Fire Equip Incident CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
City Manager · Dennis M. Kissinger
City-County Building ® 300 West Ash Street · P.O. Box 736
67402-0736
TELEPHONE (785) 826-7250 · FAX (785) 826-7248 · TDD (785) 826-7333 · E-MAIL dcnnis.kissingcr~salina.org
CM MEMORANDUM - 00-10
TO: City Commission
FROM: Dennis Kissinger
DATE: May 5, 2000
RE: Fire Equipment Incident
I have now had an opportunity to review this matter more fully. With the
extensive news media coverage, I thought it might be helpful for you to have a
summary report.
1. The Kansas Fire Chiefs and Kansas State Firefighters Association
Combined Conference was held from Wednesday, April 26 through Saturday,
April 29. This year's conference was in Overland Park, Kansas. This was the first
ever "combined" conference, with over 400 fire service personnel from across
the State. Fire Chief Tom Girard and other members of the Department planned
to attend. Prior to this date, Chief Girard verbally informed me and received
approval to take one of our new pieces of fire apparatus (a fire pumper) to be
displayed at the conference. The City does have reserve equipment for those
short periods of time, planned or unplanned, when a front line piece is not
available for service.
2. It has been my experience over twenty-two years and in various states that
this is an extremely common fire service practice. At virtually every fire
conference, some equipment is displayed. At times, the equipment is in the
process of delivery to a Fire Department by the vendor (thus slightly delaying
delivery and placement in service); at other times, it is brought by a City, County,
District or Township Fire Department. Because Fire Departments individually buy
major equipment infrequently, and often not in reasonable date proximity to a fire
conference, any one Department would display equipment relatively infrequently.
In fact, in Salina, it has been at least ten years since we last provided equipment
for display at a conference outside Salina. It is also unlikely that this will recur in
the foreseeable future. With our central location and good facilities, Salina has
been the host city for a number of conferences. We do have equipment at these
local events, as almost all host departments do. Generally, these Salina
Memorandum 00-10
Page 2
conferences also have equipment from various Kansas cities in the Holidome
parking lot or the Bicentennial Center.
3. The display of newer model equipment is used for information sharing and
learning by the fire service. Rather than travel to numerous cities, departments
regularly see at conferences the most recent technology, equipment layout and
features as specified by their colleagues. That information is then used in
determining preferences for features, specifications, etc. Fire Chiefs believe they
gain additional value for their community by having more direct knowledge when
their community purchases its next major fire equipment.
4. While the equipment vendors participate in these conferences and do some
of their own demos, I have never believed that any primary purpose for a
Department to participate was for a vendor's benefit. Sure, they all like to have
the equipment they have sold on display, but that would be a poor reason for a
city to participate. To be justified, this must be seen as a public purpose - better
information opportunity for Fire Departments, as outlined above. I have always
viewed it that way. Again, the participation by any one department is very
infrequent; ours has been once over a ten (or more) year period. I don't know if
others do it more frequently.
5. Chief Girard and a Fire Division Chief drove the pumper and a private
vehicle to the conference on Wednesday (It was returned to Salina on Friday).
They drove directly there, and arrived at approximately 4:00 p.m. There were
various pieces of fire and EMS equipment in the hotel parking lot. As Chief
Girard was pulling forward in parking our truck near an ambulance;, he
miscalculated distance/clearance and the right rear wheel portion of the truck hit
the fender and hood of the parked ambulance. A fire truck is a large, heavy
vehicle, and even a minor accident can cause damage to a smaller vehicle.
6. The company/owner (from Hutchinson) of the ambulance was at the
conference. He was contacted. At that point, both Chief Girard and the owner
agreed to exchange information, with the matter to be handled by the City's risk
management department and insurance company on the Chief's return to Salina.
Because the accident occurred on private property, with property damage only,
no dispute over the facts, and the parties agreeing to handle the insurance claim,
~'-' they both thought (incorrectly) that no police report needed to be filed.
Memorandum 00-10
Page 3
7. The City's Safety Manual does require that all vehicle/equipment accidents
over $100.00 have a police report made as well as a city accident report. On
Thursday (the next day), Chief Girard did call the Overland Park Police
Department. He was advised that they do accident reports on private property at
the citizen's request. Chief Girard met with an officer, received a Case Number,
was advised to gather all the report form information, and to recontact them when
the information was complete. Chief Girard could not complete the report at that
time because the ambulance had already left, and a V.I.N. #, mileage, etc. were
needed. That information was provided this week by the ambulance company.
The Overland Park P.D. accident report was faxed to the assigned officer at that
time.
Chief Girard should have called the Overland Park P.D. and filed a report at
the time the accident occurred, in accordance with city safety policy. He did call
for a police report the next day. Chief Girard has acknowledged his mistake in
making a wrOng assumption about the need for a police report for an accident
occurring on private property.
8. We are still awaiting final damage repair estimates. Current estimates are a
maximum of $2,800 in fender, bumper and hood damage to the ambulance. This
will be covered by our liability insurance, with no deductible. Damage to the fire
pumper is cosmetic, estimated at $385, subject to our $1,000 collision deductible.
In general, I consider this incident to be minor, and I consider it closed
administratively. As always, there are lessons to be learned in these situations.
Those lessons can be applied in the future. -
As always, please call me if you have any questions.
cc: Mike Morgan
Jason Gage
Chief Girard