02 City Council Min 07-12-04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Regular City Council Meeting July 12„ 2004 Page 15 Mr. Grooms said that what the whole emphasis behind the physical is, when they first began to research of the Haz-Mat, actually starting before that with the fitness wellness program, they are trying to implement that as well. He said if they remember back, they lumped these two together with the previous Council because they were at the time trying to secure a FEMA Grant, and they still are, that would fund that fitness wellness program. He said that by funding the fitness wellness program that would allow them to complete these comprehensive physicals, which would benefit the Haz-Mat. Interim City Manager Townsend said that the other issue was that they would be able to give physicals to all of those employees. So, instead of giving physicals to only 15, with two or three failing the physicals, they would have the opportunity to look at all of them. Councilman Bell stated that they do have to have those physicals. OSHA does require that. Mr. Bell said he did vote against the city going into the fitness wellness program with this. He wanted to stay with the $65,000.00 expense and recommended that they try to get the training for free from the association, cut the expense further and get the Haz-Mat going. He said come back if the city gets the FEMA Grant, then get the fitness wellness program going and the physicals for the other firefighters. Councilman Bell said he has attended their meeting and he knew that the Fire Department is going to need some breathing apparatuses. He suggested getting Haz-Mat done, physicals and all, get the $65,000.00 program going, get the breathing apparatuses and start replacing it and get it moving. Councilman Wilson said that Mr. Grooms told him that there was not a required physical to get into the Haz-Mat Team, now Councilman Bell said it is. Mr. Grooms said there is a requirement by OSHA. He said that we may need to qualify their statements. Mr. Grooms said they were not mandated by State Law to do it, but the EPA, which governs the Haz-Mat follows the OSHA's requirements, and basically, the OSHA guidelines are following the NFPA. So, that is why in making a full circle in their research, they came back to OSHA and back to the NFPA requirements. Mr. Grooms said this is what