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City Council Meeting Minutes • April 13, 1999 Page 5 1 Ranallo welcomed Fire Chief Dick Johnson and invited him to address the Council. Chief 2 Johnson reviewed the 1998 Fire Department Annual Report, including personnel, apparatus, 3 equipment inventory, and emergency activities. 4 5 Ranallo asked whether the one fire engine equipped with a defibrillator can be called away from 6 a call if necessary. Chief Johnson stated that the Department can set priorities in the field and 7 abandon a call. He added that both the Fire and Police Departments handle emergency calls and 8 - rely on each other for patient care. He stressed that so far this has never been a problem. 9 10 Faust asked whether the Department needs another defibrillator. Chief Johnson stated the Police 11 Department could use one, and the Fire Department's capital budget allows for purchase of a 12 new defibrillator. 13 14 John Mondati, 3420 Highcrest Road, stated he believes the City should buy a second 15 defibrillator. Chief Johnson stated the average age of patients is definitely going down. 16 17 Thuesen asked whether the section within the Annual Report pertaining to city code inspections 8 could be presented more clearly with detailed information about the type of violations and inspections. Chief Johnson stated he could produce a separate report with detailed information, 20 but he was reluctant to include it in the Annual Report. 21 22 Ranallo thanked Chief Johnson for his report. 23 24 F. Presentation of 1998 Police Department Annual Report. 25 Ranallo welcomed Police Chief Dick Engstrom and invited him to address the Council. Chief 26 Engstrom stated, with regard to defibrillators, the Department has 2 defibrillators in squad cars 27 which are utilized in the contract cities of Lauderdale and Falcon Heights. He added the 28 Department does not have one for use in the City, and this was not included in the capital budget 29 since the Fire Department has been very responsive. He added that the latest models of 30 defibrillators cost approximately $3,000. 31 32 Marks asked whether a 2nd defibrillator could be purchased. Chief Engstrom stated that State 33 grant money was available, but the City did not qualify as it already owns 2 which are used for 34 the contract cities. 35 36 Cavanaugh referred to a recent article in the New York Times' Personal Health section regarding 37 defibrillators, stating that they are very easy to operate and user friendly and stressed the 38 significance of having them in squad cars. He recommended the City equip its squad cars with 39 defibrillators.