Council safety committee calls for work on fire department

Two members of the Havre City Council Safety Committee said during a council meeting Monday that they have received reports of safety concerns in the building that houses Havre Fire Department and also with problems with the department's oldest ambulance.

Council member Josh Miller presented what the committee has been told about the problems.

"We rely on our firefighters and (emergency medical technicians) to take care of all of us in our times of need," he said. "We should be looking out for their health and safety as a committee, as a council and as a community.

"The committee understands that these things aren't solved overnight, but it is unreasonable for us to know these problems exist and not remedy them as quickly as possible," he added.

He has scheduled a Safety Committee meeting for Thursday, May 4, at 1 p.m. in the basement of City Hall in the Emergency Operations Center to discuss the issue.

Havre Mayor Doug Kaercher said after Monday's meeting that about a month ago was the first time he heard of these problems. He said the city has hired an expert out of Great Falls to look at the building.

Miller said this morning that he has gone over 10 years of Safety Committee minutes and email chains he has received indicating the city government has known about those issues. He said in March 2018 a firefighter expressed concerns regarding lead and the air quality in the basement of the station. That firefighter expressed concerns that it was not adequately ventilated, among other things. It was agreed by the Safety Committee at that time that the issue would be investigated. In April 2018, the same firefighter reported the issue to the union and a request was made to test the air.

He said, by June of 2018 the air quality concern that was reported previously was brought up again to then-Mayor Tim Solomon and Public Works Director Dave Peterson. According to the meeting minutes, Miller said, the mayor reminded Peterson that the air needed to be tested, but Peterson said an exhaust fan there functions properly. From there the issue was dropped again.

"I have email chains and paperwork that show our current mayor and especially our public works director had copies of all of this, and yet, to this day, nothing has been done," Miller said.

He said during Monday's meeting he has been told the oldest ambulance is 20 years old with a normal life of seven years, and it is starting to show problems. He said the ambulance broke down three times April 19 while transporting a patient, thankfully restarting that day.

Miller said the committee was told the city has denied the department ordering a new ambulance, which takes 18 months, and which costs nothing at the time of ordering.

He said he took a ride in the ambulance himself, and as a former emergency medical technician, believes the ambulance is not suitable for transporting people to Great Falls and definitely not suitable for 911 calls including in the city limits.

"Time is critical in a medical emergency and this rig undoubtedly needs to be out of service and replaced," Miller said.

In the fire department, he said, the ceiling texture in the office, living quarters and truck quarters has broken loose and covers the firefighters' beds, desks, trucks and other surfaces. He said Assistant Fire Chief Nathan Courtnage sent some in for testing and it tested positive for asbestos fibers.

Miller said it was reported to the Safety Committee that the city administration has known about the issue for some time and no progress has been made to solve the problem.

He said the committee was told that diesel exhaust from the trucks has covered the walls of the truck quarters and gotten into other parts of the building as well. He said the sensors were placed on the walls inadequately to detect exhaust and kick on ventilation.

He said, with diesel exhaust a group one carcinogen, it is a major concern. He said the committee was presented a quote to place a system on all fire department apparatuses to contain and filter the exhaust.

Committee member Denise Brewer read from some letters by firefighters about the problems.

Miller said that after the safety committee meeting ended, it took a tour of the fire department and took photographs and discussed the shooting range below the department, which is the range used by children in the junior rifle clubs.

He said the range is inadequately ventilated and is a concern for lead exposure.

Miller said the committee later received a report indicating the lead is much higher than levels accepteted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 10 micrograms per square foot on the floors to 100 micrograms per square foot on the walls. He said every surface tested was 2,000 to 4,000 times higher than accepted.

"Children walking down there are exposed to high lead levels, as is anyone who is down there working out, walking through or connected to the same ventilation that flows through there," Miller said.