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Fire Chief Janine Nicholson gives final report as commissioners praise her leadership
Summary
Chief Janine Nicholson delivered her final report to the San Francisco Fire Commission Aug. 28, thanking staff and flagging a planned fleet audit and ongoing infrastructure needs. Commissioners offered tributes and urged continued advocacy for public-safety priorities.
Chief Janine Nicholson delivered her final report to the San Francisco Fire Commission on Aug. 28, telling commissioners, "this will be my last report here at the commission," and thanking staff for their years of service.
Nicholson summarized recent operational work including recruiting for the 130th academy class, ongoing training and public-outreach efforts around the department’s training center, and health and safety studies such as PFAS-free turnout reviews, a nutrition study and a PTSI sleep-disorder study. She also told the commission the department would work with the city controller on a fleet and fleet-replacement audit to document apparatus challenges.
The report and remarks prompted extended praise from commissioners. Commissioner Catherine Feinstein highlighted new health programs and EMS expansion, saying the chief’s work had put the department "leading the country" on some programs. Commissioner Nicasio thanked Nicholson for leaving the department "in a better place than when you first came here," and Vice President Marcy Frazier described Nicholson’s long service and the specialized engines needed to operate in San Francisco’s terrain.
Nicholson emphasized the need for continued advocacy on infrastructure and budgeting as the city considers a charter review, saying the department must "advocate and be involved and put ourselves in the middle of that" so public-safety needs are represented. She also urged that work begun under her tenure be carried forward by incoming leadership.
The meeting record shows several operational details cited in the report: the department recently invited roughly 90 candidates to a boot camp for the next academy, is advancing revisions to reserve apparatus and station readiness, and reported hundreds of administrative actions including background investigations, service orders and equipment outfitting.
The commission recessed for a closed session later in the meeting and subsequently voted not to disclose the closed-session discussion. The commission adjourned at 6:34 p.m.
Next steps: the department said it will continue outreach on the training-center design and proceed with the planned controller-led fleet audit.
