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Fire chief outlines vaccination outreach, grant requests and staffing needs
Summary
Chief Janine Nicholson told the Fire Commission the department is expanding mobile vaccination efforts for vulnerable, housebound residents, pursuing multiple FEMA grants totaling millions for equipment and prevention, and seeking Prop C funds to support Street Crisis Response Team staffing without using general fund dollars.
Chief Janine Nicholson reported to the San Francisco Fire Commission that the department is pursuing mobile vaccinations for housebound and vulnerable residents and is exploring using a multi-casualty bus to reach low‑vaccination neighborhoods such as Treasure Island. "We are working on setting up a mobile vaccination program for our most vulnerable and housebound, individuals," Nicholson said.
Nicholson outlined a slate of grant applications the department has submitted to help cover equipment and staffing needs. She said the department applied to FEMA AFG for roughly $3,300,000 to purchase air‑purification systems for apparatus, EMS equipment and enhanced health checks for members, and submitted three Fire Prevention & Safety grant requests totaling about $2,300,000 for code‑enforcement, community risk reduction and prevention projects. Nicholson said the notice of award or denial is expected in April–May for the AFG and Fire Prevention grants.
On staffing, Nicholson said the department applied for a SAFER grant to fund 36 positions (salaries and benefits) for three years; the anticipated decision window for that application is in August. She also said the department hopes to expand Street Crisis Response Teams (SCRT) and asked that additional SCRT funding come from Proposition C so it would not come out of the general fund. "We're hoping to have 6 teams on 24 hours a day, starting in April," Nicholson said.
Nicholson reported seven department members are off long term with post‑COVID conditions and that the physician's office is monitoring their recovery. She closed by thanking retiring and incoming training leaders and said outreach and interagency coordination on COVID response remain ongoing.
The commission did not take formal action on Nicholson's report; commissioners asked clarifying questions about timelines, grant timing and how stimulus or supplemental city funds might affect departmental budgets.
