JAN 19, 2016 ROTARY IN REVIEW:
Fire! Fire!

Bob Jones, aka Carla’s former dental partner (and proud dad)fresh off a hard fought win in cancer treatment proved he still could find the right keys on the piano to create a tune remarkably reminiscent of “America.”  Michael-jon Pease was either announced as singing, or your scribe imagined it.  It did not appear, however, that Michael-jon in fact led the singing.  Was he mourning the passing of David Bowie?  Glen Frey?  The surreal unfairness of Keith Richards surviving both? 

(President’s note: “Mj” was “rear ended on the way to the meeting!  He was fine. Car can be fixed. Jerry Faletti  & Joe Kovarik stepped in to prevent [President Carla] from leading the song!”)

The Inspirational Minute.

Jacob LaCroix was responsible for the “inspirational minute.”  Good Samaritan = Fireman.  Too difficult for your scribe to explain, so he will not try. While on the theme of “who checked out so far in 2016, you scribe thought, “Would Alan Rickman have been better in the role of Samaritan or the guy who beat up the victim?  (Does your scribe have to ask?)

Appetizers.

Eventually, President Carla regained the podium, thanking Heidi Fisher and Jim Kosmo for their service as door greeters.  She introduced your Scribe (Joe Beckman), back in the corner, setting the bar too ridiculously high for a guy fresh of shoulder surgery.  Doesn’t she realize he has hoarding painkillers since Christmas, and took most of them right before the meeting?

Perhaps distracted by the depressing news of who would incorrectly report events this week, nobody announced the day’s guests. 

President Carla next reminded Rotarians of the following:

• Thursday’s Fellowship Breakfast Speaker will be: John Overland, Northern Star Council, BSA, who will talk about the potential relocation of BSA headquarters to a new structure near the scout “Base Camp” at Fort Snelling. 

• New member introduction of Sophie Rupp joined family business as Director of Membership at St. Paul Club.  In brief: teaches yoga; sweet dreams; Summit Hill Association; fiancé; 2 cats; puppy. (Carla likes Sophie because her bio used the words “Yoga” and “sweets” in same sentence.)  She will hold off delivering Sophie “100 years of Rotary,” as she understands Sophie has no current difficulty falling asleep.  (OUCH!)

Next, Jason Stern reminded everyone for the near final time of the Wild Outing on Tuesday, February 23.  Tickets that ordinarily sell for $98 each with $20 of that going to the Rotary Foundation.  Jason gave out autographed pucks for correct answers to each of these questions.  Get your tickets quickly!  (President’s note: Please register and pay online as this will not be billable to your Rotary account.)

SUMMARY OF MEMBER SHIP SURVEY RESULTS (Steve Gerber).  People generally happy with location, dues.   Parking biggest problem.  Greatest satisfaction from service projects.  (Remember: OK to help other club’s service projects; Watch District Newsletter for opportunities!)  Split on whether club yields “fellowship” and/or “Friendship.”  Older members = GOOD for friendship; Younger members not so much.

Perhaps most controversial?  Meeting length: 23 OK, 7 not (the “not” votes evenly split too long/too short).  Rumor has it former President – and wanna a be train conductor –  Jim Kosmo, dug  a grave so he could spin in it.

OPPORTUNITY W/WINTER CARNIVAL (Jason DeKeuster) Needs volunteers for staffing Winter Carnival.  This is a great way to raise the Club’s profile.   JUST DO IT. (In Rotary Garb!)

PROMO FOR JANUARY 19^th (Ann Frisch) – Neither Ann or Ferris responded. 

Shelly Rucks was emcee for both “guests/visitors” and “happy dollars.” Among those introduced were guests from Insight Benefits LLC; Roseville Rotary’s Rotaract Group (Fundraiser next Wednesday at Summit Brewery); a Rotarian’s dad; and three members of the St. Paul Fire Foundation.

Happy Dollars included an unplanned meeting in a place serving margaritas in Mexico, Jason Stern’s awesome social media program that raised over $3,000 for 152 discount winter coats for kids in just 36 hour, and a report from Henning Schulze-Lauen on the substantially improved fiscal strength of the club!  Valdi Stefenson then gave a great update on the Bolivia Water project, including an anonymous $74,000 matching grant! 

The Main Course.

Mark Henneman introduced our speaker, St. Paul Fire Department Chief Tim Butler, who has been in this position for 8 years, one third through second six year term.  Chief Butler, not to be confused with Fire Marshall Bill (Scribe’s Note: If you’re only going to click on one link in this report, and never saw Jim Carrey on  "In Living Color,” click on this one.), talked about the SPFD’s history and future.

Chief Butler has been in the fire service industry for nearly 30 years.  He started in Houston, moved to Twig, MN, before joining the SPFD in 1990.  Before rising to chief, he had experience  emergency management, ran 911 center.  His mantra: “Take ground and lead the transformation.

The SPFD was first organized by the city 1855 as a 100% volunteer organization.  It had three “engines” and 13 volunteers who literally RAN to fires.  Now the fire department has about 40,000 “runs” per year, although they typically drive!

Currently 450 fire fighters, all are EMTs and one third are paramedics.  They serve around the clock, with about 140 firefighters on one of three 8 hour shifts.  The city sports fifteen fire stations with an engine.  15 engines, 7 ladder trucks, which Chief Butler says,
is “Sort of like Chicago Fire without the drama . . . although they do a decent job of showing life in fire house.”

The city experiences a “Working fire” about every two days.  They have a five minute response time, which is about the time it takes from fire to grow from match to full room size.  (It takes about a minute for fire to be discovered, and another 2-3 minutes for call to be made and into dispatch.  Five minutes with four people on rig, which is at/ahead of national averages.

The SPFD stops the fire in room of origin 75% of time.  By the time the fire has burned 8 minutes before they arrive, the SPFD is more likely to stop on the floor where it started.

About 75% of calls are emergency medical.  Four person crews.  When on paramedic call, which provides superior services, they are NOT available for fire calls.  In that instance, another station covers.  This has shown tremendous results and efficiencies.  For example it has a “stent program” that reduces blockage response time to 30 minutes by recognizing the symptoms and getting the patient to a hospital where they go directly to get the procedure.  There is also a “paramedic follow up check” program that appears to substantially reduce the need for “non‑critical” ambulance calls.

President Elect Carla closed the meeting making a donation to the Read With Me Program on behalf of Chief Butler, as well as a coin with the Four Way Test.  She then led all members in reciting the test before ending the meeting at 1:10.  (Somewhere, long deposed president Jim Kosmo is either rolling over in his metaphorical grave, or on his recliner to tan the back of his legs.)

JPB, Scribe