SFFD administrative report: engines, ambulances, station delays and training MOU

San Francisco — At a Nov. 28 special meeting, Deputy Chief Janine Nicholson delivered a comprehensive administrative update covering fleet procurement, facilities, training and mutual‑aid deployments.

Nicholson told the Fire Commission the department has six triple‑combination pumpers in fabrication and five more engines at the Office of Contract Administration; because the total contract exceeds $10,000,000, those additional engines must go to the Board of Supervisors for approval. "Anything over $10,000,000 has to be approved by the board of supervisors," Nicholson said.

On ambulances and facilities, Nicholson said the department has approval to order 15 box ambulances (smaller footprint than current sprinters) and reported a groundbreaking for the ambulance deployment facility (Station 49) with a project budget of $30,400,000. She said the first new aerial truck is due in April; if it meets standards, the department will order four more.

Station 16 construction was discussed at length. Commissioners and staff described repeated contractor delays; Commissioner Veronese cited a liquidated damages provision of $2,500 per day and estimated about $370,000 in assessments to date. Nicholson said Public Works is the contract supervisor and the department has been told those damages do not come back to the Fire Department but to the general fund.

On training, Nicholson described probationary drills, live‑fire modules, and work to produce video manuals and updated lesson plans. She said the department is developing an MOU with City College to enroll recruits for college credit that could include reimbursement for training hours; the MOU is under review by city attorneys and will return to the commission for approval.

Nicholson also summarized recent mutual‑aid deployments to the Woolsey and Butte fires, read a letter of commendation from Milpitas for three San Francisco engines, and noted that five new wildland engines purchased this summer aided those efforts. She said ongoing testing with the Cancer Prevention Foundation and Local 798 — including blood/urine/respirator testing — is underway, and a critical‑incident stress debriefing will be scheduled for deployed members.

What commissioners asked for: Commissioners requested a one‑page mutual‑aid summary (what resources were sent, what members received in‑field support) and asked that materials and reports be provided earlier when possible to facilitate review.

Next step: Nicholson said procurement will proceed through the Office of Contract Administration and the Board of Supervisors where required; the City College MOU will return to the commission after city attorney and curriculum committee review.