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Commissioners press SFFD on two‑hour delay to deploy mass‑casualty bus; department seeks newer vehicles
Summary
SFFD said it currently relies on Muni drivers to operate its mass‑casualty transport bus and that operator availability can delay deployment by up to two hours; the department is pursuing two newer buses to expand operator availability and training.
Commissioners expressed alarm at a reported delay of up to two hours to get a mass‑casualty transport (MCT) bus into service when an immediate need arises.
Chief Tong told the commission the MCT bus "holds approximately 20 patients, sort of in a laid down format," and that his office will confirm the exact numbers in a follow‑up. Chief Tong added that the department sometimes cannot deploy the bus immediately because Muni drivers are not always available.
Commissioner Ken Cleveland called a two‑hour wait "absolutely not acceptable" for a mass‑casualty event. Deputy chiefs explained the delay is partly caused by the age of the vehicles: older Muni buses require a limited set of operators who are trained on those models. Deputy Chief/Chief Fellow said the department is working to obtain two newer buses that would be more widely operable and to outfit them for mass‑casualty use; a timetable of "in the next few months" was mentioned but no firm delivery date was provided.
Commissioners asked whether SFFD staff could be trained to drive the buses; department leaders said training and interagency agreements would be required and that they are in conversations with Muni. The department said it will confirm capacity numbers and report back on options to shorten deployment time.
The commission did not take formal action but requested additional details and follow‑up documentation from staff.
