING HIRED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.  YOU'RE SAYING INCREASING THEIR PAY IS ALREADY INCORPORATED, CORRECT? CORRECT. AND WE'RE BUDGETED FOR THE SIZE OF THE DRILL CLASS EVERY YEAR SO THEY WOULD JUST BE INCORPORATED IN THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. HOW IS BFD COLLABORATING WITH BP TO CREATE PATHWAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICULARLY YOUNG AND BLACK BOYS AND GIRLS? I'M GOING TO DEFER TO DIVERSITY OFFICER MICHAEL GASKIN FOR THAT QUESTION AND I THINK ALSO JUST ENTERING LIKE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT ,NOT JUST THE CADET PROGRAM. YEAH, I THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. MICHAEL GASKINS THE DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT OFFICER FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW WE COLLABORATE THROUGH OUR TEEN ACADEMY. WE HAVE A SUMMER PROGRAM AS A SUMMER SUCCESS LINK PROGRAM SO WE HAVE STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT. WE OF COURSE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL SCHOOLS. I HAPPEN TO BE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL LEGAL AND PROTECTIVE STUDIES PROGRAM AND SO WE LOOK TO INCORPORATE MORE CURRICULUM THAT RELATES TO FIRE SERVICES INCLUDING WORKSHOPS, CPR TRAINING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND SO WE DO A GOOD JOB AT GENERATING AN APPLICANT POOL AND INTEREST AT THAT LEVEL. ANY CANDIDATE THAT GOES THROUGH OUR TECHNICAL ADAMY IS GUARANTEED AN INTERVIEW TO BECOME A CADET NOT TO GUARANTEE THEM A SPOT BUT WE GUARANTEE THEM AN INTERVIEW.  SO WE LOOK AT THAT AS A DIRECT PIPELINE TO THE SERVICE THE CADET OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE TEEN ACADEMY WE ALSO HAVE MILITARY RECRUIT WEEK SO WE HAVE MILITARY AGENCIES COME OUT TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND TO GIVE THE PARTICIPANTS A GOOD OVERVIEW OF THAT LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING FOR MILITARY SERVICE.  BUT WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS COACHING BASKETBALL AND DODGEBALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO THEY HAVE THEY GO TO THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, CORRECT TO CHIEF MICHAEL WAS ONE OF THE COACHES I BELIEVE HE'S KIND OF OLD NOW SO THEY LIKE PLAYING HIM SO THEY CAN BEAT HIM IN BASKETBALL. BUT IN THIS DAY THEY COULDN'T BEAT HIM. BUT KNOW THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IS REALLY GOOD. THERE'S A BUNCH OF FIREFIGHTERS SOME OF THEM VOLUNTEER, SOME OF THEM ARE PAID. I INCREASE THE SIZE OF THIS ORGANIZATION TO REACH MORE CHILDREN AND I'VE GONE TOO MANY EVENTS AND I'D LIKE THE COUNSELORS TO GO TO SOME OF THEM TOO WHEN THEY HAVE BASKETBALL GAMES THE REC CENTER GIVES US THE BASKETBALL COURT FOR FREE. IT'S PRETTY EXCITING. SO THAT THAT PROGRAM IS REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM TO TEACH THE YOUTH OF THIS CITY AND TO LET THEM EXPOSED TO ROLE MODELS LIKE CHIEF MARSHALL. IT'S REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM.  YEAH, IT SOUNDS GREAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MILITARY COMPONENT AS YOU ALL KNOW, MY SON IS A U.S. MARINE AND HE'S AMAZING LIKE HE ACTUALLY BROKE WHAT WHAT IS THE THE SORRY THE IS HE THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNION OR THE HEAD? WHAT'S HIS NAME WHAT IS IT SAM DILLON. SAM DILLON.  HE BROKE SAM DILLON'S RECORD FOR SO FOR A CORPORAL WITHIN LESS THAN THREE YEARS. AND SO IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.  SO DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP HE SPEAKS THREE LANGUAGES. HE'S COLLEGE EDUCATED AND HE'S A YOUNG BLACK BOYS OR YOUNG MAN BOY TO ME AND HE'S AMAZING. SO HE'S RESPONSIBLE. HE'S DISCIPLINED AND I THINK THAT THE MILITARY DOES OFFER THAT FOR YOUNG KIDS OR YOUNG PEOPLE AND SO LIKE AFTER 25 YEARS THIS RECORD WASN'T BROKEN. SO TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP AND SO HE'S BECOME HIS SQUAD LEADER.  I WAS CELEBRATING AT IT. I ANNOUNCED IT HERE AND SAM ACTUALLY SHOWED ME THE EMBLEM AND SAID GUESS WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON WHO ACTUALLY BROKE THAT RECORD? SO I WAS I'M SUPER IMPRESSED.  HIS DAD IS A U.S. MARINE AS WELL. HE WENT INTO DENTISTRY BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY AND I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE AND I HAVE ENOUGH OF AN APPRECIATION I THINK HAD I NOT BEEN PREGNANT WITH HIM I WOULD HAVE BEEN INTO THE ARMY AS WELL. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM. I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THAT.  ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES RESIDENTS FACE WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSES OR HOUSE FIRES IS THE AFTERMATH OF WHERE THEY STAY, HOW THEY RETRIEVE THEIR BELONGINGS AND HOW THEY CAN REBUILD BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.  I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. FIRE DEPARTMENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY. BUT I AM CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BFG PARTNERS WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING.  WELL WE'RE THERE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRE WE HAVE A VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNIT MADE UP OF PROBABLY TEN INDIVIDUALS THAT IMMEDIATELY FIND HOUSING FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE DISPLACED. THEY GIVE THEM MONEY FROM THE CITY THEY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES . I THINK THIS CAME UP LAST YEAR AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE OTHER DAY THAT'S ONE INTERESTING ASPECT OF IT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME UP BUT I WE LOOKED INTO IT IN CAMBRIDGE. THEY HAD MONEY TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND THE WAY THEY GET THE MONEY IS THEY SHAKE DOWN THE UNIVERSITIES OVER THERE FOR MONEY. THEY PUT IN A BUDGET AND THEN THEY WHEN PEOPLE AT THIS PLACE THEY PAY FOR THEIR HOUSING UNTIL THEY FIND HOUSING AFTER THEIR HOMES ARE BURNED. AND I THINK THAT'S A POSSIBILITY HERE. I THINK I THINK WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, THE UNIVERSITIES I DON'T KNOW WHY CAMBRIDGE DOESN'T WE DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHO ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTERS IT OVER THERE BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.  BUT WE DO WE STAY WITH THEM. THE RED CROSS FIND SOME HOUSING WHEN THERE'S A MAJOR FIRE THERE WILL BE THE RED CROSS, THE SALVATION ARMY NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ARE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE AND WE WE MAKE NOTE OF EVERYBODY THERE AND FIND HOUSING FOR THEM TEMPORARY AND LONG TERM IS DIFFICULT. THANK YOU. I HATE TO SAY IT IS A PROCESS WHERE EVERY CHIEF OR COMMISSIONER WOULD MEET WITH OBM WHERE YOU DISCUSS YOUR BUDGET PRIORITIES AND THERE'S A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT NUMBER IS THAT YOU RECOMMENDED TO OBM FOR FOR YOUR BUDGET FOR FY 25 THAT WAS 346 MILLION AND DID YOU IS SORRY I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS BUT IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE BUDGETED FOR? NO 306 MILLION IS THERE DID YOU RECEIVE ANY EXPLANATION FOR THAT? I'M GOING TO DEFER TO OUR FINANCE COMMISSIONER KEVIN COYNE. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . SO WE DID WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH BUDGET OVER THE PAST YEAR ACTUALLY I CAME INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LAST JULY AND HAVE BEEN WORKING INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE IN EACH ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE BUDGET OFFICE TO KIND OF REALIGN SOME OF THE SPENDING WITHIN THE BUDGET.  SO A LOT OF WHAT WE REQUESTED, YOU KNOW, WAS NOT GRANTED IN THIS BUDGET AND YOU KNOW FOR PURPOSES OF THIS, YOU KNOW, LIMITED AMOUNTS OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO THE CITY, THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED WE FEEL IS ADEQUATE ENOUGH FOR US TO FUND FY 25 GOING FORWARD. WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. BUT THOSE THINGS ARE NOT THAT CRITICAL THAT WE CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM THIS YEAR. I SEE. SO SORRY . WELL, THANK YOU MR CHAIR. SO THE 40 MILLION YOU CAN GO WITHOUT EVEN WELL, CERTAINLY YOU KNOW IT WOULD BE NICE BUT YOU KNOW LIKE YOU KNOW, RUNNING MY OWN HOUSEHOLD I KNOW THERE ARE LIMITS TO HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE. SO WE WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFUL OF ALL OF THE OTHER CITIES WHAT HAPPENS IN AGENCIES OUT THERE KNOWING THAT THERE IS A LIMITED SUPPLY OF MONEY. SO IN LOOKING AT THE BUDGET THAT WE WERE GIVING BACK FROM OPM, WE FEEL YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE LIMITS WITH YOU KNOW, POLICE, FIRE AND PUBLIC WORKS PARKS, ALL THOSE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE WHERE WE KNOW THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. OKAY.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MISS CHAIR. I THINK ACCOUNTS OPINIONS ANDERSON, AND WE'LL GO TO VICE CHAIR PEPPER FOR JURORS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR BEING HERE TODAY ALL ABOUT THE WAR ON TERROR CALORIES.  I THINK SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE LOST THEIR PHONE. NO, THERE'S A FIRE CATALOG AND YEAH, SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT.  SO CAN YOU JUST DRAW THEM? SURE. I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE PROFILES WHEN THEY HELP TAKE CARE OF IT. THANK YOU. SORRY . NO, I'M SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION CAUSE I JUST I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO COMMISSIONER BURKE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH SPECIFICALLY TO YOU FOR GIVING ME A TOUR OF ALL THE FIREHOUSES IN DISTRICT FIVE. THERE REALLY WAS A VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME JUST TO ONE THANK ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT SERVE DISTRICT FIVE BUT ALSO GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A FIREFIGHTER.  I MEAN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT YOU OR YOUR TEAM MAY NEED?  WHICH LEADS ME TO MY FIRST QUESTION IS OUT OF THE ALL THE FIREHOUSES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO DISTRICT FIVE, ARE THERE ANY IMMEDIATE NEEDS OR YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR THAT WILL MAKE THEIR JOBS EASIER?  IT'S TOP OF MY HEAD. NO, THE PRETTY DECENT FIREHOUSE IS THERE. WE WENT TO BLUE HILL HAVE WE WENT TO CANTERBURY STREET? WE WENT TO CLEARY SQUARE. YES WE GO TO ANOTHER ONE AFTER THAT. NO NO THAT WAS YEAH YEAH THEY'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. CLEARY SWEARS BY THE NEWEST OUT OF THE THREE BLUE HILL HOUSE RIGHT BEHIND IT AND CANTERBURY STREET IS AN OLD FIREHOUSE BUT IT SERVES ITS PURPOSE.  YEAH, I KNOW I WAS I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE TEAM AND ESPECIALLY THE THE ONE AT CLEARY SQUARE WHERE THEY I BELIEVE THEY JUST PAINTED EVERYTHING AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB OVER THERE RENOVATING IT SO IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT YEAH THEY DO IT THEMSELVES WHICH IS PRETTY INTERESTING THAT SHOWS SOME REAL LOVE OF THEIR PROFESSION TO DO THAT YOU KNOW. YEAH AND WE WENT TO THOSE THREE BUT I KNOW THERE'S A FOURTH FIREHOUSE IN MY DISTRICT THE ONE IN REIDSVILLE. OH 49 YEAH. WHAT ROLE DOES THAT PLAY?  IS IT STILL AN ACTIVE FIREHOUSE? DOES IT SERVE A DIFFERENT PURPOSE OR IS DO YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT SITE? YOU KNOW IT'S A SINGLE ENGINE FIREHOUSE SO THERE'S THAT IT'S STAFFED AROUND THE CLOCK THIS I WOULD COMPARE IT TO COUNCIL OF REGIONS FIREHOUSE DOWN THERE IN OAK SQUARE NOT ANOTHER SINGLE ENGINE. THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY DON'T HAVE ADJOINING FIREHOUSES WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG SO THEY'RE REQUIRED AND THEY MIGHT EVEN HAVE TO GET HELP FROM DENIM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF THEY HAVE A THAT'S A DENSELY POPULATED AREA THOSE APARTMENTS ON RILEY ROAD AND EVERYTHING ELSE THE WAREHOUSE DOWN THERE, THAT AREA. SO IT'S A PRETTY POPULATED AREA SO IT'S A NECESSARY FIREHOUSE THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY WELL. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOOD. I JUST WAS CURIOUS JUST BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THAT ONE YET BUT YEAH, WE'LL TAKE ANY TIME YOU WANT TO GO THINK YEAH.  I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT AREA GREENVILLE ONE OF YOUR ONE OF YOUR FORMER MEMBERS NOW RICHIE PEREZ I WAS JUST RETIRED AND HE PLAYED SUCH A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNIT.  UM, I WANT TO KNOW WHO IS TAKING CHARGE OVER THERE NOW AT THE VENUE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HE WILL SHOW UP EVERYWHERE AND HE WAS SUCH A GREAT ASSISTANT TO THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TOO. HE WAS REPLACED SO GENTLEMAN'S NAME IS SCARY CULLINANE THAT'S REALLY GOOD TOO. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW GARY'S ORIGINALLY FROM THE SOUTH AND SUPER INDIVIDUAL HE'S HE GOES TO EVERYTHING SO THAT FILLING THE VOID THAT RICHIE LEFT YOU KNOW IT'S RUN FROM FIELD SERVICES WHICH IS A DIVISION WITHIN HEADQUARTERS THAT LOOKS AT THAT DOES THAT PERSON ASSISTANCE THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH STREETS THEY DEAL WITH THE MARATHON AND SPECIAL EVENTS SO THAT'S WHERE THEY FALL UNDER THIS GOOD. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT GARY GOT THE ROLE. GOT TO SERVE WITH HIM A LITTLE BIT WHEN I WAS OVER AT ORNETTE'S AND WE ALL KNOW HIS WIFE, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. YES.  AND IT IS AMAZING BOTH THE POWER COUPLE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. YES.  AND I'M A HUGE FAN OF THE VENUE SO I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT VICTIM ASSISTANCE UNIT HAS THE RIGHT RESOURCES IT HAS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY PLAYS A HUGE ROLE WHEN THERE ARE DISPLACEMENTS AND FIRES.  WHAT WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THE TEAM? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY CAN USE MORE FUNDING OR REALLOCATION OF FUNDING TO MAKE IT RUN THEIR BUDGET FOR THE STAFFING COMES FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET SO THAT'S FINE. I MEAN AS I JUST DISCUSSED THE I THINK OUTSIDE OF OUR DEPARTMENT SOME TYPE OF FUND FOR DISPLACED RESIDENTS, I THINK IT'S IT'S SAD THAT THEY GET A COUPLE DAYS MAYBE A WEEK IN A MOTEL OR SOME OTHER TEMPORARY LODGING THAT TO GET THEM PERMANENT HOUSING UNTIL THEY HAVE RESIDENCES REPAIRED IS IS KEY AND OBVIOUSLY AS A CITY WE KNOW THAT REAL ESTATE SAID A PRIORITY SO THERE ISN'T THAT MUCH EMPTY SPACE. IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN KEEP A COUPLE BLOCKS OF EMPTY APARTMENTS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DISPLACED. SO IT'S A DIFFICULT PROCESS WHEN IT HAPPENS.  YEAH, I AM SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID EARLIER TODAY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IS THAT THE DIESEL FUEL IN THE IN THE FIREHOUSES CAUSES YOU NOT THE FUEL THE EXHAUST SORRY THE EXHAUST YEAH DIESEL EXHAUST IS A HUGE REASON FOR CANCER . HAVE WE STARTED HAVING THE CONVERSATION OF UPGRADING OUR FIRE TRUCKS TO ELECTRIC?  NO, NO, I DON'T THINK THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE YET.  I THINK IN EUROPE THE EXPERIMENTAL WITH ELECTRIC PUMPS WHICH THEY GET TO THE FIRE WITH DIESEL ENGINES AND THE PUMP THAT PUSHES THE WATER OUT RAISES THE AERIAL THAT'S ELECTRIC AND YOU I THINK IT HAS TO EVOLVE A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE GOING A FIRE IN THE BATTERIES DIE AND WE DON'T GET THERE SO RIGHT RIGHT, RIGHT. AND DID YOU SEE ANY POSITIVE RESULTS COME OUT OF USING THE ELECTRIC PUMPS FROM THE RESEARCH I DID I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY RESEARCH ON IT. I DON'T THINK IT'S VERY COMMON OVER THERE.  BUT IT IS IT'S NOT HERE. IT'S OVER THERE.  IT'S GOOD TO KNOW. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO TO ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS OUR CITY.  YOU GUYS DO AMAZING JOB. I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOU GUYS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET THE RESOURCES YOU NEED WITH THAT. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MY TIME? THANK YOU VICE CHAIR COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FROM FIRE FOR BEING HERE TODAY IN DISTRICT THREE. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LARGE REPRESENTATION OF FIREFIGHTERS SO PROUD TO REPRESENT THEM AND I HEAR OFTEN FROM THEM ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND THE DETAILS OF THE DAY TO DAY. AND SO WHEN YOU GUYS OVERSEE YOU KNOW, I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.  HOW MANY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE ACADEMY CLASSES AND THOSE GETTING ON RIGHT?  HOW MANY CLASSES ARE PLANNED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR?  ONE ONE FISCAL YEAR AND DO WE KNOW WHEN THEY TAKE CALLED THE NEXT FIVE DO WE HAVE I MEAN I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN EXTRAPOLATE OUT THAT FAR BUT IS THERE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY CLASSES GET ON IN THE NEXT SAY FIVE YEARS? NO, WE HAVE A RETIREMENT. WE CAN TELL FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS HAVE MANDATORY RETIREMENT AT 65 SO WE CAN RUN A PROGRAM. I THINK WE CAME UP WITH 177 THAT HAVE TO LEAVE IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS SO THEY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED.  MINIMUM STAFFING IS IMPORTANT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GET THESE TRUCKS TO THE EMERGENCY INCIDENTS. SO EVERY FIRE TRUCK HAS ONE OFFICER AND THREE FIREFIGHTERS ON IT AND WE HAVE TO KEEP IT AT THAT LEVEL. SO WHEN STAFFING DROPS FOR WHATEVER REASON IF WE'RE NOT HIRING THEN THAT THEY'RE REPLACED WITH OVERTIME. WE CAN'T JUST NOT REPLACE THEM . THEY HAVE TO BE STAFFED SO THEY HAVE REPLACED OVERTIME.  IT'S BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY TO KEEP THROUGH ATTRITION, KEEP HIRING. CHUCK AND DOES THAT HELP KEEP OVERTIME COSTS? IT DOES, CORRECT? YEAH. TERRIFIC.  I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE MEETINGHOUSE HILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.  YES. WELL YOU ALL INVITED BEFORE I FORGET TO THE GRAND OPENING I HOPE IT'S JULY. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. YEAH, IT'S A GREENVILLE THEN WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR OF GREENVILLE. THAT'S IT. IT'S ONLY THE SECOND ONE IN 35 YEARS SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. I IF YOU WANT A LOT MORE FUNDS FOR ANY OTHER FIREHOUSES I'D BE GLAD TO ACCEPT THAT TODAY. YEAH. WE'LL GIVE YOU A LIST. I GOT THREE OR FOUR THAT REALLY NEED IT. PLEASE DO. YEAH, YEAH, PLEASE. I JUST HAVE THE LIST. THANK YOU. BUT I WAS GOING TO ASK THE TIMELINE SO YEAH, SO JULY THAT'S JULY WE'RE HOPING. YEAH. YEAH RIGHT RIGHT. YEAH. HE'S THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. YEAH. OH GREAT. YEAH, WELL WE'LL BE THERE NEXT YEAR FOR THAT. IT'LL BE A GREAT, GREAT DAY. GREAT THING THE TOURS INSIDE AND OUT MASS AND CASS IS ALSO IN DISTRICT THREE AND I KNOW A LOT OF RESOURCES GET USED IN THAT AREA AT LEAST HISTORICALLY THE LAST TEN YEARS THEY HAVE AFTER THE SWEEP THAT WAS DONE HAVE WE SEEN A DECREASE IN CALLS TO THE MASS IN CASS AREA? I HAVEN'T RUN THE NUMBERS ON IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT RIGHT UNDER MY WINDOW. YEAH, I THINK I THINK THEY'RE FRAGMENTED. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CALLS OF DECREASED IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE A LOT MORE WHEN THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER THEY SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND THROUGHOUT THE ADJOINING DISTRICTS.  SO IF ANYBODY HAS IT NUMBERS WE'LL TRY TO GET IT TO YOU. BUT I WOULD SAY I DON'T SAY IT DOESN'T KNOW IF IT HAS BEEN REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY.  WE USED TO HAVE DELTA CARS THAT RAN NOW WITH THE NARCAN TALK PROGRAM WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR US. BUT THOSE NUMBERS HAVE COME DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY FOR THE SWEEP. THERE WAS A DEDICATED CAR AT ONE POINT, RIGHT. SO DOES THAT STILL EXIST OR IS THAT NOT THERE'S NO LONGER KNOW THAT THAT WAS FROM A GRANT FUNDED BY GRANT AND THE GRANT HAS SINCE BEEN IT'S DONE NOW I BELIEVE I SAW IT YEAH THE GRANTS ENDED THAT WAS UNDER A SAM CHAGRINED VAN CORRECT. I'M SORRY IT WAS. CAN YOU SAY THE NAME OF THE GRANT HAMPSHIRE? DON'T ASK ME WHAT THAT STANDS FOR. I WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AND EMS WAS PART OF THAT PROGRAM AS WELL THAT WE WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM ON IT.  SO IT WAS VERY IT WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM AND IT WAS A VERY BENEFICIAL PROGRAM THAT WORKED VERY WELL. SO IF WE RESPONDED TO SOMEONE THAT THAT HAD A KNOCKING AN OVERDOSE WOULD TREAT THEM AND THE NEXT THEY UP IF THEY FOLLOW UP WITH THEM TO GIVE THEM A CALL AND SAY EVERYTHING GOING IS EVERYTHING GOOD, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU AND ALL THAT IT WAS VERY VERY IMPROVED THE THE RELATION WITH THE PUBLIC, THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYTHING SO IT WAS A WIN WIN ALL ALL AROUND. I ASKED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE WITH THE WARMER WEATHER AROUND THE CORNER I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO MANY SOUTH BEND RESIDENTS THAT SAY THERE'S AN UPTICK THERE AND JUST WONDERING IF WE'RE SHOULD BE GOING AFTER ANY OF THOSE GRANTS THAT WOULD HELP PROVIDE FOR A DEDICATED CAR OR IF YOU GUYS ARE JUST PREPARED IN GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT MORE RESOURCES WILL BE USED PROBABLY THIS SUMMER BACK TOWARDS THAT AREA AND WHERE IS THAT GOING TO PULL FROM AND IF YOU GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, PREPARING FOR THAT THAT'S IT. I IF WE HAD TO I'D TAKE IT OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET IF I SAW THE NEED FOR INSTALL THAT CAR AGAIN THAT KIND OF FREES UP THE FIRE COMPANIES WHO REALLY NEED TO BE READY FOR A FIRE AND OTHER TYPE OF EMERGENCY IF THEY'RE GOING TO MASS IN CASH REPEATEDLY THEY'RE TIED UP AND SO THIS CAR GET IN THEY'RE CALLING THEM AND SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME AND TAKING CARE OF IT.  SO GREAT RESOURCE FOR US. SO YEAH, I WILL TAKE IT OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET IF IT'S NEEDS YEAH NO THAT'S FANTASTIC TO KNOW BUT OBVIOUSLY I WOULD RATHER IT RIGHT SAVE YOU THE MONEY AND GRANT AND SAVE THE FIREFIGHTERS THE DEDICATED TIME TO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND HAVE A GRANT FUND THIS THING SO HAPPY TO HELP IF THERE'S ANYTHING THERE IN TERMS OF LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION OR OTHER GRANTS WE CAN PURSUE FOR THAT. LASTLY, I KNOW THAT IN TERMS OF THE THE FITNESS AND WELLNESS FOR YOUR STAFF AND FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS I KNOW THERE WAS A PROGRAM O2X THAT USED TO GO AROUND THE FIRE HOUSES AND DO TRAINING WITH THEM AND EXERCISE AND FITNESS AND TALK ABOUT HEALTHY EATING AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF. I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN SINCE CUT.  I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS A REASON WHY IT WAS CUT AND IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF REPLACEMENT FOR THAT BENEFIT OR ANY OTHER THING THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR.  YES. CASTLE, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. I CAN TAKE THAT AS WELL. GREAT.  SO THAT'S ON THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS WHICH IS ONE OF MY DIVISIONS THAT I OBVIOUSLY THOUGHTWORKS THE WE GOT FEEDBACK THAT IT WASN'T IT REALLY DIDN'T FIT OUR MEMBERS SPECIALIZED NEEDS BECAUSE OUR MEMBERS GO THROUGH YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS TO MIDDLE AGE TO SENIOR LIKE ME I'M A DINOSAUR AS YOU CAN SEE BUT THAT'S HOW WE PROGRESS AND YOU NEED A PROGRAM FOR EACH OF THOSE PEOPLE. THEY WEREN'T REALLY PROVIDING IT TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK ABOUT IT ALL TO X SO WE'RE RUNNING A PROGRAM CALLED HEALTH AND LADDERS. WE TRAIN OUR OWN FIREFIGHTERS WITH OUR OWN MEMBERS BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED BETTER THAN OUR OWN AND IT'S BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL AND A LOT OF THAT MONEY COMES FROM GRANTS . WE HAVE A NUTRITIONIST NOW WE HAVE WE HAVE GYMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US NOW. IT'S BEEN QUITE A SUCCESS.  IT'S BEEN A BIG IMPROVEMENT WITH THE HEALTH OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS SINCE THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EFFECT. OH, THAT'S FANTASTIC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME.  WITH THAT I'LL GET BACK THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU, CHAD.  THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREADON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.  LET'S SEE WELL, I'LL START WITH THE HAZMAT.  I KNOW WE LOST YOUR HAZMAT TRAINING CENTER IN AUSTIN.  I'M JUST CHECKING IN LIKE WHERE DID WE LAND?  WE GET YOU A NICE PLACE TO HANG YOUR HAT OVER THERE.  IT'S NOT IN RIGHT NOW. I'M SORRY TO TELL YOU, BUT AS LONG AS YOU'RE WELL ACCOMMODATED, WE ARE. WE'VE GOT A BUILDING IN WEST ROXBURY THAT WE RENT AND MILLENNIAL PARK USED TO BE A CAR DEALERSHIP. IT'S A PRETTY NICE PIECE OF PROPERTY. YEAH, WE HAVE HALF OF IT. WE DON'T HAVE THE WHOLE IF YOU CAN HELP ME GET THE WHOLE THING, I'D BE EXCITED. YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW THAT ISSUE IS ON THE HORIZON FOR A LONG TIME AND IT WAS REALLY A LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PLAN PROACTIVELY AND GET SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE CENTRAL MAYBE FOR YOU TOO BECAUSE IT'S A WAY FROM WEST ROXBURY TO ALLSTON. BRIGHTON IF YOU NEED TO GET RIGHT.  CORRECT. SO THAT BRINGS ME TO THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE STRATEGICALLY PLAN FOR GROWING POPULATIONS. I KNOW THE HAS MUCH FACILITIES GONE TO WEST ROXBURY BUT I'M JUST THINKING AND THAT WAS GREAT FOR US BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT THERE WE LOVED HAVING THE FOLKS YOU SEE IN THE TRENCHES AND ALL EVERYBODY IN THERE. IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE THEM. HOW DO WE FOR A PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH LIKE IN NORTH IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A CURRENT POPULATION PROBABLY 80,000 AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING IT'S GOING TO HIT 100,000 IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND A LOT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT IS IN NORTH OF THE PIKE WHICH IS NOT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE A FIRE HOUSE NORTH OF THE PIKE. SO IS THERE A PROCESS FOR EVALUATING GROWING POPULATION AND FUTURE NEEDS? WELL, THERE IS AN INSURANCE REGULATION COMMITTEE THAT LOOKS AT THE POPULATION GROWTH AND SIZES UP THE SIZE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RECOMMENDS MORE FIREFIGHTERS OR IF IT SEES THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO COVER THE POPULATION, IT AFFECTS THE INSURANCE RATING FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY ALL RESIDENTS PROPERTY INSURANCE VALUES THE PREMIUMS GO UP HIGHER. SO THAT IS A REGULATORY AGENCY THAT WATCHES THAT AND WE DO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE BEST RATING ON THAT. SO IF THAT CHANGES THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE FACTOR BECAUSE ALL OF US WILL BE PAYING HIGHER PROPERTY INSURANCE PREMIUMS. YEAH, SO SO I KNOW A LOT OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IS MODERN I'M SURE VERY HIGH LEVEL FIRE SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BUILDINGS THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE LABS SO THEY'LL HAVE FOLKS THEY'LL HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE THE IT WON'T BE LIKE THE FOLKS THAT ARE RESIDENT BUT THEY'LL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE WORKING THERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE GO HOME AND GO HOME TO SOMEWHERE ELSE AT NIGHT. BUT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT YEAH, THERE'S SOME SORT OF A PROTOCOL FOR LOOKING AT THAT.  WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WE'RE DOING A DISTRICT WIDE MASTER PLAN IN BRIGHTON SO I'M I'M CONSTANTLY ADVOCATING FOR THAT . OKAY LET'S THINK ABOUT BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN MUCH PUBLIC LAND SO WE DIDN'T NEED TO BUILD A FIRE HOUSE. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE EFFORT LIKE YOU HAD IN THE SEAPORT TO TRY AND CARVE OUT A SPOT SOMEWHERE IN THAT BIG EXPANSE. IT'S GOT TO BE DEVELOPED. I'D SAY THAT'S A SITE FOR A FUTURE FIREHOUSE. YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT HAVE TO ASK HARVARD FOR IT BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I AGREE WITH YOU AND I THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE BRIGHTON IS A DIFFICULT PLACE TO GET TO A RUSH HOUR. I MEAN, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE ON THE PIKE NAV SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR HELP. OTHER FIRE FIGHTERS AND WE'RE WAITING AND WE'RE WAITING AND THEN WE'RE WAITING.  SO IT'S I AGREE WITH YOU THERE IS A NEED AND I HOPE AT SOME POINT IT'S FULFILLED. THE OTHER ISSUE AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION LIKE AT A SORT OF A LOW LEVEL AND THE BATTERIES YOU'VE TOLD ME THAT YOU KNOW WHEN A NAVY CAR WITH A NAVY BATTERY GOES ON FIRE IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PUT OUT. YES, PUT IT NICELY. I'M ALSO THINKING IN TERMS OF WE'RE SEEING AND MORE LIKE THE STORAGE FACILITIES WHICH ARE MORE INDUSTRIAL SCALE BATTERY FACILITIES FOR EVERY ELECTRIC STORAGE. WHAT WHAT'S THE UP TO DATE RESEARCH ON THE RISKS LIKE I KNOW THERE'S A HUGE BENEFIT FROM IT BUT I KNOW GIVEN THAT YOU KNOW ON A VERY SMALL SCALE WHEN A FIRE OR WHEN A CAR CATCHES FIRE WITH AN EV BATTERY IT'S TOO DIFFICULT TO PUT OUT WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE FACILITY THAT'S THIS REALLY CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS LIKE WHAT DO WE HAVE ANY RESEARCH ON THAT STUFF?  NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF AND THE THING IS LIKE I TOLD YOU BEFORE IT REQUIRES A LOT OF WATER. SO OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO GET ANY HUMAN LIFE OUT OF THE WAY AND PUT AND JUST PUT A LOT OF WATER ON A FIRE THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THE BATTERIES. THEY'RE DANGEROUS.  I WOULD KNOW OUR MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR THEIR BREATHING APPARATUS WHEN.  THEY'RE AROUND IT. WE ACTUALLY HAD A DONATION IN OF AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT WE LIT ON FIRE ON A TRAIN IN TRAINING ACADEMY THIS YEAR WE HAD THE UNITED UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY THERE TESTING THE AIR QUALITY AND HOW IT GOES OUT AND HOW LONG IT TAKES AND IT WAS A REALLY EDUCATE THING FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS. THEY WROTE AN A SO P IS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ON IT AND OUR DUTIES WHEN IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS BUILDINGS ARE A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING.  HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT THE FIRE CODES OF THE CITY OF BOSTON WILL REQUIRE THESE BATTERIES TO BE PUT ON THE GROUND FLOOR LEVEL BECAUSE AGAIN WE HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF WATER ON IT WILL DESTROY A BUILDING IF IT'S ON THE ROOF OR A HIGHER FLOOR AND WE'LL HAVE TO EVACUATE THE WHOLE BUILDING LET'S SAY IF IT'S A HOSPITAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BATTERIES WHEN THEY COME INTO PLAY ON THE FIRST FLOOR FOR SAFETY REASONS SO WE CAN EXTINGUISH THEM AND THE WHOLE BUILDING ISN'T DESTROYED BY THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE PUT INTO IT. SO WHEN A BUILDING'S BEEN DESIGNED LIKE A YOU FOLKS INVOLVED WITH LIKE SAYING HANG ON A MINUTE, DON'T PUT THE BATTERIES DON'T PUT THE BATTERIES ON THE ROOF IT YES YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THAT. YEAH. FIRE PREVENTION.  YEAH. GOOD BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW WE DON'T KNOW HOW BIG A PROBLEM IT IS UNTIL WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM RUNNING AND THEN THE OTHER TAKE STRUCTURE EXTRAPOLATE FROM THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'RE IN AN UNDERGROUND GARAGE WITH GASOLINE GASOLINE CARS THAT HAVE GASOLINE TANKS AND THEN IN THE EV CARS THEY SAY THAT IF THERE'S FLOODING LIKE WE SAW IN FLORIDA THAT WE WOULDN'T WATER ESPECIALLY SEAWATER GETS INTO THESE EV CARS THIS SHORT OUT AND CAUSE A FIRE AND THEN THEY'VE GOT A BIG CONFLAGRATION ON YOUR HANDS LIKE HOW WELL THE BEAUTY OF IT IS IF YOU FLOOD YOUR UNDERGROUND GARAGE, THE GASOLINE FIRES THE GASOLINE CARS MAYBE WON'T BURN BUT THE OTHER ONES WILL. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST CURIOUS. YEAH. WHAT THESE BATTERIES THEY DON'T EXTINGUISH BECAUSE THEY HAVE CELLS IN THEM SO ONE CELL IS BURNING AND YOU MIGHT EXTINGUISH IT BUT THE HEAT LEVEL KICKS INTO THE OTHER CELL AFTER YOU EXTINGUISH ONE AND YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN BE THERE. IT COULD HAPPEN AN HOUR LATER THAT THE HEAT IS STILL THERE AND IT STOPS THE OTHER CELL GOING. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THESE VEHICLES OUT OF A BUILDING LIKE THAT AS FAST AS YOU CAN SO YOU DON'T LOSE THE WHOLE BUILDING. THE CARS ARE AMAZING. THE WAY THE BATTERY PACKS ARE AND EVERYTHING THE THEY HAVE FOR US THERE'S A LOT OF HAZARDS WITH IT. LET'S SAY WE HAVE A ROLL OVER ON THE MASS PIKE WITH AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE NOW FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO WHEN THE CARS TIPPED OVER IN THIS PEOPLE IN IT IS TO STOP THE ENGINE. HOW DO YOU STOP AN ELECTRIC ENGINE? YOU KNOW WE CAN'T EVEN HEAR IT. SO WE'VE BEEN TRAINING ON HOW TO SHUT THE VEHICLES OFF WHAT HAS TO LOOK FOR YOU'RE USING TOOLS AROUND THE ELECTRIC CORDS THAT RUN FROM THE BATTERY TO THE MOTOR. THERE'S A LOT OF A LOT OF HAZARDS WITH THEM MORE SO THAN GAS VEHICLES I BELIEVE SO I THINK THAT'S MY TIME. BUT I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS . THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED ON LEADING UP A FEW THINGS TO GO OFF OF THE EV CARS IS THERE A FLEET OF CITY CARS THAT ARE PARKED SOMEWHERE LIKE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE SEVERAL TIMES JUST ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THAT BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT IS THAT I KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T HAVE ANY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. I THINK THERE'S SOME AT TIM MYSELF BECAUSE THERE'S A CHARGING STATION OVER THERE WHICH MIGHT BE AC HAS THEM AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STORE THEM IN SCHOOL BUSSES AT MY SCHOOL BUSSES ARE AT REVILL RIGHT.  OTHER THAN THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ALL IN ONE PLACE MAYBE FRONTAGE ROAD AND I MEAN YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW IT'S OBVIOUSLY HARDER TO PUT OUT BUT ARE YOU PREPARED IF THERE IS A LOT IN ONE SPACE DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE EQUIPPED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT? YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT. IT WOULD BE TO US NO DIFFERENT THAN A LARGE BUILDING ON FIRE. I WOULD GO TO A HIGHER ALARMS AND WE'D HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE FROM THE WHOLE BUS OR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EVERY SURROUNDING CITY IN TOWN IF WE HAVE TO. OKAY.  I'VE BEEN ON SCENE IN THE BIG FIRES WHERE AND SO THANK YOU. IT'S OVERWHELMING BUT THE ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED NOT JUST THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS YOU HAVE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WAS YOU KNOW, THE MTA BUS PULLS UP. IT WAS WINTER TO KEEP PEOPLE WARM. SO YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND THEN THE HOUSING THERE.  IS THERE ANY MORE NEED THAT YOU SEE WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AND STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SEE ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THESE BUDGET HEARINGS AND WE TALK TO ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS A LOT OF YOU WHICH IS GREAT YOU WORK TOGETHER BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE THE FINANCES LIKE WHO'S PAYING FOR WHAT AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES YOU NEED EVEN IF YOU'RE CALLING ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO COME HELP. I THINK WE DO. I THINK THE MTA DOES A GREAT JOB SHOWING UP FOR US AS WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT HOUSING THESE PEOPLE THEY HAVE NO IMMEDIATE HOUSING. IT COULD SNOWING OR RAINING. THEY COME AS MANY BUSSES AS WE ASKED FOR THE TOWERS.  THESE PEOPLE I'VE OPENED SCHOOLS. SCHOOLS ARE GREAT. WE'LL JUST HAVE THE SCHOOL CUSTODIAN OR SOMEBODY COME IN AND PUT PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS. I DON'T THINK WE GET CHARGED FOR ANOTHER CITY BUILDING.  I DON'T THINK THE TEACHER DOES US FOR THE BUSSES SO I DON'T THINK SO. NO, THAT'S GREAT. ONE THING ALSO IN THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU KEVIN ON ALL THE DEPARTMENTS SPECIALLY THE POLICE YOU FIND OUT A LOT OF THE MONEY YOU GET GRANTS WHICH IS A LOT OF WORK TO GET HOW MUCH HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE BRING IN IN GRANTS? HOW MUCH IS OFFSET THAT THE TAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, STEP UP AND SPEND? SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS PROBABLY THE WEAKEST FOR ME RIGHT NOW. COUNCIL JUST BEING ON THE JOB FOR ABOUT TEN MONTHS. I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT INFORMATION.  WE DO JUST YOU KNOW WE DID NOT HAVE A FULL GRANTS TEAM WHEN I CAME ON BOARD. WE'VE SINCE HIRED TWO PEOPLE. THE ONE STARTED IN AUGUST AND ONE STARTED IN OCTOBER . SO WE'RE KIND OF TRYING TO RECOVER FROM SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SOME REPORTS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, NOT COMPLIANT THAT WE'RE GETTING COMPLIANT WITH AND WE'VE ALSO APPLIED FOR A COUPLE OF OTHERS TO OFFSET THAT OF THE CHALLENGE WITH A LOT OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE TODAY. AND I THINK YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SOME OF THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD THERE'S A LOT OF MATCHING THAT'S AVAILABLE. SO IF WE'RE AWARDED, YOU KNOW, $100,000 GRANT THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A 10% OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE WHEN WE APPLY FOR THESE THAT WE HAVE THE MATCHING FUNDS AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.  BUT IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU KNOW THE THE IMPORTANCE AND THAT YOU DO HAVE THE SUPPORT YOU'RE GROWING THAT TEAM TO HELP YOU. YEAH AWESOME.  OKAY. THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. THANK YOU.  THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS UM, I'M SURE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE HEALTHY BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC SQUARE IS ONE THAT YOU WOULD HOPE IN MY DISTRICT FOR THAT ONE. RIGHT THAT'S HOW MY FIREHOUSE THAT WOULD BE MY CLOSEST AND WHAT WERE WHAT WOULD BE THE OTHERS YOU SAID THERE'S A FEW THAT I WOULD LIKE ENGINE THREE IN THE SOUTH END ENGINE 37 ON HUNTINGTON AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW ENGINE 18 THREE AND SEVEN. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A NEW HEADQUARTERS BUT THE FIRE HOSES ARE A PRIORITY NOT THE HEADQUARTERS TO PROVIDE A SERVICE ACROSS MISSION AND THE SAFETY YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GREEN NEW BUILDING COMING THE WASHING MACHINES WE'VE INVESTED IN. ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP OUR WELL AS WE TALKED EARLIER WITH THE DIESEL EXHAUST THESE NEW BUILDINGS OF FANTASTIC THEY COMPARTMENTALIZE THE EXHAUST SO NOW IN A FIREHOUSE AND PBDES WHERE YOU SLIDE DOWN THE POLE WHILE THE EXHAUST GOES RIGHT UP THE POLE SO THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE WITH THE NEW BUILDINGS. SO COMPARTMENTALIZATION IS VERY KEY TO KEEPING THE FIREFIGHTERS HEALTHY AND KEEPING THE TOXINS AWAY FROM THEM AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING DONE IN THESE NEW BUILDINGS. IT'S FANTASTIC.  IT'LL CREATE A BETTER, SAFER WORK ENVIRONMENT ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THOSE BUILDINGS AND WHEN WE TALK, YOU KNOW, PAY NOW OR PAY MORE LATER IS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT YET BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT DECREASES THE CANCER AND WHAT WE PAY OUT IN HEALTH COSTS AND EARLY RETIREMENT OR DISABILITY. DO WE HAVE A WAY TO GAUGE HOW MUCH WE SAVE WHEN WE DO INVEST IN THESE NEW BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS? I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER RUN THE NUMBERS FOR THAT. KNOW BE HARD TO FIND. OKAY.  AND ALSO JUST TO TOUCH ON THE YOU KNOW, SAFETY AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WE HAVE I KNOW COUNCILOR FITZGERALD MENTIONED IT GLAD TO KNOW THAT WHEN SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING YOU MOVE ON. BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE BUDGET OR YOU KNOW, THEIR SCHEDULE IS UNLIKE I WOULD SAY ANYONE ELSE'S FIREFIGHTER THAT SPEND LOTS OF TIME WHEN THEY'RE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED THAT HAVE A LOT HEALTHY KITCHEN COOKING.  I WOULD SAY LAMBERTS DEFINITELY FEEDS A LOT OF OUR FIRE FIGHTERS. THAT'S BECAUSE THAT FIREHOUSE NEAR YOU IS THAT IT'S SAFER TO DO TAKEOUT THAN COOK ON THAT STOVE.  RIGHT. SO SO ON LINE BROKE OVER THE STOVE.  I REMEMBER THAT. RIGHT. SORRY . YEAH. I HOPE WE'RE PAYING FOR THEIR SUBS BECAUSE YOU COOK AT THE FIREHOUSE BUT IT DEFINITELY GETS CROWDED IN THAT PARKING LOT FOR LUNCH TIME. YOU KNOW, JUST JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND YOUR TEAM AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CARSON MURPHY I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCILOR SANTANA NOW BEFORE THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND GOOD MORNING AND NICE TO SEE YOU, COMMISSIONER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM FOR BEING HERE AND REALLY THANK YOU TO ALL THE ALL YOUR FIREFIGHTERS ON THE GROUND DOING A VERY IMPORTANT WORK FOR OUR CITY.  YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER CITIES AND ACROSS THE WORLD IS LIKE THESE SMALLER TRUCKS THAT CAN BETTER FIT OUR NARROW STREETS. THE QUESTION WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN AND NORTH END, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POTENTIALLY SEEING THAT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON OR AND CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT JUST THE NARROW STREETS AND YOUR APPROACH OF OF YOUR FIREFIGHTERS IN DOWNTOWN NORTH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY?  YEAH, THE GENERATION OF FIRE APPARATUS NOW IS PROBABLY IT'S BIG BUT IT'S MORE MANEUVERABLE THAN THE PREVIOUS ONES THEY CALL THEM UNTIL THE TRUCKS WITH A LADDER THAT THERE WAS A DRIVER IN THE BACK THAT THAT SEEMED TO BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE SMALL ROADWAYS.  SO THE CURRENT TRUCKS THE GENERATION I THINK WE'RE WELL WHERE WE SHOULD BE THAT I DON'T THINK THEY MAKE THEM ANY SMALLER THAT THAT THE ENGINES ARE PRETTY MANEUVERABLE THE LADDERS ARE ALSO THAT THEY'RE THE BIGGEST ITEM IN THE RESCUES BUT THE DRIVERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY WON'T GO DOWN A STREET IF THEY CAN'T GET DOWN THERE. SO LET'S SAY THERE'S A FIRE THEY COULDN'T GET THE LOUD TRUCK DOWN THAT THEY WOULD GRAB THE GROUND LADDERS OFF THE SIDE AND RUN DOWN AND THROW UP GROUND LADDERS. SO THEY THEY DO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR THE ROADWAYS BEING TIGHTER AND THE NORTH END IS IS A VERY DIFFICULT AREA TO CALL AROUND, YOU KNOW. YEAH, I'M SURE OF IT. AND WE DO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POLICE IF THEY WERE OUT DOING SOMETHING THAT WAS A NON-EMERGENCY AND THEY SAW A CAR THAT WAS BLOCKING THE ROADWAY, THEY WOULD CALL THE POLICE AND GIVE THEM THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER AND THEY WOULD BE TAGGED AND TOWED. SO WE DO THAT OFTEN. OKAY.  OKAY. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND I KNOW ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES AT ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT JUST YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BP'S INVOLVEMENT WITH YOUTH AND TRYING TO GET THEM YOU KNOW I KNOW ARE VERY ONES LOVE TO GO AND VISIT BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL AGE AND RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES AROUND THAT. YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THE TEEN ACADEMY.  I'LL LET MICHAEL GASKIN TALK MORE ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT EFFORT ON THE COUNCIL COUNCIL S.A. WELCOME.  WE HAVE THE SUMMER TEEN ACADEMY THAT ATTRACTS STUDENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY. WE TRY TO GET GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD WE HOST ANYWHERE BETWEEN 40 TO 50 APPLICANTS EACH YEAR AND WE TRY TO REPEAT THAT EVERY YEAR WE TRY TO THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO GET A WHOLE NEW CROP. SO IF YOU DO IT ONE YEAR YOU HAVE TO AT LEAST GET ONE MORE SEASON. I DO A GREAT JOB AT PARTNERING WITH DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM WHERE THEY A SOFTBALL OR BASKETBALL AND DODGEBALL AND THEY PARTNER WITH THE BCA.  THE BEAUTY OF THAT PROGRAMING IS THAT THEY LOOK TO LOOK AT COMMUNITY CENTERS IN EACH AREA AND THEY INVITE THE TEAMS TO MEET ONE ANOTHER SO THEY'LL HOST AN IN DORCHESTER FOR A GROUP FROM EAST BOSTON AND THEN THEY'LL SWITCH SO THAT WAY THE THE KIDS ARE GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY EXPLORE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY AS WELL. WE'RE PLANTING SEEDS THERE I'M ABLE TO LOOK AT THEM AS MENTORS AND DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AND SO AGAIN THEY CAN THEY MAY SEE THEMSELVES BECOME FIREFIGHTERS AT ONE POINT WHAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER WAS IF YOU'RE IN OUR TEEN ACADEMY FOR THE SUMMER UPON GRADUATION FROM YOUR HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU'RE IN COLLEGE YOU COME TO BOSTON. WE SEE THAT YOU WERE IN THE TEEN ACADEMY. WE WOULD GUARANTEE YOU AN INTERVIEW TO BECOME A CADET IF YOU APPLY DOESN'T GUARANTEE YOU A FLIGHT BUT IT GUARANTEES YOU AN INTERVIEW. SO WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AT NOW FOSTERING THAT ENVIRONMENT AND EVEN IN THIS OUR FIRST INAUGURAL CLASS WE HAVE THREE FORMER TEEN ACADEMY APPLICANTS THAT ARE NOW CADETS. GREAT. THANK YOU.  I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. MR GASKINS.  MY NEXT QUESTION IS AROUND YOU KNOW, YOU OBVIOUSLY ALL DO FEEL YOU'RE REACTING TO A LOT OF FIRES AND YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT IS ALSO THE EDUCATION ON FIRE PREVENTION TO OUR RESIDENTS AND.  WE'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IF THERE'S ANY EFFORTS ON YOUR END ON EDUCATING OUR RESIDENTS ON.  THERE IS WE HAVE A UNIT WITHIN THE FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION THAT DOES THAT GOES TO SCHOOLS STARTING AT THE EARLIEST AGES AND HE GOES ALL THE WAY WITH HIS CREW TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS . HE SPEAKS AT SENIOR CITIZEN LOCATIONS. HE PROVIDES FREE SMOKE DETECTORS. THEY HAVE BED SHAKERS THEY CALL THAT WE GIVE OUT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HARD OF HEARING. SO IF A SMOKE DETECTOR GOES OFF THE BED SHAKES SO THEY'RE ALERTED. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD PROGRAMS THAT WE DO.  WE JUST A WEEK AGO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS WE PUT SMOKE DETECTORS IN HOUSES AND IN MATTAPAN AND DORCHESTER AND LAST YEAR WE DID IT IN ONE OF THE HOUSES THAT WE PUT THE SMOKE DETECTORS IN CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THOSE WANT TO TAKE THIS NOTIFIED THEM TO GET OUT. SO IT'S A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.  WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE RED CROSS AND IT'S A IT'S A GREAT THING. GREAT. THANK YOU. MY MY FINAL QUESTION AND THIS IS AFTER YOU A COMMISSIONER WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OR PROBLEMS THAT YOU SEE THE DEPARTMENT FACING IN A FUTURE THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS WITH THAT YOU CAN YOU KNOW THE COUNCIL HERE CAN POTENTIALLY SUPPORT? WELL, I USE AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, IS NEW FIREHOUSES. I THINK THE AVERAGE AGE OF A BOSTON FIREHOUSE IS 80 YEARS. WHEN YOU SAY THAT IS IT IS THE HEATING SYSTEM IS OLDER. THE CARBON FOOTPRINT IS BIGGER. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE FIREHOUSES COME ONLINE WITH THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT PROVIDES A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT LIVE THERE AROUND THE CLOCK THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE THING JUST TO CONTINUE SUPPORT.  I CAN'T THANK THE COUNCIL ENOUGH FOR ALL THE THINGS WE DO AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE FROM THIS COUNCIL . WE ALSO HAVE A CAR SEAT PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE GOING TO WE HAVE A THAT'S GOING TO BE LICENSED TO PUT CAR SEATS IN FOR CHILDREN IN AUTOMOBILES SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON BUT THE ONLY THING I COULD SAY I MEAN WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT THE COUNCIL SUPPORTS US IS NEW FIREHOUSES THAT WILL BE DOWN THE ROAD. BUT IT'S A LONG PROCESS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.  YOU'RE ALWAYS ON BOARD WHEN WE PROPOSE IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ABSOLUTELY.  WELL, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TOO TO YOUR TEAM FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY JOINED BY COUNCILOR COLLETTI ENCOUNTER WEBER COUNCILOR DURKIN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO TEAM FIRE FOR BEING HERE. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK COMMISSIONER AND GREAT TO MEET A LOT OF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO BE IN FRONT OF A FULL FIRE PANEL BEFORE SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS. SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE FACING IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES THEM TO OPEN.  A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE CITING THAT IT TAKES THEM OVER SIX MONTHS TO OPEN AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT AND THE BIGGEST HURDLES THEY TALK ABOUT IS GETTING IN A FIRE INSPECTOR SCHEDULED GETTING THAT PERSON TO KEEP TO THAT TIME AND ANY FOLLOW UP THAT'S NEEDED FROM FROM THOSE INSPECTIONS. IF YOU GO BACK THE PAST TEN YEARS EVERY CITY COUNCILOR HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. BUT BUT I'M STILL HEARING THE SAME CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO I WANTED TO SEE WHAT IS BEING DONE THERE AND IF YOU FELT LIKE ENOUGH MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR FOUR FIRE INSPECTORS AND WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU SEEING ON YOUR END? WELL, WE DID GET A NEW POSITION IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE PERMITTING PROCESS SO A NEW ADMINISTRATOR IS COMING IN AT THE FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION WHERE ALL THE PERMITS GO THROUGH. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.  WE HAD A COUNCILOR FLYNN WAS ASKING ABOUT THE LABS.  WE HIRED THREE MORE PEOPLE IN THE LAB UNIT THE UNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAS BEEN TRAINED THAT CAN DO INSPECTIONS QUICKER AND BECAUSE THE LABS HAVE TO BE INSPECTED EVERY YEAR SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT IT'S A PRIORITY OF THE MAYOR AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS. IT'S MORE THAN ONE AGENCY THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH THE PERMITTING. SO I THINK THERE'S A WORKING GROUP OF I ASK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EVERYBODY THAT HAS TO SIGN OFF ON A PERMIT TO TRY TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS. WE HAVE A NEW PERSON AT ESD THAT SHE JUST APPROACHED ME THE OTHER DAY FOR A MEETING SO WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INVESTMENTS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AROUND PERMITTING BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS HOW IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COMING TO THE TABLE TO ENSURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AREN'T ASKED TO PAY LIKE FOR SIX MONTHS RENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND LIABILITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES INTO NOT BEING OPEN AND NOT MAKING ANY MONEY. HOW IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT ESD BEEN AND WHAT CHALLENGES ARE THERE AND HOW CAN WE HELP? I THINK STAFFING IS AN ISSUE IN THAT AREA. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ESD BUT WE HAVE A HARD TIME STAFFING OUR DEPARTMENT.  SALARIES ARE NOT EQUAL TO PRIVATE SECTOR. WE HAVE A FIRE ENGINEER'S POSITION OPEN NOW AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT FOR THAT SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. WE ARE GOING TO APPROACH A COUPLE OF UNIVERSITIES TO SEE IF WE CAN SEE SOME STUDENTS JUST GRADUATING WITH AN ENGINEERING DEGREE IN FIRE SCIENCE. WE'D LIKE TO TAKE ON ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS BUT THAT'S EVERY BUILDING HIGH RISE HAS TO GO THROUGH A PLAN REVIEW PROCESS THAT COULD TAKE A WHILE JUST BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING SO THE DEVELOPERS ARE AWARE OF THAT.  I AGREE WITH YOU THE SMALL BUSINESSES, THE ONES THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE THE GAP IN TIME FROM WHEN THEY START RENTING TO WHEN THEY CAN ACTUALLY START THEIR OPERATION AND I HEAR SUCH GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT THAT IS THE ONE AREA THAT I THINK AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS DISTRICT AIDS COUNSELOR I CAN SEE FOR IMPROVEMENT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY IMPACTS THE REPUTATION OF ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS YOU KNOW, LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO ARE LOVED BY THE COMMUNITY NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN FAST ENOUGH OR OFTENTIMES THE SECOND LOCATION THEY FOUND THE FIRST LOCATION WAS PRETTY EASY AND THEN THEY'RE JUST RUNNING INTO SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH THE SECOND LOCATION THEY'RE LIKE WHY AM I BOTHERING TO TRY TO DO BUSINESS IN THE CITY? SO IT'S JUST AN AREA THAT I JUST WANT TO SHARE AS A FORMER SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IT JUST TO ME IT'S JUST LIKE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO CREATE COORDINATION BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS. IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ME AND SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CONSTITUENCIES AND OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. SO JUST ADVOCATING FOR THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. AND WANTED TO ADD SORT OF A FUNNY QUESTION I PROPOSED A CITY WIDE MERCHANDISE LICENSING PROGRAM AND OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BEST BRANDS IN OUR CITY IS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.  I KNOW I KNOW A LOT OF OUR FIREHOUSES SELL THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL MERCH AND BUT JUST CURIOUS IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS EVER, YOU KNOW, PURSUED DOING THIS ON A BROADER SCALE BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. I WOULD LOVE TO WEAR HOODIES AND MERCH AND MUGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES AROUND WITH MERCHANDISE.  I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, SEE IF WE COULD SET UP A SEPARATE ENTITY COMMISSIONER GOING AND THINK THAT WE COULD SET UP A STORE UP FRONT I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA.  YOU KNOW I DO SAY ALL OF THE FIREHOUSES I HAVE MANY SHIRTS MYSELF THAT I BOUGHT OVER THE YEARS. I KNOW YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR A WHILE AND THIS HAS COME UP IN THE PAST AND I KNOW AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID THERE ARE SOME LEGAL CHALLENGES AROUND THAT LICENSING.  EVEN THE LOGOS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT I THINK WAS KIND OF A HARD STOP SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME REVIEW COMMITTEE YOU KNOW, WITH THE ENTIRE CITY TO SET UP SOME TYPE OF MERCHANDISE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.  A LOT OF CITIES DO DO IT AND I DID TALK TO NEW YORK AND THEY SAID GETTING YOUR SIGN OFF IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGNOFF OF ALL. SO I WILL BE TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THIS. WE'RE BRINGING TOGETHER A GROUP OF PEOPLE BUT I THINK PROVIDING WHAT NEW YORK DOES IS THEY ACTUALLY GIVE MONEY BACK TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SO AND THEY GO BERNIE BACK TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUNDATION SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SEE SOMETHING REALLY LUCRATIVE FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OBVIOUSLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING EVERYONE WHO SERVED IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ANY MEDICAL CHALLENGES AND ANYTHING THEY HAVE. IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT. SO COULD BE A REALLY COOL SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THAT AND JUST WANTED TO REALLY QUICKLY ASK ABOUT THE INCREASED STATE TRAINING GRANTS AND LIKE WHAT THOSE MEAN TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR DOING SO. THE GRANTS THE STATE TRAINING GRANT WAS REDUCED EARLIER THIS YEAR SO I THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE'RE GETTING IS JUST OVER TWO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT MONEY WAS EARMARKED FOR THE SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS AND THE REST OF THE MONEY IS BEING SPLIT THROUGH THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND THE SAFETY HEALTH AND WELLNESS GRANTS THAT WE HAVE.  OH OKAY, I'M HERE. IT SAYS 1.1 MILLION IN 2024 AND 2.2 MILLION IN 2025 SPLIT UP OVER THE YEARS IT'S A MULTI-YEAR GRANT. OH GOT IT. OKAY. YES. AND I SAT THROUGH THOSE HEARINGS SO I SHOULD KNOW BUT I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT. NO, THAT'S YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE GRANTS ARE YOU KNOW,  DISTRIBUTED OVER A MULTI-YEAR PERIOD AND YOU KNOW, WE ALLOCATE HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THOSE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. REALLY APPRECIATE BEING HERE WITH YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR COLETTA,  YOU KNOW THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.  GOOD TO SEE YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWERS. I APOLOGIZE THAT I WAS LATE BUT I WAS LISTENING AND I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND SO AGAIN,  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I WANT TO THANK YOU FIRST FOR YOUR RESPONSE DURING SOME OF THE WORST FIRES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN OUR CITY, PARTICULARLY IN BOSTON. YOUR FOLKS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE AND REALLY WANT TO UPLIFT THE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNIT AND FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE WORST TIMES OF THEIR LIFE. I HEARD YOU EARLIER I DO AGREE WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A SET FUND FOR A FIRE FUND SIMILAR TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SISTER CITIES AND IN GREATER BOSTON. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING INTO THIS.  I SUPPORT THAT ENDEAVOR. WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY HAD SO MANY FIRES IN EAST BOSTON THAT WE ARE A WELL-OILED MACHINE AND DEVELOPING THIS FUND AND GETTING THE FUNDS OUT TO FOLKS. SO I DO AGREE AND JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE IN THE ETHER THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT GETTING OFF THE GROUND.  OUR TEAM HAS THOUGHT ABOUT HOW TO BE PROACTIVE IN EAST BOSTON TO ESTABLISH FIRE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION.  WE HAVE OVERCROWDING IN OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE HOUSING CRISIS.  THERE ARE FAMILIES LIVING IN ROOMS AND SO I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE ARE THOSE BOARDING HOUSES AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE INSTANCES IN THE RECENT FIRES WHERE IT WAS A BOARDING HOUSE. THERE WAS MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE HOMES, THERE WAS MORE STRESS ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM . AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT THE SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT IN LINE ITEM IS IN OUTREACH OR FIRE AWARENESS. I KNOW THAT WE DO THINGS WITH VIPS.  I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN PARTNER TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH AT LEAST FOR MY DISTRICT THAT GOES OUT AND TELLS FOLKS EXACTLY WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND TO EXPECT WHEN YOU DO PUT SO MUCH STRESS ON ON YOUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND HOW THAT MIGHT BE A FIRE HAZARD PUSHING OUT FUNDING MAYBE FOR OF COURSE I'M MISSING THE WORD RIGHT NOW BUT ON SMALL SMOKE DETECTORS, YES. WHY COULD I NOT THINK OF THAT BUT PROVIDING MORE SMOKE DETECTORS TO FOLKS SO I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH IS ALLOCATED FOR FIRE AWARENESS EDUCATION OUTREACH AND LOOKING FOR A VERBAL COMMITMENT THAT WE CAN WORK ON SOMETHING TOGETHER AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE EDUCATION IN EAST BOSTON? ABSOLUTELY.  WE DO HAVE I CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT AMOUNT ON THE FUNDS. IT'S A FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION THAT PROVIDES THE SMOKE DETECTORS AND THE EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY INCLUDING EAST BOSTON. ANYBODY THAT NEEDS A SMOKE DETECTOR CAN HAVE ONE FOR FREE FROM THE FOSTER FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE SMOKE DETECTORS, A COMBINATION CARBON MONOXIDE ALSO WHICH IS A STATE LAW AND WHICH IS A GREAT THING. SO IF THERE'S A FURNACE MALFUNCTION AND PEOPLE ARE BREATHING CARBON DIOXIDE, THEY'LL BE ALERTED. I MENTIONED THE BED CHECK IS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE AND WE PROVIDE ALL THOSE THINGS. WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF THAT SO THEY CAN REACH OUT TO US AND THEY CAN GET THEM FROM US ANY TIME THEY WANT. DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT GOES OUT TO COMMUNITY EVENTS ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMERTIME THAT TABLES AND HAS THIS INFORMATION IS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH? I DON'T THINK IT'S IN SPANISH BUT OKAY.  YEAH. WE HAVE A LIEUTENANT HENRY PERKINS.  WE JUST HAD HIM AT THE COFFEE OUT WITH THIS TABLE THE OTHER DAY. HE GOES TO EVERY COFFEE HOUR.  WHATEVER EVENTS WE GO TO HE'S THERE. HE SETS UP A TABLE. HE EDUCATION HE IS SMOKE DETECTORS AND OTHER RESOURCES LITERATURE TO TELL PEOPLE HOW TO GET THINGS FROM US.  THANK YOU. I'M GOOD AT IT. AND IT GOES INTO THE SCHOOLS AND TEACHES THE CHILDREN CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM ESPECIALLY AND I WOULD LIKE THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHARLESTOWN WAS IDENTIFIED TO HAVE A NEW FIREHOUSE BASED ON OUR MASTER PLAN. I KNOW MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE BRAYDEN WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW AWESOME BRIGHTON IS GETTING THEIR OWN. WE JUST FINISHED OURS AND THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS ASSESSMENT WITH A PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH. CHARLESTOWN WAS IDENTIFIED AS TRYING TO GET OR NEEDING TO HAVE A NEW FIREHOUSE AND SO I'M HOPEFUL TO GET THAT INTO THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND I THINK OF THAT AS AS A GOOD THING. WE ALSO NEED AN AMBULANCE BAY SO JUST CALLING OUT THE FACT THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO COMBINING BOTH ESPECIALLY BECAUSE LAND IS SO LIMITED JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IF IF YOU'VE BEEN ALERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE EPA THAT THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS AND THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR A CAPITAL INVESTMENT INTO YEAH WE WERE IN ON THE PLANNING CHIEF CALIBRATION MYSELF FOR THAT WE WE MADE THAT REQUEST AS ANOTHER INSTANCE WITH THAT THE ONCOR HOTEL THERE'S AN EXPANSION GOING ON THERE AND I WAS ASKED FOR FEEDBACK SO I REQUESTED A FIREHOUSE AND A BOAT AND A BOAT ON COURSE SHOULD PAY FOR THIS.  SO WE LOOKED INTO THIS THE OCCUPANCY OF THE ENCORE HOTEL I CAME UP THERE WAS HARD TO GET A FIGURE ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THERE. I HAD ONE OF MY ASSISTANTS AND HE GOT HE GOT A FIGURE OF 38,000 PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING WHETHER IT'S IN THE CASINO, THE HOTELS AND THE WORKERS WHICH IS HUGE IF YOU FACTOR IN THE CITY OF EVERETT ONLY HAS THREE FIRE HOUSES WITH PROBABLY A TOTAL OF 50 US PROBABLY 100 LESS FIREFIGHTERS THEY'RE GOING TO NEED US WHEN SOMETHING GOES ON IN THAT PLACE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A SOCCER STADIUM OVER THERE. THAT'S ANOTHER REASON CHARLESTOWN NEEDS ANOTHER FIREHOUSE BECAUSE OF ALL THAT ACTIVITY THAT RIVER. IT DOESN'T SAY THAT WE'RE NOT COMING. WE'RE COMING BECAUSE EVER CAN HANDLE IT WE IT'S A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT WITH EVERYBODY.  WE NEED A FIREHOUSE. AND THE OTHER REASON IS THE PEOPLE OF CHARLESTOWN DESERVE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SAME AS BRIGHTON AND HYDE PARK AND REGIONAL THEY'RE ISOLATED AND TRAFFIC IS BAD TO GET TO CHARLESTOWN IN RUSH HOUR TO GO OVER THE NEW WASHINGTON STREET BRIDGE WITH CONSTRUCTION AND I'LL GET OFF THAT EXPRESSWAY WITH THAT RAMP PACKED UP IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.  I HAVE TWO FIREHOUSES IN NOW. ONE IS A LADDER IN AN ENGINE AND THE OTHER ONE JUST HAS AN ENGINE. I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY THEY DESERVE ANOTHER FIREHOUSE FOR THAT AREA. THANK YOU. YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL ME ABOUT TRAFFIC GOING OVER NORTH OF ENTRY BRIDGE. IT TAKES YOU 30 MINUTES IF YOU'RE IN A FIRE TRUCK. I KNOW YOU KNOW IT'S CRAZY. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. LET'S BE SURE TO BE TO BE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION ABOUT THAT THAT BOAT ABSOLUTELY.  AND WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHAT THOSE COSTS MAY BE. I'VE BEEN A VOCAL PROPONENT OF MORE WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENT. HOW MANY WOMEN FOR THE RECORD ARE CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE SENATE? 28 OR 29. MR GASKIN AND WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE CURRENT PERCENTAGE IS ONLY 1.7% 1.7%. SO I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE NINE FEMALE CANDIDATES. DO I HAVE THAT NUMBER EIGHT NINE FEMALE CANDIDATES CADETS POTENTIALLY GOING INTO THE ACADEMY AND THEN ACCESSING THESE THESE WELL-PAYING JOBS IF WE WERE TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF EACH FIREHOUSE IN THE CITY,  ARE THEY EQUIPPED TO HOUSE A WOMAN? YES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS EQUIPPED TO HOUSE ABSOLUTELY THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR BEHIND ME , PATRICK LEE. EVERY RESTROOM IS SINGLE USE RESTROOM THE THE SLEEPING QUARTERS BLOCKED OFF. SO THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THERE . EVERY FIREHOUSE IS READY FOR A FEMALE. HOW ABOUT CULTURE IN THE DEPARTMENT? WHAT SORT OF TRAINING DO FIREFIGHTERS GO THROUGH TO HAVE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR FOR WOMEN THAT JOIN? WE HAVE SENSITIVITY TRAINING THAT'S GIVEN EVERY SEVERAL YEARS JUST FOR NOT JUST WOMEN FOR EVERYBODY THAT THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IS TREATED TREATED THE SAME WAY AND NO INTOLERANCE WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION. I WOULD NOT ALLOW THAT. WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST DISTRICT CHIEF WHO IS A FEMALE. SHE'S THE FIRST ONE TO ENTER MCDEVITT. SHE'S A YALE GRADUATE. SHE'S FANTASTIC.  IF I HAD 50 MORE DNA. MCDEVITT WE'D HAVE A GREAT DEPARTMENT SO GREAT AND SO IT'S EVERY OTHER YEAR WHAT WHAT IS THE IT WAS IT WAS EVERY TWO YEARS I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE SCHEDULED. THEY DO GO THROUGH ORIENTATION THOUGH THERE'S SOMEBODY GOES TO THE DRILL CLASS AND TALKS ABOUT SENSITIVITY WHEN WHEN THEY'RE BEING TRAINED TO BECOME FIREFIGHTERS IS THAT THE ONLY MANDATED TRAINING THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IT'S MEANT YES. THE OTHER STUFF IS VOLUNTARY THAT WE WILL MAKE THEM ALL GO TO WHEN WE CAN FIT IT INTO THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE TO TRAIN 1500 PEOPLE. IT'S EXPENSIVE.  IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. YES. WE HAVE TO BRING IN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT IN.  OKAY. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TO DIVERSIFY THE RANKS.  HOW MANY MINUTES DO I HAVE? ONE MINUTE. OKAY.  I HEARD EARLIER THAT 177 STAFF MEMBERS WILL BE RETIRING WITHIN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS AND THAT IT JUST TO MAKE SURE I GET THE NUMBERS RIGHT.  ONE OFFICER AND THREE FIREFIGHTERS ARE MANDATED IN EACH TRUCK WHEN GOING OUT. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. HOW MANY FIRE PERSONNEL ARE MANDATED TO BE IN A FIREHOUSE AT ANY GIVEN TIME? IT'S BASED ON THE TRUCKS. DEPENDS ON HOW MANY TRUCKS ARE IN THAT BUILDING. SO IF THERE'S TWO TWO VEHICLES THERE WILL BE EIGHT PEOPLE. OKAY. AND DO ANY FIREHOUSES EXCEED THAT MINIMUM THRESHOLD AT ANY GIVEN TIME? SOMETIMES THEY DO OKAY.  IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? SO LET'S SAY YOU HAD FIVE MEMBERS TO ONE FIRE TRUCK ON ANY GIVEN DAY YOU WOULD THE CHIEFS WOULD LOOK TO OUT THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT AND SAY OKAY, THERE'S ONLY THREE DOWN AND EGGLESTON SQUARE. SO IN THAT FIFTH PERSON TABLE SINCE WE'RE SO WE BALANCE THE STAFFING EVERY DAY.  OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON HOW MANY CALLS ARE MEDICALLY RELATED VERSUS FIRE RELATED? I DON'T KNOW CHIEF GOING DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THE MEDICAL VERSUS FIRE? NO, I DON'T HAVE THAT. I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. COUNSELOR, PLEASE.  I WOULD I WOULD LOVE THAT DATA. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS THERE ANY TRACKING DONE TO QUANTIFY HOW MUCH TIME IS BEING SPENT AT EMERGENCY CALLS VERSUS FIRE CALLS AND HOW MUCH PERSONNEL TIME IS SPENT IN THE FIREHOUSE? I CAN ADD THAT TO THE REQUEST PLEASE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . WHETHER YOU HAVE BEFORE THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL. I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE AND I ALSO APOLOGIZE FOR ASKING QUESTIONS. I HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED. BUT SO IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF WOMEN FIREFIGHTERS SO WHAT IS THE BARRIER TO INCREASING THAT NUMBER?  I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SAY THERE'S A BARRIER.  I THINK SO IF WE GO BY CIVIL SERVICE WHICH IS WHERE WE GET OUR APPLICANTS FROM THE DISABLED VETERANS FIRST, I DON'T THINK THERE'S THAT MANY FEMALES THAT ARE DISABLED VETERANS SO THAT THAT'S WHERE THE THE PRIORITY LIST GOES DISABLED VETERANS, VETERANS AND THEN AVERAGE CITIZENS.  THAT'S WHY THE CADET PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT IN MY EYES TO GET FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE DEPARTMENT. SO I.  ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH APPLICANTS WHO ARE FEMALE FOR A FIREFIGHTER OR FOR CADET FOR FOUR? WELL, LET'S START WITH CADET. YES, WE ARE.  YES. OKAY. AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE BUT ACCEPTED TO THE CADET PROGRAM? MR GASKIN, I'M SORRY BUT MY WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN THAT APPLY IT USUALLY OUT OF SAY 180 OR SO WE MIGHT GET MAYBE 12 TO 13. SO THAT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE UNDER 10% BUT THAT'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE AS IT RELATES TO OUR ACADEMY CLASSES. I THINK EACH YEAR THAT WE PROMOTE THE CADET PROGRAM WILL GET AN INCREASE AMOUNT RIGHT NOW FOR THE LAST TWO CLASSES FOR OUR ACADEMY CLASS IS NOT CADETS BUT FOR THE LAST TWO CLASSES FOR THE ACADEMY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT BACK TO BACK CLASSES HAD UPWARDS OF THREE IN FOUR WOMEN IN IT WHICH IS STILL A VERY GOOD NUMBER FOR US NOT YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TO KIND OF CELEBRATE TO VIGOROUSLY BUT JUST IN TERMS OF THOSE NUMBERS SINCE 2000 2004 WE HAD NO WOMEN FROM 2004 TO 2 YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO SO 2022 YEAH. YEAH. SO YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE THAT THERE IS SOME PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE.  WE HAVE SOME TARGETED OUTREACH THAT WE'RE DOING EVEN TO THE MILITARY AGENCIES IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN ARE AWARE THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT WE LOVE TO HAVE THEM COME ON AS RECRUITS. AND THEN WHAT ABOUT LIKE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REFER TO AS GRADUATION RATES I MEAN HOW MANY IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN WHO START THE ACADEMY OR THE CADET PROGRAM WHO END UP IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS OPPOSED TO OTHER GROUPS? YOU KNOW, THE THE MEN. ABSOLUTELY. SO THE ARCHITECT PROGRAM IS IN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE NINE WOMEN THAT ARE CADETS.  IF LEGISLATION PASSES THEY COULD GO IN WITHIN THE YEAR OR SO. BUT IF NOTHING CHANGES AS OF APRIL NEXT YEAR WE WOULD HAVE SOME STRONG CANDIDATES AS LONG AS THEY MET THE REQUIREMENTS AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT DATA AND FEEDBACK ON ATTRITION AND SUCCESS THROUGH AN ACADEMY.  WELL, ONE OF THE MAIN TENANTS OF OUR PROGRAM IS CAREER READINESS AND SO IN TERMS OF TRAINING ACADEMICALLY BUT MORE PHYSICALLY AS WELL. SO ANY CADET THAT IS APPOINTED TO AN ACADEMY WOULD CERTAINLY MEET THE STANDARD AND BE WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD GET INTO AN ACADEMY AND GRADUATE FROM THE ACADEMY.  YEAH SO SORT OF I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS DO YOU THINK THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IS SO LOW BECAUSE WOMEN ARE NOT APPLYING OR NOT TRYING TO BECOME FIREFIGHTERS OR BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE IN THE PROCESS TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER THAT IS ,YOU KNOW, AN OBSTACLE NATIONWIDE.  THIS IS A VERY MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY.  I THINK THAT CULTURALLY WE CAN CHANGE AND AGAIN IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING SURE THAT WE SHED LIGHT ON THIS BEING A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.  THE SAME THING WITH POLICE WHEN I WAS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT YOU KNOW THERE AREN'T A LOT OF WOMEN THAT GRAVITATE TOWARD THOSE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS BUT AGAIN WITHIN THE FIVE YEARS THAT WE WERE THERE WE DID SOME CONCERTED OUTREACH WITH WOMEN IN BLUE WHICH IS AN AFFINITY GROUP WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  WE HAVE A STRONG GROUP OF WOMEN WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL LOOKING AT PROGRAMING FOR THIS SUMMER WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO A CAMPAIGN THAT INVITES YOUNG WOMEN TO THE ACADEMY TO EXPLORE THE CAREER AS WELL. SO WE HAVE SOME STRONG WOMEN THAT ARE ON THE FORCE NOW FOR BFD AND SO WE'LL LOOK AT THAT KIND OF PROGRAMING TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG WOMEN TO INTRODUCE INTO FIRE SERVICES AND TO TO THESE FUNCTIONS.  I THINK AS WE EXPAND THE CADET PROGRAM AS WELL, WE KNOW EVERY YEAR THAT WE PUT THE JOB POSTING OUT THERE THE NUMBER WILL INCREASE AND WE'LL DO A BETTER JOB AT GETTING WOMEN TO BECOME CADETS AS WELL. OKAY. AND THEN JUST IN TERMS OF OVERALL DIVERSITY OF OF THE YOU KNOW, RANKS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I MEAN WHAT IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOING TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST WOMEN OR BUT PEOPLE OF COLOR? WELL, WE'RE DOING THE CADET PROGRAM.  IT'S KEY THAT THAT MR MR. GASKIN DOES A GREAT JOB OF DIVERSIFYING THE CADET CANDIDATES THAT BASED ON NEIGHBORHOOD ETHNIC BACKGROUND AND GENDER.  SO THAT IS THE ONE AVENUE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE STATE LAW THAT REQUIRES ONE THIRD OF THE DRUG CLASS TO BE CADETS. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN DIVERSIFY IN A FAST WAY IF WE CAN GET THESE CADETS IN THE PROGRAM INTO THE THE ACADEMY.  THAT'S WHY THE VOTE HERE YESTERDAY WAS IMPORTANT.  HOPEFULLY THAT VOTE TAKES PLACE IN THE STATE HOUSE SO I CAN PUT THESE WOMEN IN THE NEXT REAL CLASS AND I'M SORRY CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN FOR THE I KNOW THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM. I THINK IT'S I DON'T WANT TO MISCHARACTERIZE YOUR STATEMENTS BUT IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DIVERSIFY.  WELL, THE CIVIL SERVICE IS IT PRIORITIZES WHO GETS THE JOB. SO VETERANS HAVE PREFERENCE. DISABLED VETERANS HAVE NUMBER ONE PREFERENCE THAN VETERANS AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE. THAT'S HOW IT GOES AND IS THAT BASED ON POINT WHAT IS THE PREFERENCE MEAN EXACTLY?  DO YOU GET EXTRA POINTS I KNOW IN THE EXAM BASED ON I JUST GET ON RANK SO IF I'M A VETERAN OR DVA AND I SCORE AN 80 YOU'RE A CIVILIAN YOU SCORE 100 ON A TEST I WOULD STILL BE RANKED HIGHER THAN YOU AND AND SO THE APPLICANT POOL ITSELF ISN'T GOING TO BE VERY DIVERSE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS NOT JUST BOSTON BUT FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. SO THAT'S WHERE THE DISPARITY CAN HAPPEN IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY NOW WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH TO MILITARY. WE WORK WITH RECRUITERS SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING IN THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON WHEN THEY COME OUT AS WELL AND WE DO TRY TO DO SOME STRATEGIC MARKETING AND TARGETING OF OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT BUT THE APPLICANT POOL ITSELF IF YOU TELL US HEY, MAKE A CLASS RIGHT NOW TODAY ARE 50 PEOPLE WE KNOW FOR A FACT WITHOUT ANY LANGUAGE CERTIFICATIONS, WITHOUT ANY CADET APPOINTMENTS THEY WOULD BE 100% DABS AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY SAY AROUND THAT JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT EXISTS IN THE APPLICANT POOL. AND WE KNOW THAT AS A RESULT OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING INTO AN ACCOUNT OR GOING INTO THE MILITARY FROM THIS AREA FROM MASSACHUSETTS,  ONE IN TEN ARE GOING TO BE A PERSON OF COLOR.  ONE IN 26 WOULD BE A WOMAN. SO IF I IF I PUT A LIST TOGETHER RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'D ONLY HAVE A HANDFUL OF WOMEN MAYBE AND THEN AGAIN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE OF COLOR OUTSIDE OF ANY OTHER TOOLS THAT WERE AT THE DISPOSAL FOR THE COMMISSIONER TO USE. OKAY. AND I GUESS HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING ON THE THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM TO TRY TO MAKE CHANGES OR IS IT I'M SORRY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? NO, BECAUSE THEY SERVE THE WHOLE STATE. I THINK IT WOULD BE QUITE A TASK TO TRY AND CHANGE THE RULES WITH CIVIL SERVICE. SO STATE BUREAUCRACY I MEAN I DO HAVE ANOTHER OPTION THAT I USE EACH CLASS WHICH IS LANGUAGE SO I REQUEST TO CIVIL SERVICE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH A FOREIGN LANGUAGE SO THAT DIVERSIFIES THE DEPARTMENT SO THEY ARE GIVEN AN EXAM IN PERSON TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE THE LANGUAGE SKILLS OF ANOTHER COUNTRY AND THAT HELPS WITH THE DIVERSIFICATION LAST CLASS WE HAD 14 LANGUAGE CERTIFICATIONS OUT OF A CLASS OF 45. HOW MANY HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU REQUEST? I REQUESTED 15.  WE GOT 15 ONE DROPPED OUT BEFORE THE CLASS STARTED.  IT'S IT'S AT THEIR DISCRETION. I WILL DO IT EACH CLASS OKAY AND SHIFTING GEARS A LITTLE BIT SO I REPRESENTED SIX WEST ROXBURY, JAMAICA PLAIN BACK OF MISSION HILL. DO YOU THINK ARE THE CURRENT NUMBER OF FIREHOUSES IS ADEQUATE FOR THAT AREA? WELL, I LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT AND I DON'T THINK SO. WHAT SEE WHAT'S YOUR I LIVE NEAR FILM FIELD AND I USED TO BE A FIREFIGHTER IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND I WILL CALL IT A HIT. THAT'S WHAT WE CALL IT. IT'S A BAD HIT TO GET THE FILM FIELD YOU COMING FROM WEST ROXBURY SO THE STREET YOU COME FROM JAMAICA PLAIN OR YOU COME FROM CANTERBURY STREET. SO THAT FILM FIELD IS A DEAD LOCATION FOR A FIRE. THEY JUST HAD A FIRE AT THE STORE THE HENRYS THE OTHER DAY YOU KNOW THEY'LL GET THERE BUT YEAH, I FEEL THAT'S UNDERREPRESENTED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WELL THAT'S COUNSELOR TO PARENTS AREA.  BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE SHOULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT IT. THANKS A LOT. YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. HAPPY TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU. I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR HIS LEADERSHIP YESTERDAY AND HIS PASSING THE HUMBLE PETITION THAT WILL THE WORD THE ORDINANCE ACTUALLY SORRY THE PETITION THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR SOME OF OUR CITY KIDS TO BE MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL THE NOBLE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S A NOBLE PROFESSION AND I AM REALLY GRATEFUL FOR IT FOR WHAT YOU DO IN OUR CITY.  I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT BATHROOMS IN THE FIREHOUSES ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES THAT'S BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED. YEAH, I BROUGHT IT UP. OH YOU BROUGHT IT UP? WELL THEY ASKED ME IF THERE WERE FACILITIES FOR WOMEN AND EVERY BATHROOM WAS RETROFITTED I WOULD SAY 20 YEARS AGO TO BE SINGLE USE BATHROOMS.  AND THEY ACTUALLY THERE WAS A DECREE CALLED THE HANSKEN DECREE AND IT WAS BROUGHT A LAWSUIT WAS BROUGHT BY A FEMALE FIREFIGHTER.  SO THEY DETERMINED EACH FIREHOUSE HAS ONE BATHROOM THAT SHOULD BE FOR WOMEN. SO WHEN THE WOMAN IS WORKING SHE GETS A TAG THAT SAYS WOMEN AND NOBODY CAN GO IN THERE.  OKAY. YEAH, WE DO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR THAT. THAT'S GREAT CAUSE I WAS ALSO GOING TO ASK LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BATHROOMS ARE WELCOMING SPACES FOR WOMEN BUT AS WE AS A CITY ARE TRYING TO GET INTO HOW DO WE MAKE BATHROOMS WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE AND JUST REMOVE GENDER BARRIERS WHERE WE CAN AND MAKE THEM OPEN TO ALL GENDER IDENTITIES? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN ONE THAT IS A GOAL THAT WE'RE MAKING THEM OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO WOMEN IN THE BUDGET. I I SEE THAT THERE IS AND WE SAW THIS LAST YEAR TOO FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN MEETING IT'S BEEN YOU KNOW $5 MILLION OF ALLOCATION TOWARDS PERMANENT EMPLOYEES THAT WE CONSISTENT UNDERSPENDING WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE LIKE WHY AREN'T WE ABLE TO MEET THAT EMPLOYEE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE AND SHOULD WE BE ALLOCATING THAT MONEY TO SOMETHING ELSE? MR AUCOIN I THANK YOU COUNSELOR . SO A LOT OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE POSITIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. I THINK THERE'S 28 POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AS OF THIS MOMENT AND A LOT OF THEM DO NOT PROVIDE THE WAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD ALLOW SOMEBODY TO LIVE COMFORTABLY WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THESE ARE MOSTLY THOSE LIKE CIVILIAN CIVILIAN FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS. YOU KNOW, THE SALARY AND THAT GROUP OF FIREFIGHTERS IS ADEQUATE. THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING AND I THINK IT REPRESENTS TO THE $5 MILLION IS THAT POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, HAVE NOT BEEN UPGRADED IN MANY YEARS. SO AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS THIS YEAR WORKING WITH OBM TO LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL JOB DESCRIPTION, UPGRADE THOSE AS NECESSARY.  WHEN WE'RE DOING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER LIKE POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, POLICE, FIRE PARKS, WHOEVER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY THAT IS DOING A SIMILAR JOB IS BEING PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOU KNOW OUR WAGE ACROSS THE CITY PLATFORM DOES THE UNDERSTAFFING IN THOSE AREAS IS DOES THAT CAUSE YOU TO LEAN ON OUTSIDE CONTRACTING FOR ANY OTHER MORE SO THAN LIKE I REMEMBER WHEN WE AT THIS HEARING LAST YEAR I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE WE SHOULD BE IN ALL AREAS TRYING TO DECREASE FOR CONTRACTUAL SPENDING AND HAVING MORE OF IT DONE IN-HOUSE LIKE YOUR PLUMBERS YOUR OTHER THINGS THAT YOU NEEDED WITH THE DEPARTMENT IS IT WOULD YOU SEE BECAUSE WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED IN THOSE AREAS OUT THERE WE'RE SPENDING MORE IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AS A RESULT THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CASE. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE I THINK TWO PLUMBER POSITIONS OPEN. ONE IS PROBABLY THE SAME FROM LAST YEAR.  ONE OF THEM IS ONE OF THEM IS A NEW POSITION AND H-BACK AND A CARPENTER. SO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR OWN H.R. WITHIN THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT HERE AND OUR CITY HALL TO LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS AND WITH THOSE CASES IN PARTICULAR YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE UNION DRIVEN OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THE CARPENTERS UNION, THE PLUMBERS UNION WE'RE TRYING TO LINE UP THOSE POSITIONS TO MATCH, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD GET IF YOU WERE WORKING FOR A LOCAL 12. YEAH. SO WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS. IT'S VERY SLOW TO GET TO GET THROUGH THIS. AS YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS YOU KNOW SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK AT IT AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU KNOW, SOME SUPPORT TOO TO FUND THESE POSITIONS TO LESSEN THE BURDEN THAT WE HAVE ON CONTRACTED SERVICES. YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED EARLIER YOU KNOW, THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES ARE VERY OLD. WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF , YOU KNOW, FIREHOUSES THAT ARE IN THE CAPITAL PLAN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS TO BE REPLACED. BUT THE EXISTING FIREHOUSES HEADQUARTERS AND SOME OF THE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFS RIGHT NOW ARE REALLY YOU KNOW, VERY OLD BUILDINGS HAVE HAD A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS AND WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO KEEP THEM UP ESPECIALLY YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOU KNOW ,SWITCHING OVER FROM HEATING TO COOLING RIGHT NOW. SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY WITH, YOU KNOW, CALL IN CONSULTANTS COMING IN TO MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW,  THE FIREHOUSES AND OTHER AREAS WITHIN THE CITY WILL HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, COOLING NECESSARY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE TIME.  AWESOME. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. WHICH TIME? ABOUT 3 MINUTES. OKAY, GREAT TO TWO MORE QUESTIONS. ONE IS AND THANK YOU BECAUSE THE UNIONS I WAS LIKE WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE UNIONS. I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BUT THEN I ALSO KNOW THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT AND THAT'S A WHOLE BIG THING BUT SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK. I THINK PROBABLY LIKE HOW MANY YEARS OF SERVICE ARE WE REQUIRING PEOPLE? I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO.  BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. I WANT TO SORT OF KNOW ABOUT THE ALLOCATION AND I THINK SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS OF OUR FIREHOUSES AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS RELATIVE TO WHERE THE FIRES ARE ACTUALLY HAPPENING. AND I WANT TO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE I HAVE SOME COLLEAGUES HERE COUNCIL AROUND COUNCILOR COLLADO COUNCILOR FLYNN WHO RECENTLY HAD FIRES IN THEIR DISTRICT THAT THEY RESPONDED TO AND AND ARE DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES ON THE TYPES OF HOMES THAT EXPERIENCED THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF FIRES THAT WE SEE IN THE CITY AND WE WHERE WE HAVE OUR FIREHOUSES AND WHERE WE'RE YOU KNOW BECAUSE I THINK THE YOU CAN SEGMENT THIS INTO TWO CONVERSATIONS. ONE IS THAT THE NEED IS JUST BASED ON POPULATION. RIGHT. WHICH IS WHY I AGREE THERE ARE SOME GREAT PLANS IN THE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME WORK AND HAVING FIREHOUSES.  BUT IS THAT TRACKING NOT JUST POPULATION BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE NEWER BUILDINGS LESS LIKELY TO SOLVE SOME OF THE VIOLENCE, SOME OF THE IT'S EXPERIENCED FIRES OR IS IT BASED ON SORT OF WHERE WE SEE IS OR MODEL OR TYPE OF HOME THAT IS MORE PRONE TO HAVING A FIRE? WELL, THE FIREPLACE THE FIRE HOUSES HAVE BEEN THE SAME FOR 100 YEARS, SAME LOCATIONS.  I DON'T THINK WE'RE OVERSATURATED IN ANY AREA.  IF YOU TALK ABOUT NEW BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN THERE'S NOT THAT MANY FIRE HOUSES DOWNTOWN. THERE'S A BIG ONE AND THEN THERE'S ONE ON CAMBRIDGE STREET. YOUR AREA IS A CONCERN TO EAST BOSTON, ROXBURY AND DORCHESTER MATTAPAN REALLY GOOD FIREHOUSES THERE AND THEY'VE REALLY PROFESSIONAL THEY THEY DO ALL THE WORK NOT ALL THE WORK BUT THEY DO A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE FIRE AND THEY DO IT WELL AND THEIR RESPONSE TIME IS GOOD. I THINK THE REST OF THE CITY IS SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS ON THE OUTSKIRTS NEIGHBORHOOD IF YOU WILL. THAT IS HAS A BOUNDARY OF ANOTHER TOWN. LIKE I SAID, EVERETT DOESN'T HAVE THAT BIG A FIRE DEPARTMENT SO THEY COULDN'T HELP US AND ISOLATED AREAS LIKE EAST BOSTON, CHARLESTOWN HIGH PARK BRIGHTENED THOSE AREAS WE HAVE HELPED THEM.  WHAT'S THAT? DO WE EVER HELP THEM? EVERETT ALWAYS. YEAH. YEAH, WE DO. YEAH. ESPECIALLY WITH OUR SPECIALTIES. TECH RESCUE WE HAD A PERSON TRAPPED IN A COMBINE OVER THE PROBABLY LAST YEAR THAT WE WE WENT OVER AND TOOK CARE OF IT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TRAINING AND THE TOOLS THESE SMALLER TOWNS DO NOT SO WE DO MUTUAL ALL THE TIME. WE LEAVE THE CITY UNCOMPENSATED. DO YOU EVER SEEK ANYTHING FROM THE CITY AS AS A RESULT OF LIKE DO HAVE A NO NO. I DON'T THINK THE MUTUAL AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR THAT FINANCE. I THINK THE STATE PICKS UP THE DEBT BUT COUNCILOR COLLETTE IS DISTRICT WITH THAT FIRE IN EAST BOSTON I DID SEE A CHELSEA FIRE TRUCK THERE. THEY CAME IN FROM CHELSEA SO IT WORKS BOTH WAYS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE GO TO THEM, THEY COME TO US. IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM. OKAY, THANK YOU. I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS ON OVERTIME SPENDING AND I'M FIRE TEAM ACADEMY BUT I'LL ALL OF US TONIGHT I WANT TO THANK YOU.  I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I THINK FATHER WORK THAT YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO INTENTIONAL ON STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINES I AND THE CITY OF BOSTON ENGINE 18 I KNOW THAT WAS ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS ANY ANY UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT. I JUST HAVE 3 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR INITIAL PLANNING FOR THAT THAT AREA WHICH I HAVE FOR ENGINE 37 AND ENGINE THREE THEY ALL HAVE 3 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THE INITIAL PLANNING PHASE OF THE NEW FIREHOUSE. SO OKAY SO OUT THERE I GUESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHECK IN AS A BODY. YEAH WE HAVE THE FACILITIES HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT FOR THE CITY FACILITIES DIVISION AND THEN WE'D PICK IT UP ON COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIE JAMES. QUESTION AROUND OVERTIME IS THIS DUE TO THE LACK OF STAFFING IN THE CIVILIAN COULD IT JUMP FROM I BELIEVE AT FY 21 FROM $1,000,000 TO LIKE $15 MILLION? SO ANY EXPLANATION ON WHY THE INCREASE JUMP IN OVERTIME I DIDN'T SEE WAS IT THAT BIG A JUMP? I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER. YEAH I KNOW YOU KNOW OVERTIME IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT A LOT OF IT YOU KNOW IS TO PROVIDE THE COVERAGE THAT WE NEED AND A PAID PARENTAL LEAVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE INSTITUTED IS A BIG ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO GUARANTEE THEM TIME OFF WHEN THEY HAVE CHILDREN. SO WE HAVE TO COVER THOSE VACANCIES AND OVERTIME THAT'S RELATIVELY NEW PROGRAM. GOT IT. AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE PREVENTION, YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB. AMAZING JOB WHERE 66% OF THE CITY BEING RENTERS. ONE THING THAT I'VE YOU KNOW COME COME IN TIME WITH IS THAT NOT A LOT OF OUR RENTERS HAVE RENTERS INSURANCE. RIGHT. SO CAN WE ADD THAT PART OF OUR FIRE PREVENTION OUTREACH EDUCATION TO OUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE IT'S YOU KNOW, IT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS A GREAT JOB. THEY'RE GENEROUS BUT SOMETIMES RESIDENTS ARE LEFT OUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S AFTER YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT RUNS OUT. I THINK RENTERS INSURANCE WHICH NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WILL BE HELPFUL TO FILL IN SOME OF THOSE GAPS FOR FOR ASSISTANCE DURING THOSE HARD TIMES.  YEAH I AGREE THE THE INITIAL PHASE IS THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULDN'T BE THERE TO HELP THEM. THAT'S OUR ROLE.  WE PLAY THAT ROLE AND WE TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY. SO I THINK THAT'S THE ROAD AFTER AN INCIDENT AND THAT WOULD BE GOOD STRATEGY TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT FOR THE RENTERS. ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.  AND IT KEEPS PLAYING TO ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FIRE RADIO SYSTEM UPGRADES, WHAT GOES INTO IT, THE COSTS AND THEN THE TIMELINE SO THAT COUNCIL THAT'S A CAPITAL PROJECT THAT'S BEEN ONGOING AND IT'S A COOPERATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN THE BOSTON POLICE, EMS AND BOSTON FIRE AND YOU KNOW I'M NOT A TECH EXPERT FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. THIS IS SIMILAR TO YOU KNOW, OUR CELL PHONES HAVE UPGRADED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO A 5G NETWORK. THIS IS CHANGING THAT OLDER TECHNOLOGY THAT ALL OF THE CITY PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES WERE USING TO A HIGHER, YOU KNOW, FREQUENCY TO PROVIDE BETTER COVERAGE, MORE INCREASED, YOU KNOW, COVERAGE IN GENERAL AND THIS IS JUST IT'S A REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ON A LOT OF THAT STUFF. SO A LOT OF IT IS VERY LARGE PROJECTS INVOLVING INSTALLING NEW TOWERS, NEW ANTENNAS AND UPGRADING THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT RUN ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT ALL OVER THE CITY. ANTICIPATED COMPLETION DATE I THINK IT'S RIGHT NOW I MEAN THERE WERE SOME DELAYS DURING COVID THAT A LOT OF THAT WORK HAD TO STOP BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SO MANY BUILDINGS AND LOCATIONS WERE CLOSED. SO I THINK THE PROJECTION IS THIS IS GOING OFF I THINK UNTIL IT'LL BE COMPLETE SOMETIME IN 29, 2029. AWESOME. AND THEN THE AGE BACK WHEN ONE OF OUR BIGGER CONTRACTS I KNOW WE HAVE A POSITION FOR BACK HAVE WE FILLED THAT POSITION OR WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES TO FILL IN THAT POSITION? IT'S NOT FEELS WE ARE WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR OWN H.R OEM AND H.R AND CITY HALL TO LOOK AT THAT POSITION TO UPGRADE IT AND AGAIN WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO ALIGN THAT POSITION WITH A UNION WAGE WOULD BE IF SOMEBODY WAS IN THE HPC UNION, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF CITY GOVERNMENT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING FOR THAT POSITION? I WANT TO SAY MAYBE AROUND 60 IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LIKE $27 AN HOUR WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE LOCAL FACTORIES.  OKAY. AND I THINK THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID WAS, YOU KNOW, FOR A COMPARABLE UNION POSITION IS AROUND 60 TO $75 AN HOUR FOR A LIKE POSITION 65 AWESOME. AND THEN PROMISINGLY IN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS WE UNDERSPENT BY MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN THAT FY 23 I MEAN WE UNDERSPENT BY HALF A MILLION ON THE CURRENT CHARGES IN THAT FY 23 CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT THOSE LINE ITEMS ARE FOR AND THEN ALSO WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THOSE LINE ITEMS? SO THOSE ARE JUST YOUR AVERAGE SUPPLIES THAT YOU KNOW I NEED TO THROW OUT THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT DOESN'T INVOLVE TOOLS OR THINGS FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS. IT'S MORE OF THE PERSONAL YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL FIREHOUSE USES AND A LOT OF THAT UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO DO WITH STAFFING. THERE WASN'T A LOT OF STAFFING IN THAT YEAR. THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL VACANCIES WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROCUREMENT STAFF AND IT LED TO SOME DELAYS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE ON TARGET TO SPEND I THINK ALMOST EVERY PENNY THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FULFILL SOME OF THOSE VACANCIES AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS ALL THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED. AWESOME.  NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME . I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SECOND ROUND. I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT EVERYONE HERE A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTION SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR. AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FIRE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT'S HERE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KEVIN COYNE FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AS WELL. KEVIN FOR, MANY YEARS AS A DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEE, MY COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND,  COUNCILOR FOR CHARITY HAS ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT FIVE AND IT'S A CHIEF'S CAR IN THE LONGWOOD HOSPITAL AREA CRITICAL AREA WHERE OBVIOUSLY MANY, MANY HOSPITALS, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES CLOSE TO FENWAY PARK AS WELL.  WHAT'S THE STATUS COMMISSIONER ON CAR FIVE AND IS THAT A PRIORITY?  IT IS A PRIORITY SINCE IT'S BEEN CLOSED, YES. BECAUSE OF DENSITY OF THAT AREA. THIS HAS IT'S OVER THERE WITH THE HOSPITALS AND THE SCHOOLS.  I HAVE NO STATUS REPORT ON IT. I'VE PROPOSED THAT IT BE OPENED AND I BELIEVE THE COST IT WAS $1,000,000 A YEAR SO 1.3 MILLION A YEAR FOR THAT IT WAS ALWAYS IT'S A IT'S A GOOD CAR. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN RIGHT AWAY. OTHERWISE THEY'RE WAITING FOR A CHIEF TO COME FROM JAMAICA PLAIN OR OTHERS DOWN THE SOUTH AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THAT WOULD BE IN MY OPINION A MAJOR PRIORITY FOR FOR ME ANYWAY TO TO TO GET CAR FIVE I KNOW IT IS FOR FOR THE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL BUT I JUST WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR CAR FIVE IN THE CITY BUDGET I THINK IT'S THAT GOOD SO IT'S CRITICAL. IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH AND SAFETY OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE OF THE CITY. WE ALSO HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THERE THAT COME IN TO BOSTON EVERY DAY AND TO THAT PARTICULAR AREA OBVIOUSLY CLOSE TO THE GREEN LINE AS WELL AND A COUPLE OF HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL NOT JUST COLLEGES BUT COUPLE HIGH SCHOOLS CODING HARVARD MEDICAL, MEDICAL SCHOOL IS DOWN IN THAT AREA AS WELL.  COMMISSIONER, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE POTENTIAL FIRE HOUSES IN THE SOUTH AND HARRISON AVENUE?  I KNOW FROM MY OWN STREET JUST OUTSIDE OF ON THE BORDER OF THE SOUTH END IN ROXBURY THERE THAT THEY SHARE WITH COUNCIL FERNANDEZ ANDERSON AND CASTLE FITZGERALD.  BUT WHAT'S WHAT'S THE STATUS HOW ARE WE DOING ON THE HARRISON AVENUE AND THE INTERIM ONE STREET IS TREMONT STREET. THERE'S NO PLANS FOR TREMONT STREET. HARRISON AVENUE'S PLANS TO REPLACE IT AND AGAIN THAT WAS 3 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THAT ALONG WITH ENGINE 37 AND HUNTINGTON AB AND ENGINE 18. SO WE'RE IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF THAT 3 MILLION ENGINE THREE ENGINE 37 AND ENGINE 18 SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN EXPEDITE THAT THIS PROCESS IS IN THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY RIGHT NOW THE THE TREMONT STREET FIREHOUSE IS VERY OLD IT'S NOT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER ONES ON HARRISON AVENUE DEFINITELY THAT'S OLD AND THAT'S VERY OLD THAT WAS BUILT IN THE FORTIES AND IT HAS SOME STRUCTURAL ISSUES RIGHT?  YEAH I KNOW IT'S LEAKING FROM THE ROOF AND GOING RIGHT TO THE SIDE THERE WAS I HAD I SENT ENGINEERS OUT TO LOOK AT THE CRACK IN THE WALL THEY THEY SAID IT'S NOT TO BE WORRIED ABOUT BUT IT'S IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AT THE BUILDING SHOULD BE REPLACED WE REPLACE WINDOWS PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN THAT BUILDING SO IT'S AN OLD BUILDING. IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. WOULD THEY WOULD THEY TEAR IT DOWN AND BUILD IT UP RIGHT AT THE AT THE SAME WELL WELL MY DESIRE WOULD BE TO LEAVE IT IN PLACE AS A FUNCTIONING FIREHOUSE BUILD A FIREHOUSE ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. YEAH. RIGHT NEXT TO IT. YEAH. YEAH.  AND THEN WHEN THE BUILDING IS THE NEW BUILDING IS OCCUPIED. TEAR IT DOWN. PUT THE BASKETBALL WHERE THAT IS JUST AS AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO A WINDMILL TO POWER ELECTRICITY FOR THAT AND THE POLICE STATION NEXT DOOR. I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.  I THINK ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED COMMISSIONER THE COMBINATION OF A POLICE AND FIRE AH A FIRE AND EMS THAT YOU SEE EVEN YOU SEE RIGHT HERE ON OFF OF HIGH STREET THERE THE SEVERAL BUILDING HIGH STREET WITH EMS. OH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH RIGHT BESIDE A BIG FIREHOUSE. YEAH RIGHT BUT WHAT WOULD WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN A GREAT IDEA IF WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE POLICE ON HARRISON AVENUE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE FIRE STATION?  THEY'D HAVE A PLACE MAYBE JUST THINKING OUT LOUD A POLICE AND FIRE STATION RIGHT AT THAT 600 600 BLOCK OF HARRISON. I WOULDN'T BE OPPOSED TO THAT. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.  I KNOW A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED STAFFING AT FIREHOUSES MINIMUM STAFF AND HOW ARE WE DOING ON THAT COMMISSIONER? WHAT'S THE WHAT IS THE STATUS OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMPANIES? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS IN IN ESPECIALLY OUR BUSIEST FIRE FIREHOUSES ACROSS THE CITY ? ARE WE DO WE HAVE ENOUGH MANNING LEVELS THERE?  I THINK WE DO. I SPOKE TO IT EARLIER THAT IF THERE'S A SHORTAGE WE WOULD MOVE FIREFIGHTERS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY FOR ANY GIVEN SHIFTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE STAFFING IN EVERY FIREHOUSE. THAT'S WHAT'S DONE EVERY DAY THERE'S A THE DEPUTY CHIEF AND THE TWO DIVISIONS THEY COMPARE EACH OTHER'S NUMBERS AND SEE WHO AS EXTRAS MOVE ONTO HERE THE NEXT DAY.  IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM. IT WORKS. SO WITH THE FIRE WITH THE FIREFIGHTER GO TO THEIR THEIR PARTICULAR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT PLACE OF WORK THEIR FIREHOUSE AND THEN BE TOLD YOU HAVE TO GO OVER TO THIS PART OF THE CITY. THAT'S CORRECT. THEY CALL DETAIL TO BE IN DETAIL TO ANOTHER FIRE STATION. OKAY. YEAH.  AND HOW IS THAT PROCESS? IS IT A SMOOTH PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW IT WORKS THE DAY BEFORE YOU USUALLY KNOW IT YOU COULD NOTIFY THAT PERSON THE NIGHT BEFORE SICK LEAVE CALLS COME IN IN THE MORNING SO THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT IF SOMEBODY CALLS IN SICK THEN YOU HAVE TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE OR YOU CAN HIRE.  THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE HIGHER OVERTIME BUDGET.  SO SOMEBODY IS MISSING IN THAT FIREHOUSE. YOU COULD HIRE OVERTIME IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXTRA BODIES IN ANY OTHER FIREHOUSE.  IS THAT PROCESS DONE BY A VERBAL ORDER OR IS IT DONE BY YOU GET A WRITTEN DOCUMENT SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO GO OVER TO THIS FIREHOUSE AND NO, IT'S VERBAL. IT'S RIGHT.  YEAH. OKAY. AND THAT PROCESS IS PRETTY SMOOTH. YEAH, IT'S THE DEPUTIES ARE IN CHARGE OF IT AND THEY LOG IT ON PAPER SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO'S WHO AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND AT ALL TIMES DO WE HAVE THE NECESSARY MINIMUM MANY LEVELS THAT EVERY AT EVERY FIREHOUSE FOR EVERY SHIFT WE DO?  HAS THERE EVER BEEN A SITUATION WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH?  NO. IF IT EVER ARISES I WILL MANDATORY NOT LET ANYBODY GO HOME. THEY WOULD BE FORCED TO STAY THERE. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN MY LIFE. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT. OKAY, ONE MORE CALL. OKAY. OKAY.  I MENTIONED THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS EARLIER. WHAT DOES THIS BUDGET DO FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES? WHAT IS YOUR PRIORITY GOING FORWARD AS IT RELATES TO THIS BUDGET AND ANYTHING UNIQUE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK ON? I THINK CANCER DETECTION IS KEY. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ADVANCES AND IN MEDICINE THAT COME UP WITH NEW WAYS TO DETECT CANCER . SO WE HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF IT . WE HAVE WE CONSULT WITH DOCTORS, WE HAVE SKIN CARE CLINICS BECAUSE SKIN CARE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH CANCER . SO WE'RE TRYING TO STAY ON TOP OF IT. I THINK OUR SAFETY AND HEALTH HEALTH AND WELLNESS BUDGET INCREASED BY LESS THAN A MILLION CANCER . WE'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW INACTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MASS GENERAL AND BETH ISRAEL TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS. MASS GENERAL IS GOING TO PROVIDE SOME CANCER TYPE WORK FOR US AND BETH ISRAEL IS LOOKING AT SOME OTHER PREVENTATIVE SCREENING TYPE OF THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH SOME FEDERAL PARTNERS ON A GRANT THAT WE MAY HAVE ACCESS TO IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO TO WE'RE ABLE TO FUND SOME OF THIS WORK THAT'S BEING DONE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE DEPARTMENT HAS, YOU KNOW, A DIETICIAN ON STAFF AND THEY HAVE YOU KNOW, PERSONAL TRAINERS THAT GO OUT AND PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, TRAINING SERVICES FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS. THEY ALSO OFFER THAT SERVICES TO THE CIVILIANS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. SO IT IS REALLY ON THE FOREFRONT OF THE SAFETY HEALTH AND WELLNESS TEAM, THE CANCER CARDIAC YOU KNOW, JUST IN GENERAL OVERALL PERSONAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND ALSO THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN PLACE AN INTEGRAL PART IN THAT AS WELL. YEAH THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING KEVIN THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM I KNOW SOME OF THE I KNOW BRIAN WORKS DOWN THERE. HE DOES A TERRIFIC JOB, VERY PROFESSIONAL WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR IMPORTANT WORK, THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE. MY FINAL QUESTION,  COMMISSIONER, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS WITH DERMATOLOGY AND SKIN AND FOR SOME REASON AT THE VA THE MOST DIFFICULT APPOINTMENT TO GET AT THE VA IS IS DERMATOLOGY FOR FOR MANY REASONS.  THAT'S WHERE I GO AT THE VA. BUT IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD IS IT DIFFICULT FOR A FIREFIGHTER TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR DERMATOLOGY? DO THEY HAVE TO WAIT SIX MONTHS OR EIGHT MONTHS OR IS THERE A PROGRAM THAT FIREFIGHTERS CAN GET AN APPOINTMENT AND AND BE SEEN WITHIN A MONTH OR SO? WELL, WE DO HAVE A CLINIC A SKIN CANCER CLINIC AND THAT TAKES PLACE TWICE A YEAR AND VOLUNTEER THEY COME TO THE HEADQUARTERS AND WE SEND EVERY FIRE TRUCK IN AND THEY COME AND CHECK THEM OUT. ANYBODY WILLING THAT WANTS TO? I DO BELIEVE THERE'S A PROGRAM NOW ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS HAS CANCER AND HE STARTED A PROGRAM WAS A DANA-FARBER I THINK IS WITH DANA-FARBER THAT IF ANY FIREFIGHTER HAS ANY INDICATION OF CANCER HE HAS TO BE SEEN WITHIN 24 HOURS. THAT'S A PROGRAM AT DANA-FARBER WHICH WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE AVENUES TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S QUITE SOON AND TREATED FAST AND THOSE TWO THINGS. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR ONE QUICK QUESTION. I MEAN I GAVE YOU TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FINISHES ANDERSON THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  CAN YOU CAN THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED INITIATIVES SPECIFIC TO ENHANCE AMENDS FOR OR ENHANCEMENTS FOR UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND HOW THESE INITIATIVES ALIGN WITH DEPARTMENT STRATEGIES OBJECTIVES AND COMMUNITY NEEDS ? ANY NEW ANYTHING NEW THAT WOULD WELL, CHIEF MARSHALL COULD TALK TO THE SWAT PROGRAM THAT THEY JUST INSTITUTED RIGHT.  GOOD MORNING, COUNSELOR. YES.  IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RED CROSS, OUR FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION LIKE THE COMMISSIONERS ALLUDED TO EARLIER WENT OUT AND THEY THEY PROVIDING SMOKE DETECTORS TO THE COMMUNITY. THEY CANVASED THE MATTAPAN, ROXBURY AND DORCHESTER AREAS FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO SEE THE INTEREST IN THAT AND AGAIN THEY PROVIDED SMOKE DETECTORS TO ANYBODY THAT NEEDED IT AND OUR FIRE PREVENTION EDUCATION PERSON MR HANCOCK PERKINS HE HAS INSTITUTED A NEW PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT WHERE IF DURING THE COURSE OF AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO ANY FIND OUT THAT THE PERSON DOESN'T HAVE A SMOKE DETECTOR, WE WILL THEN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT RESIDENT AND PUT THE SMOKE DETECTOR IN IN IF THERE'S ANY OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED THAT THEY SEE THAT IS NEEDED AT THAT RESIDENCE THEY WILL PUT THAT PERSON IN TOUCH WITH THE CORRECT PEOPLE TO TO GET AN ASSISTANCE THEY NEED. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  ANY ANYTHING ELSE ANY OTHER CAN I JUST SAY THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT WHEREAS PEOPLE WANT TO KEEP THEIR PARENTS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD THEY'RE THEY CAN ADD ON TO THE BACK OF THEIR HOUSE. WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT FOR FIRE PREVENTION RULES. WE'VE KIND OF ALTERED THE RULES SO TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO CREATE THESE ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS AND WE'RE EXPEDITING THE PERMITTING PROCESS IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM TO KEEP PEOPLE THE CITY AND KEEP PARENTS WITH THEIR CHILDREN.  SOUNDS GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP. WHAT MEASURES ARE IN PLACE WITHIN THE BUDGET TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE ALLOCATION AND UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES INCLUDING MONITORING AND EVALUATING MECHANISMS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF BUDGETARY EXPENDITURES ON DEPARTMENTAL OUTCOMES AND SERVICE DELIVERY? DO YOU HAVE ANY METRICS?  DO YOU HAVE ANY WAY OF SAYING WE'RE EVALUATING THIS, WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB, OUR FIRE MEN ARE YOU KNOW, THEY THEY ARE RESPECTED IN TERMS OF PAY.  HOW HOW ARE WE MEASURING PROGRESS OR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION?  SO I CAN SPEAK TO JUST A LITTLE BIT COUNCILOR IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS BUDGET IN GENERAL THE BUDGET FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HADN'T BEEN LOOKED AT MAYBE THOROUGHLY IN A NUMBER OF YEARS. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS BUDGET THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS WE'VE CONSOLIDATED A LOT OF AREAS.  SO IN SOME OF THE CONSOLIDATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MAYBE HAD THEIR OWN BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR FUEL TRAVEL LAW, YOU KNOW, SOFTWARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE'VE LUMPED THOSE ALL INTO THE RESPECTIVE CATEGORIES WHERE THEY TRULY BELONG SO THEY CAN BE MANAGED BETTER. AND YOU KNOW, FROM A SOFTWARE PERSPECTIVE CERTAINLY WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE USING A SOFTWARE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOFTWARE WILL, YOU KNOW, NOT IMPACT ANY OF THE RESOURCES THAT THE CITY HAS IN TERMS OF HACKERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. YOU KNOW, FUEL WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CALL CENTER IS ALL,  YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF ONE AREA. YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT WASTE MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE CITY WHERE YOU KNOW, VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALL HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE BUDGET FOR WASTE. SO WE'VE DONE SOME OF THOSE CONSOLIDATIONS WHERE WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO GET IF WE GO THROUGH YOU KNOW, THIS CURRENT CYCLE IS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK TO SEE IF SOME OF THOSE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE TAKEN WITH THE SUBMISSION TO THEY WILL PRODUCE YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE METRICS THAT YOU YOU KNOW, ARE LOOKING FOR AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT.  DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF OTHER DISTRICTS OR BEST PRACTICES THAT'S BEEN UTILIZED THAT'S PROVEN EFFECTIVE?  NOTHING RIGHT YET AND JUST GOING BACK TO YOUR ONE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT ENHANCEMENTS. I THINK YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE CAPITAL AND JUST THE YOU KNOW, THE REGULAR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A NEW FACILITIES DIRECTOR WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AND ASSISTANT. SO THE MAJOR FOCUS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HAS BEEN DOING, YOU KNOW, SINCE DAY ONE IS TRYING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE FIRE HOUSES AGAIN THAT YOU KNOW, THE AGING BUILDINGS THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. SO HE'S DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB CATCHING UP WITH A LOT OF THAT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, FY 25 AS WELL. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT'S TREMENDOUS AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HAVE MUCH SUCCESS AND IMPROVEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  CAN THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE SORT OF AN OVERVIEW AND I KNOW WE'VE TOUCHED ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAPITAL PROJECTS SPECIFIC JUST AN OVERVIEW PROJECTS OR INVESTMENTS OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET SUCH AS FACILITY UPGRADES, EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENTS OR ANY OR IN HOW THESE PROJECTS ALIGN WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S LONG TERM GOALS.  SO I THANK YOU AGAIN. SO I THINK A LOT OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, ARE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE SUBMISSIONS THAT WE PREPARE AS PART OF THE BUDGET SUBMISSION AND MANY OF THEM,  YOU KNOW, GET YOU KNOW, FED INTO A SYSTEM WHERE THE CITY DETERMINES, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY CAN FUND THEM, NUMBER ONE AND DO THEY HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE PROJECTS ? YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE HOUSES THAT ARE IN VARIOUS DESIGNED DESIGN AND DISCOVERY STAGES IN TERMS OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ONGOING APPARATUS REPLACEMENT THE APPARATUS, YOU KNOW, TAKES A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR OUT IN THE STREETS. I THINK WE HAVE MAYBE OVER 40 PIECES OF APPARATUS THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOUR ANNUAL VEHICLE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE BOATS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT WILL BE DELIVERED AT VARIOUS TIMES. I THINK WE HAVE ONE COMING THIS YEAR AND TWO MORE COMING NEXT YEAR. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE EXISTING, YOU KNOW, VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THOSE AND NOT SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON VERY OLD VEHICLES. SO WE'RE TRYING TO APPROACH A REPLACEMENT PLAN FOR VEHICLES AND TRYING TO APPLY THAT ON BOATS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO APPROACH. THAT'S I LIKE THAT BUT I USE THAT.  THANK YOU. I HOW CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THE BUDGET INCORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS FOR RESILIENCE ADAPTABILITY IN RESPONSE TO EVOLVING ENVIRONMENTS TECHNOLOGICAL AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SECURITY SAFETY OR DIGITAL SAFETY DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS THAT MAY IMPACT THE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE FUTURE.  SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT. I THINK YOU KNOW, IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT TO TRY TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALLY.  I MEAN THERE ARE CERTAIN UNITS ALL OF US WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT PLAY A LARGER ROLE IN THAT. SO YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, PLAN FOR THAT AND ADDRESS IT AS NEEDED.  BUT NOTHING REAL CONCRETE AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU.  SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CONCERNING ME IS SEEING A LOT OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES STUCK IN OUR STREETS, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT WITH ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES AND THE STREET CHANGES AND THOSE BIKE LANES AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THOSE CALL THOSE POLES THING THAT'S STUCK ON THE GROUND. CAN YOU PERHAPS JUST SHED LIGHT ON, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW WE CAN MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE OR YOUR PLANS TO WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND WORKING ON THIS? WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE BIKE LANES HAVE NOT AFFECTED OUR RESPONSE TIME.  LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IT'S A FOUR MINUTE RESPONSE TIME TO ANYWHERE IN THE CITY AND WE'RE HOLDING OUT THAT THOSE POLLS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEY COLLAPSE SO WE'LL DRIVE RIGHT OVER THEM.  PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS TOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BUT WITH BIKE LANES ARE NOT THEY HAVE NO WAY TO GO SOMETIMES WHEN THEY'RE IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC. SO WE MAKE DO WE GET AROUND THEM? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE I THINK RELATIVELY LOW ACCIDENT RATE WITH FIRE TRUCKS. THEY DO A GOOD JOB GETTING AROUND THE OBSTACLES. I DO SEE THE AMBULANCE IS MORE IN TRAFFIC STUCK THAN YOU ARE. I DON'T THINK THEY GET THE SAME REACTION BY THE TRAVELING PUBLIC THAN A BIG RED TRUCK WITH YOU KNOW I MISS MY BIG RED TRUCK. BELIEVE YOU ME , I UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT. FINALLY, HOW DOES THE DEPARTMENT PLAN TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND WE TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THIS RIGHT IN TERMS OF LIKE SOME OUTREACH THE TEEN PROGRAM I FIGURE WHERE WE CALL THEM TEEN ACADEMY AND JUST OVERALL LIKE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF LIKE BASICALLY YOU KNOW I GUESS JUST A NEED FOR CONNECTING WITH NOT ONLY YOUTH BUT JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE IMPLEMENTING PROCESS TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS AND COMMUNITY NEEDS AND CONCERNS AND JUST THAT BUILDING OF RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY WHAT WHAT'S IN PLACE HOW DO YOU DO THAT? I THINK GETTING THE FIREFIGHTERS OUT OF THE FIRE HOUSE TO MEET THE PUBLIC. I'M A BIG BELIEVER OF THAT.  I REQUEST THAT THE DOORS ARE OPEN. THE APPARATUS DOORS IN THE SUMMERTIME ALL THE TIME SO THE PUBLIC FEELS WELCOME TO COME IN AND MEET THE FIREFIGHTERS AND USE THE FACILITIES LIKE WE SAID EARLIER THAT THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. I THINK I THINK THE FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION GO INTO ELDERLY HOUSING AND SCHOOLS IS REALLY A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO PREVENT FIRES AND TELL PEOPLE WHERE AND I THINK THAT'S WORKING WELL. I'VE INCREASED THE RESOURCES FOR THAT. I'VE INCREASED THE RESOURCES FOR THE THE BASKETBALL LEAGUE. I BELIEVE CONSTITUENT SERVICES AS A PROFESSION IS KEY FOR US TO THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. I TELL PEOPLE THAT THERE'S 33 SAFE HAVENS IN THE CITY. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, IF YOU'RE THREATENED, GO TO A FIREHOUSE IF YOU'RE NOT NEAR WHEN I SAY PULL A FIRE BOX, WE'LL BE THERE. WE HAVE THE BEST RESPONSE TIME COUNT ON US WHERE THE AIR WE'RE A SAFE PLACE AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST. THEY RUN INTO BUILDINGS AFTER THEY'VE BEEN IN TROUBLE. THEY COME TO THE FIREHOUSE. WE WE BRING THEM IN AND WE TAKE CARE OF THEM AND WE CALL THE APPROPRIATE AGENCIES WHATEVER THE ISSUE. SO I THINK IT'S JUST REACHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE WE HAVE A GOOD RAPPORT WITH THE PUBLIC. I THINK ONE THING WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD MORE VOTING LOCATIONS . FIREFIGHTERS WON'T LIKE THIS BUT YOU SHOULD PUT MORE OF A VOTING LOCATIONS IN FIREHOUSES. WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER EVERY FIREHOUSE YOU HAD TO GO AND VOTE AND IT WAS A GREAT DAY. SO WE GOT TO MEET ALL THE ELECTION WORK AS THE PUBLIC CAME AND THEY'D HANG AROUND WITH US. WE'D HAVE COFFEE AND DONUTS WITH NO WE ONLY HAVE ONE FIREHOUSE THAT THEY VOTE AT. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE MORE VOTING LOCATIONS AND FIREHOUSES. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CARMEN. IF I MAY. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I I THINK YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL. I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DO AMAZING WORK.  WHO WHO WOULD LIKE WHO WOULD FIGHT FIREFIGHTERS? ESPECIALLY LIKE IF YOU NEED MONEY LIKE YOU GUYS SAVE LIVES AND YOU PROTECT PEOPLE.  THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN I THINK A REALLY, REALLY FRUITFUL ONE. I LOOK FORWARD TO ADVOCATING IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR BUDGET IS OKAY BUT OPEN FOR ANY TYPE OF ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU GUYS MAY SUGGEST.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DO HAVE TO GO TO A MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE COUNCIL'S ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT. IF WE DON'T SAY IT ENOUGH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH. VICE-CHAIR PEPEN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALSO ASKED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. SO THANK YOU TO THEM AS WELL.  ONE OF THE JUST I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION ONE OF THE ONE OF YOU SAID THAT WHEN YOU FLY TO YOU DON'T TEND TO HAVE ON THE FLY TRANSLATE IT IN OTHER LANGUAGES. IS THAT CORRECT? MOST RECENTLY IT JUST ALLUDED TO EARLIER WITH THE RED CROSS ALL THOSE FLIERS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.  SO WE ARE WE ARE MAKING THAT RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO THE CONSTITUENTS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.  YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE IS MOVING TOWARD THE COMPLIANCE FOR THE CITY, FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS.  SO ANY POSTERS OR ANYTHING THAT WE PRODUCE WE LOOK TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF GETTING EVERYTHING TRANSLATED. THE RED CROSS FLIERS THAT THE DEPUTY CHIEF JUST ALLUDED TO ALSO WERE IN HAITIAN CREOLE AS WELL AND SO WE'LL LOOK TO DIVERSIFY ALL OF OUR OUTWARD FACING MARKETING AND BRANDING MATERIALS. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I WAS HIGHLIGHTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE LCA DEPARTMENT THOSE DO A GOOD JOB OF HELPING DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY TO JUST FULLY TRANSITION INTO HAVE INTERPRETATION OR TRANSLATION INTO I BELIEVE 17 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. SO DEFINITELY WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS UP TO DATE WITH THAT. BUT THAT WAS THE THAT'S IT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ON THAT NOTE, THE FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION THAT SERVICES THE PUBLIC FOR PERMITTING THEY THEY PRACTICE THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY DEAL WITH THEM AND THEY'VE BEEN TRAINED BY THEM AND THE DISPATCHERS ALSO FOR THAT'S PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THE FLOOR JOYCE JEFF.  A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS TODAY AND A LOT OF GREAT ANSWERS. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT TO MAKE SURE I FULLY UNDERSTOOD. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PHASE IN IN THE FIRE BUNKER GEAR AND THE PPE, ARE WE PHASING THAT? ARE WE PHASING THAT GEAR OUT? WHAT IS THE TIMELINE AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE'RE TAKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THOSE PFA THE INVESTED EQUIPMENT AS FAR AS I KNOW WE ARE NOT PHASING THEM OUT UNTIL THERE'S A NEW PRODUCT THAT COMES ONLINE. I DON'T THINK THERE IS A PRODUCT. I'VE SPOKEN TO THE DEPARTMENT CHEMIST AND HE SAID THAT HE IS UNAWARE OF ANY BUNKER GEAR THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE PPE IN IT. SO IT'S A QUESTION OF THE LEVEL . I THINK WE HAVE THE BEST GEAR WITH THE LOWEST LEVEL.  GREAT. SO WE DON'T HAVE THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION AT THIS POINT THAT'S ON US. YES.  THE INDUSTRY STANDARD THAT THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION NOW UNDERSTOOD WHAT CAUSES THE MOST FIRES WE THINK AND IS THERE ANYTHING WE AS A BODY CAN DO TO HELP? JUST LIKE FOR INSTANCE I DON'T KNOW IF ABLE TO SAY IF THERE WAS ELECTRICAL OUTLETS AND ADAPTERS THAT CAUSED THE MOST AND COULD WE, YOU KNOW, PUT SOMETHING THAT SAYS WELL THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAYBE WE PUT SOME SORT OF RESTRICTION ON IT BUT WHAT THE DATA SAYS OF WHAT THE MOST ARE CAUSED FROM JUST TO GIVE US IDEAS OF HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT YOU IN HAVING LESS FIRES TO GO. YEAH, YOU KNOW YEARS AGO IT WAS ALWAYS SMOKING IN BED RIGHT? THAT IS NOT THE CAUSE ANYMORE. I SAID OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD I WOULD SAY COOKING ON DEX IS MANY A TIME WE PULL UP IN THE PORCHES AURORA AND SOMEBODY WAS EITHER SMOKING A CIGARET OUT THERE OR THE GRILL WAS ON THE DECK OR BACK PORCH AND IT STARTS THE BUILDING GOING AND IS THAT WHEN THE PORCH IS COVERED BY LIKE IN THE BACK A TRIPLE DECK IS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GRILL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE HAS SOMETHING ABOVE RADIUS CORRECT SO THOSE ARE THE POINTS THAT YEAH THAT'S THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT'S IT'S MORE COMMON THAN YOU KNOW YEAH YOU KNOW ALL RIGHT WELL WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN TRY TO ENFORCE IT BETTER THAN STRAIGHT.  YOU MENTIONED STUFF IN THE BUILDING CODE IN THE FOLDER THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO IN THAT I KNOW A LOT MORE LIGHTWEIGHT TRUSS CONSTRUCTION IS GOING UP WHICH IS MORE FIRE BURNS THROUGH IT MORE EASILY BUT IT'S MORE STRUCTURALLY THE STRUCTURAL FOUNDATION OF THE BUILDING AND SO IF THAT BURNS EASILY WHEN IT DOES GO THE WHOLE BUILDING COMES DOWN. ARE YOU GUYS KEEPING TRACK OF WHICH BUILDINGS ARE BEING BUILT WITH LIGHTWEIGHT TRUSS CONSTRUCTION AND ARE WE INFORMING OUR OUR ENGINES AND LADDERS ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO RESPONDING TO A CALL SO THAT THEY KNOW HEY, WE'RE GOING INTO ONE OF THE ONES THAT COULD BURN QUICKLY AND FALL ON US SO LET'S BE CAREFUL HERE THAT'S DONE FOR PREVENTION REVIEWS, ALL THE BUILDING PLANS IT GOES TO THE DISPATCHER MANY TIMES WE'VE GONE TO FIRES WHEN THEY SAY TRUSS CONSTRUCTION BEWARE THE WOOD TRUSS CONSTRUCTION THE COLLAPSE IS AN ISSUE BUT YOU ALSO HAD A FIRE YOU WOULD PEOPLE WOULD GO TO THE ROOF TO VENTILATE THE BUILDING THE LADDER COMPANY YOU DON'T WANT THEM DOING AN UNKNOWN TRUSS CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE A ROOF CAN'T HANDLE THEIR WEIGHT. SO YEAH, IT'S IN THERE. THE SYSTEM IS TAKEN THAT'S BEEN IN EFFECT FOR A LONG TIME. THAT'S BEEN IT WORKS WELL IT'S IT'S PROBABLY COMMUNICATED TO IT IS IN ROOMS ON THE GROUND TELL YOU AND THEY'LL TELL YOU IF THERE'S A TRANSFORMER THEY'LL SAY TRUSS CONSTRUCTION BE AWARE YEAH YEAH THEY DO THAT ALL THE TIME AND THEY DO A WELL FIRE ALARM DIVISION DOES THAT WELL YEAH THAT'S AWESOME. IN ADDITION TO THAT CONSIDER THE UNITS IN ANY SPECIFIC AREA THEY GO OUT AND DO A PRE FIRE PLANNING SO IF THERE'S A BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN YOUR IMMEDIATE AREA THE COMPANY IS REQUIRED TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT THAT CONSTRUCTION SO THEY WOULD BE AWARE OF ANY LIKE LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA AND THE AIR IS AWESOME.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THE POST OVERDOSE, THE KNOCK AND TALK PROGRAM THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE THAT IS THE IDEA. WELL DO WE NEED TO GET ANOTHER GRANT FOR IT? SO WHILE I WAS SPEAKING COUNCIL I DID GET A TEXT MESSAGE FROM SOMEBODY IN MY GRANT'S UNIT THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR AN ADDITIONAL GRANT SO WE SHOULD HEAR BY JUNE 30TH THAT WE'VE BEEN AWARDED THAT OH IT'S CALLED A CARRIER GRANT AND I'LL BE YOUR ADVISOR WILL BE BEFORE YOU.  WE ARE SO LUCKY TO ACCEPT AND EXTENT. THAT'S GREAT AND AGAIN IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE AS A BODY CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT YOU IN THAT GRANT LET US KNOW THE ONLY OTHER ONE I KNOW THAT IN GOING OUT TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVERY NIGHT NOW RIGHT THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S ALWAYS POLICE THERE AT EACH COMMUNITY MEETING AND THEY USUALLY GIVE A REPORT OF WHAT'S HAPPENED YOU KNOW IN THE AREA LETTING PEOPLE KNOW AND THEN FOLLOWING UP WITH ANY QUESTIONS AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.  DOES FIRE DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND DO YOU GUYS SEE A BENEFIT TO MAYBE GOING OUT THERE TO EACH CITY GROUP MEETING AS THEY HAPPEN MONTHLY AND HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE THERE IF POSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE YOU KNOW, GRILLING ON THE BACK DECK, CHANGE OVER YOUR GEAR, YOUR ALARMS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT JUST HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY REPEATED AND DRILLED INTO PEOPLE'S HEADS TO GET THEM. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT. I HAVE DONE IT MYSELF. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN DORCHESTER THEY WANTED ME TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEW FIRE HOUSE AND I TOLD THEM WHAT THE TO EXPECT. THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD A SAY IN WHAT WAS COMING.  SO IT WAS IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING ON A REGULAR BASIS. NO, I MEAN I'D HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME TO THE HOUSE TO DO THAT AND THEN MY OVERTIME BUDGET WOULD GO TO THE SHOTS, YOU KNOW? RIGHT, RIGHT. AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN A BIG JUMP IN IT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTOOD AGAIN THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOU DO AND HELP AND KEEP OUR CONSTITUENTS SAFE.  APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JAMES FITZGERALD.  I JUST WANT I KNOW I'VE SEEN HANK AND A LOT OF HOURS HE'S FANTASTIC. YEAH, HE DOES. HE BUYS HIS OWN PROPS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. OH REALLY? YEAH. HE BUILDS THEM AND BUYS THEM RIGHT BY HIMSELF A TWO WHEELER. HE'S GOT THE STOVE. HE GETS HIS HANK A FIREFIGHTER. HE'S A LIEUTENANT. YES. OH, YEAH. I WORKED WITH HIM AT CANTERBURY STREET. WE WERE FIREFIGHTERS TOGETHER. YEAH, HE SPENT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SO I MADE THE DATA I THINK YOU PRESENTED 27% OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR OR PEOPLE OF COLOR.  THAT'S ACCURATE. BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE OF COLOR ONCE THEY GET INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF YOUR SUPERVISORS, YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE SUPERVISOR RANKS LIEUTENANTS, CAPTAINS YOU KNOW, ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR?  THEY ARE YES. THEY TAKE THE EXAM LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND THEY BECOME SUPERVISORS. EVERYBODY TENDS TO GET ALONG CHIEF MARSHALS AT THE HIGHEST RANK THERE IS WE HAVE BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE I'M SURE WE'RE A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE RANKS.  DO DO YOU HAVE NUMBERS ON THAT BECAUSE THEY EXIST? WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TODAY BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.  OH, OKAY. YEAH. I MEAN I JUST I, I YOU KNOW, I SAW IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW IT WAS MUCH LOWER PERCENTAGES AT THE SUPERVISORY RANKS THAN YOU KNOW AT THE SORT OF WE DON'T LOOK AT RACE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU WHEN I WHEN I SAY THAT WHEN WE'RE STUDYING FOR EXAMS I MEAN HE'S HE'S A COMPETITOR. I WAS COMPETING AGAINST HIM EVERYBODY IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE. YOU'RE SMART. YOU'RE SMART, YOU YOU KNOW SO IT'S A COMPETITIVE THING TO GET PROMOTED AND EVERYBODY COMPETES ON THE SAME LEVEL AND IT'S IT'S A YOU'RE GIVING A WRITTEN EXAM? YES. YES. IS THERE ANY OTHER COMPONENTS TO IT? YOUR EXPERIENCE GREAT. YOUR EDUCATION. OKAY.  AND YOU'RE AWARE OF THE POLICE PROMOTIONS ARMS WERE CHALLENGED AND THERE WERE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT ADDING OTHER COMPONENTS. HAVE YOU ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT? HAVE YOU LOOKED YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF SPILLED OVER INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN THAT THAT THAT CHALLENGE CAME UP.  SO WE ACTUALLY IN THE LAST WAS IT A DEPUTIES I MEAN CHIEF'S EXAM WE HAD TO ACTUALLY WE ADJUST THE EXAM WITH THESE NEW COMPONENTS IN IT TO I GUESS MAKE IT MORE INCLUSIVE YOU KNOW THE THE THE POPULATION THAT'S TAKING THE TEST SO FROM THE FEEDBACK FROM THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE TAKEN IT AND THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT IT'S IT'S A GOOD THING A GOOD CHANGE THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND I THINK IT'LL IT'LL SERVE THE DEPARTMENT WELL GOING FORWARD. THAT'S THAT'S UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF CIVIL SERVICE. SO THEY APPROACHED ME AND ASKED ME FOR CHIEFS AND I SENT THEM TO THEM AND THEY ALL GOT TOGETHER AND DEVISED THE NEW STRATEGY FOR THE NEW TESTING SYSTEM WITH CERTAIN UNIQUE CATEGORY OF QUESTIONS. YEAH, I MEAN I THINK I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE POLICE EXAM CASES AND I THINK THE THE IDEA IS YOU KNOW, FOR A SUPERVISING PER YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTER OR POLICE OFFICER, YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO KIND OF LOOK AT OTHER THINGS OUTSIDE OF MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTING FOR ABILITY BECAUSE YOU NEED GOOD ORAL COMMUNICATION IT'S LIKE DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN DO YOU HAVE I KNOW FOR THE POLICE THEY HAVE A COMMITTEE THE COMMISSIONER OF CHIEF HAS A COMMAND STAFF. DO YOU HAVE YOUR DO YOU GET TO APPOINT YOUR OWN STAFF OF LIKE A SUPERINTENDENT OR NO I HAVE THE ONLY TWO APPOINTMENTS I HAVE A RIGHT HERE OKAY THE CHIEF OF OPERATIONS HE'S FIELD AND HE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO EVERYTHING ELSE IS UNION BASED AND A RANK SYSTEM OKAY WELL I YEAH SO YOU'VE MADE SOME CHANGES.  I'M JUST WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION I SAW DRONES MENTIONED YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE IDEA YOU KNOW I ASSUME THEY CAN INCREASE A LOT OF CEO HELPS WITH THE SAFETY OF FIREFIGHTERS WHAT ARE WE SPENDING ON DRONES? WHAT'S THE FUTURE? THE DRONES ARE A FANTASTIC TOOL. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THEM FOR THE INCIDENT COMMANDER IN FRONT OF A BUILDING.  NORMALLY HE RELIES ON REPORTS FROM WITHIN THE BUILDING BUT NOBODY CAN REPORT FROM ABOVE THE BUILDING SO THE DRONE FLIES OVER THE BUILDING.  IT HAS A THERMAL CAMERA ON IT. IT TAKES A CONSTANT VIDEO OF WHERE THE HEAT IS, WHERE THE FIRE IS SO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER CAN GET RESOURCES TO THAT PART OF THE BUILDING. IT PLAYS SO MANY ROLES IT CAN LOOK FOR PEOPLE IN WATER THAT MAYBE WENT INTO THE HARBOR OR SOMETHING THAT A MISS AND IT CAN BE SENT INTO A SUBWAY SYSTEM IF THERE'S A CHEMICAL TERRORIST ATTACK. IT HAS UNBELIEVABLE UNLIMITED ABILITY TO DO SO MANY THINGS THAT FIREFIGHTERS USED TO DO THEMSELVES.  AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON THE DRONE THEMSELVES? I BELIEVE IT WAS 28,000. I THINK WE HAVE THREE OF THEM. THE UNIT IS PROBABLY TO STAFF IT. WE THEY NEED A PILOT AND AN OBSERVER AND WE HAVE THAT 24 HOURS A DAY. I WOULD SAY THE BUDGET IS PROBABLY $1,000,000 MAYBE ANNUALLY. YEAH, WELL WORTH IT. YEAH. YOU KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT TOOL. IT IS AND I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR ANY STORIES YOU HAVE ABOUT IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW WE CAN HELP PROTECT PEOPLE ESPECIALLY OUR FIREFIGHTERS WITH DRONES. YEAH SEEMS LIKE A GREAT THING. WHAT LASTLY COMMISSIONER I JUST I AS A WEST ROXBURY RESIDENT YOU KNOW I I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE RECORD BUT IN TERMS OF THE ROAD DIET IN WEST ROXBURY, I'M NOT I'M A ROSLINDALE RESIDENT. I AM THE LAST HOUSE TO GET THE VOTE FOR YOU ON SOUTH STREET AND THEN IT SWITCHES TO COUNCILOR PEPEN. OKAY. YEAH. WELL, SO WHAT'S BEEN THE IMPACT ON YOUR DEPARTMENT? I ACTUALLY I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO THEM ABOUT IT. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY ANYTHING NEGATIVE FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE RESPONDING IN THAT AREA. YEAH I HAVEN'T SO I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS AS COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON WAS ALLUDING TO IS THAT THAT FIRE THAT THAT EMERGENCY VEHICLES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET UP AND DOWN THE STREET. YEAH, I DON'T THINK THEY IF THEY'VE SLOWED DOWN IT HASN'T AFFECTED US BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT THEY HAVE THEY SEEM TO DO IT RIGHT THERE THAT FIREHOUSE THEY MIGHT COME OUT OF THE FIREHOUSE AND GET ON A SIDE STREET REAL QUICK WHERE THERE IS NO NO BIKE PASS.  YOU TRY TO STAY OFF THE MAIN STREETS IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE PARK STREET OR YOU GO IN MOUNT VERNON OR BELLEVUE OR SOMETHING, YOU'RE NOT ON THE MAIN ROAD AS LONG AS THE MAIN ROADS ARE CONGESTED NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW. OKAY. YEAH, I HOPEFULLY YOU CAN STILL GO TO ROCHE BROTHERS. WELL OKAY.  WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THIS CHAIR HAS TO THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR WEBER FOR HIS LINE OF QUESTIONING REGARDING PROMOTIONS. I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING THAT TO THE FLOOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO NOT ONLY ENSURE DIVERSITY AMONG REGIONAL BUT ALSO IN LEADERSHIP. AND I ALSO WANTED TO SECOND I KNOW IF HANK'S JOB IS TO BE PRESENT IN COMMUNITY GIVE THAT MAN FIVE STARS BECAUSE HE IS EVER PRESENT AND HE IS SO FOCUSED AND SO IT'S IT'S ALWAYS I SAW HIM AT AN EVENT I THINK I CALL HIM THAT 730 THE OTHER DAY I WAS GOING TO WORK ARE YOU WORKING TODAY?  NO, I SAID WHY DON'T YOU GET ON OVERTIME AND GET THE RIGHT THREE? WE GET A COFFEE . OKAY I'LL BE THERE. YEAH AND SURE ENOUGH HE WAS THERE AND YEAH I WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR HIM TO SHOW UP. I SAID CAN YOU MAKE EVERY ONE OF THESE COFFEE HOURS BECAUSE HE SETS UP THE BEAUTIFUL TABLE AND HE'S VERY INFORMATIVE TO EVERYBODY. HE'S GOT SOME SWAG FOR THEM SO YEAH.  SO HATS OFF TO LIEUTENANT PERKINS AS WELL.  SPEAKING OF OVER TIME THE QUESTION I THINK COUNCILOR OR I'LL ASK A QUESTION BUT WANTED TO JUST BE LASER FOCUSED ON THAT SOME OF THE OVERTIME THAT SPENDING THAT WE'RE SEEING IS ON TRAINING AND AN ADMIN WORKLOAD WHICH THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE PREDICTABLE AND SHOULDN'T BE IN MY OPINION AND I THINK YOU KNOW SHOULD IT BE LINE LIKE SHOULD WE SHOULDN'T BE PLANNING FOR THOSE AS A LINE AS A LINE ITEM WITHIN OVERTIME WE SHOULD BE HAVING THEM AS EXPENDITURES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY BUDGET WHY DO WE SEE THEM IN THE OVERTIME EXPENDITURES? I THINK THE COMMISSIONER COIN MENTIONED THAT IT'S TOUGH TO STAFF THESE POSITIONS. WE HAVE 28 VACANT POSITIONS THE OVERTIME FOR THE UNIFORM FORCE IT'S CONTRACTUAL SO IT'S THERE RIGHT LIKE WE HAVE THERE'S A STATUTORY OBLIGATION. YEAH. SO THAT I DON'T THINK IS AN ISSUE THE UNIFORM MEMBERS I THINK IT'S CIVILIAN MEMBERS I THINK I'VE CUT BACK ON THE OVERTIME AT HEADQUARTERS AND SOME OTHER DIVISIONS FOR THE CIVILIAN STAFF BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS TOO MUCH OF IT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REFLECTIVE IN THE BUDGET GIVEN THAT COUNCIL WE'RE DOWN FROM THIS SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR WE'RE DOWN $157,090.77 COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE AND OVERTIME SPENDING FOR CIVILIANS LAST YEAR. GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ON THE TRAINING, YOU KNOW AND AGAIN THESE ARE MY EXPERTS HERE THE FIREFIGHTER IS THE TRAINING THAT'S CONDUCTED, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS OUT THERE A LOT OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, MANDATORY REQUIRED. SO YOU KNOW, HE WAS SHOT WINDOW IF ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE BRINGING CONSULTANTS THAT THE PARTICULAR TRAINING NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED ON SO YOU NEED TO PROVIDE THE COVERAGE FOR THAT FIREFIGHTER THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE TRAINING AS WELL AS SOMEBODY YOU KNOW PROVIDING GOING TO THE TRAINING OF THEMSELVES. SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO TO PLAN THAT. YOU CAN DEFINITELY PLAN THE TRAINING.  THE DIFFICULT PART IS BEING ABLE TO COVER IT ALL WITHOUT OVERTIME.  OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THOSE ANSWERS. I WANTED TO QUESTION FOR MICHAEL GASTON. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AGAIN, GLAD THAT THEY STILL YOU FROM THE POLICE IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE SEEN SOME NUMBERS COMING FROM THE FIRE ACADEMY INTO THE CADET PROGRAM HOW ARE WE WORKING TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS TO GO THAT PIPELINE?  IT'S JUST CONTINUING TO WORK.  MATTER OF FACT LAST WEEK WE WERE STARTING TO WORK A LOT MORE WITH AFFINITY GROUPS THE BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT TEAM.  WE ALSO THEM AT HEADQUARTERS LOOKING AT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE A PARTICULAR STRATEGIC STRATEGIC OUTREACH TO A PARTICULAR POPULATION.  WELL WE WOULD SEE THAT AS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE.  THIS IS THE SAME WORK THAT I DID WITH BP SO A LOT OF THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SAYING HEY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT FIRE AND HERE'S THE CADET OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, SO PARTNERING WITH THESE ORGANIZATION IS CRITICAL TO US JUST SENDING THE MESSAGE, SHARING THE MESSAGE AND OF COURSE CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH THE VULCAN'S AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AFFINITY GROUPS THAT WILL BE WE KNOW WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION OUT THERE AND ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO APPLY . THEN YOU ELEVATED THE WORK THAT LIEUTENANT PERKINS WAS BUT I SEE YOU OUT IN COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME. I SAW YOU TWO DAYS AGO AT A JOB FAIR REALLY ENGAGING.  YEAH. WE TRYING TO HELP BE A GO BETWEEN BUT REALLY ENGAGING OUR RESIDENTS.  SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO REALLY PROMOTE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY AND IN WHEREVER YOU'VE WORKED AND WHEREVER YOU CONTINUE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT BECAUSE AT THAT CAREER FAIR THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM NEW ARRIVALS AND YOU ACTUALLY SERVED AS MY TRANSLATOR ON THE SPOT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AND FOR PROVIDING THAT RESOURCE AND SERVICE TO IN TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK. SO THANK YOU. THIRD QUESTION AND I BELIEVE THIS AS COUNCILOR PRITCHARD WAS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CATHY CROSBY BELL THE MOTHER OF FIREFIGHTER MICHAEL KENNEDY WHO PASSED AWAY IN JUNE A LADDER 15 AT THE MEMORIAL THIS YEAR SHE MADE A STATEMENT I THINK IT WAS A FORCEFUL ONE ABOUT HOW SHE'S BEEN PUSHING THROUGH THE LAST CALLED FOUNDATION FOR BETTER EQUIPMENT. BUT IT SORT OF STALLED OUT ON BEACON HILL. I DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING OR WHY I DON'T THINK IT WAS EQUIPMENT SHE WAS MENTIONING. I THINK SHE WAS MENTIONING A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRED WELL, THIS TO REGISTER AND HAVE SOME TYPE OF DATABASE FOR WELDERS IN CASE WELDING WAS A FACTOR IN THE STARTING OF THAT FIRE THAT HER SON DIED. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.  SHE DID MENTION THE HOSE I DON'T KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO PURCHASE THE HOSE OUT OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND WE WILL SHE DID PURCHASE 100 FEET OF HOSE FOR EVERY FIRE ENGINE IN THE CITY AND WE'RE GOING TO PURCHASE MORE OURSELVES.  IT DOESN'T BURN THROUGH AS RAPIDLY AS THE CONVENTIONAL HOSE WHICH WAS ANOTHER FACTOR IN THAT FIRE. YOU KNOW SO THE THE WELDING ISSUE IS IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE FIRE LIKE THE FIREFIGHTER WERE LIKE SHE'S NOT FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE ALSO FIGHTING FOR NOT SAYING THAT YOU DON'T FIND IT TO BE IMPORTANT BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NOT SOMETHING WITHIN THE CAPACITY OF I DO I HOPE IT PASSES. IT'S IN THE STATE HOUSE.  THEY'RE NOT AS EFFICIENT AS THE CITY COUNCIL FOR GETTING LEGISLATION THROUGH. YEAH, YEAH. EVERYONE KNEW THAT THEY HAD A GOOD COMMISSIONER HERE THAT EVERYONE HERE THAT CITY COUNCIL THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE CHAIRPERSON HERE TODAY . THANK YOU. YES. OKAY. WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT . THAT'S HELPFUL. I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IT GOES BACK TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS ASKING YOU ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT. I THINK MR CHAIR, THIS MAY BE YOUR FIRST HEARING THAT ENDS IN WITHIN THE THREE HOUR FRAMEWORK. I HAVE ACTUALLY TEN MORE QUESTIONS IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ME THE TIME BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE EFFORTS THAT WE DO? YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGES IT'S I BELIEVE IT'S 27% PEOPLE OF COLOR AND I BELIEVE IT'S 9%. WOMAN WHAT IS THE WORK THAT WE CAN DO SO THAT 25 YEARS FROM NOW THE NEXT VERY EFFECTIVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL THAT'S VERY EFFECTIVE AND VERY EFFICIENT 25 YEARS FROM NOW CAN BE LOOKING AT A PANEL FULL OF WOMEN WHO ARE HERE TESTIFYING ON THE BUDGET ON FROM OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.  I THINK YOU CAN SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE.  YEAH. I MEAN FROM THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE OUTREACH TO OUR MILITARY CANDIDATES MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A HOME AND A GREAT PLACE TO WORK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE CADET PROGRAM, IF YOU THOUGHT THAT JUST IF WE HIRED FOUR WOMEN EACH YEAR FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS THAT WOULD ALMOST TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN THAT WE HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO THAT BUILDS CULTURE AND THAT'S JUST FROM THE CADET PROGRAM THAT'S A VERY LOW NUMBER FOUR IS A VERY LOW NUMBER. WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT PROBABLY DOUBLE BECAUSE AGAIN THIS YEAR COMING UP IN JUNE WE'LL INTRODUCE A NEW CLASS AND SO WE'RE STILL COMING UP WITH OUR FINAL LIST BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF WOMEN THAT ARE IN THAT FINAL POOL. AND SO AGAIN, OVER THE NEXT COURSE OF 3 TO 5 YEARS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN THAT ARE IN EACH ACADEMY CLASS BY FOUR WHICH TECHNICALLY IS BY 400% OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS BUT THAT'S A ONE CLEAR WAY CLEAR PATH AND WE KNOW WE COULD INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF WOMEN FOR THE DEPARTMENT. WE WON'T STOP JUST THERE. WE'LL STILL BE REACHING OUT TO OUR RECRUITERS OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BUILD CAPACITY THERE AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS THERE. BUT TO CLEAR A DEFINITIVE PROCESS THAT WE CAN HAVE DIRECTLY OUR HANDS ON IT IS THROUGH OUR CADET OPPORTUNITY.  THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW, I DID A DAY WHEN YOU PUT ON ALL THE FIRE GEAR AND IS HEAVY AND NOT MY CALLING TO BE A FIREFIGHTER AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY BARRIERS AND YOU KNOW WHAT IS ATTRACTIVE WHAT IS ATTRACTIVE CAREER SO THERE ARE THOSE THINGS BUT I DO THINK THAT YOU EVEN WITH THOSE SOCIETAL BARRIERS PHYSICAL BARRIERS THAT WE CAN BE AND SHOULD BE INCREASING OUR NUMBERS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A PANEL FULL OF WOMEN ONE DAY. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR PRESIDENT TWO QUESTIONS ONE ON OVER TIME SHOULD WELL FIRST IS MOST OF THE OVERTIME AND I'M ASSUMING IT'S MORE MOSTLY FIREFIGHTER BUT IF WE COULD GET A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT CIVILIAN WAS FIREFIGHTER OVER TIME THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A COVERING ISSUE, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT INCREASING, YOU KNOW, THE METRO, THE AMOUNT OF FIREFIGHTERS WE HAVE ON THE FORCE TO DECREASE THAT OVER TIME? NOW THAT'S NOT TO CONSIDERATION AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE COVERAGE FOR THE AMOUNT OF TRUCKS THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO WE IF WE CAN KEEP HIGHER AND THROUGH ATTRITION MAKE SURE WE REPLACE EVERY FIREFIGHTER THAT RETIRES, I THINK WE COULD MAINTAIN THE STAFFING LEVEL THAT IT IS NOW. RIGHT. BUT I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OVER TIME AND IT'S 23,000,041 MILLION, 36 MILLION, 30 MILLION WE DECREASE THAT BY JUST ADDING MORE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE DEPARTMENT. I THINK WE COULD DO THAT. I GUESS WE COULD DECREASE THE OVERTIME IF WE DID DO THAT. YES, THAT WOULD DECREASE IT.  AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS AROUND CONTRACTS.  I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER ALWAYS GOING TO BE ADVOCATING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WE SPEND 2.5 MILLION TO LION YEAR FOR BUNKER GEAR THERE. DAYTON, OHIO COMPANY I'M JUST THINKING YOU KNOW, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT HIRING MORE STAFF TO TRY TO MOVE SOME OF THIS WORK INTERNALLY SO THAT WE'RE NOT YOU KNOW ONE, CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOSTON FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS BUT TRYING TO SEE WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THAT 2.5 MILLION TO HAVE IT MORE IMPACTFUL HERE AMONGST OUR RESIDENTS? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE CLEANING IS DONE IN HOUSE IN SOME CASES AND SO IF WE HAD MORE HELP TO DO IT IN HOUSE WE HAVE TO INDUSTRIAL SITES MACHINES IN THE MOTOR SQUAD WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE AND THEY DO A LOT OF THE CLEANING. I THINK THE OVERFLOW GOES TO THAT PRIVATE AS PART OF THE DESIGN AND DISCOVERY FOR THE NEW BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS WE ARE LOOKING AT PUTTING A FACILITY INSIDE THAT BUILDING THAT WOULD ELIMINATE RELIANCE ON AN OUTSIDE CONTRACT TO PROVIDE THAT LION SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE. THEY ARE DAYTON, OHIO BASED COMPANY. THEY ACTUALLY STAFF AND I THINK IT'S IN RANDOLPH WHERE THEY TAKE ALL OF THE YOU KNOW THE FIREFIGHTING GEAR IT HAS TO BE I THINK MANDATED TWICE A YEAR TO BE CLEANED BUT THEN IN ADDITION EVERY TIME THERE'S A FIRE INCIDENT SO WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT WHAT THE COST WOULD BE AND THE BENEFIT OF , YOU KNOW, PROVIDING THAT SERVICE INTERNALLY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.  AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, 9 MILLION ON AUTO REPAIRS OR SUPPLIES GOES TO PENNSYLVANIA.  I KNOW WE HAVE MADISON MADISON PARK.  I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM WORKING ON I MEAN IF POSSIBLE ANY OF OUR FLEET BUT ALSO JUST TRYING TO PRIORITIZE, YOU KNOW, BOSTON COMPANIES BUT ALSO LIKE IT DOES EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE LIKE WHY DON'T WE HAVE A MECHANIC THAT CAN FIX, YOU KNOW, OUR FLEET IN-HOUSE? SO I THINK MOST OF THAT 9 MILLION COUNCIL IS REALLY RELATED TO THE CONTRACTOR THAT PROVIDES THE AUTOMOTIVE PARTS. OKAY. THE MOST MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE MECHANICS AT BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES NEXT IN THAT COMPANY THAT PROVIDES A SERVICE THEY THEY THERE ARE NATIONALS OF THE NAPA THERE ARE AN OFFSHOOT OF NAPA A NATIONAL COMPANY AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY STAFFED WITHIN THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FLEET HEADQUARTERS THERE. AND THERE'S TWO PEOPLE THAT PROVIDE PARTS ALL DAY. AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. I WANT TO THANK ESSENTIAL STAFF MY TEAM PPD AND THEN ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE.  THE HEARING ON DOCKETS NUMBER 0670200678 IS ADJOURNED