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Fire chief details wildland deployments, training and new apparatus; K-9 team sent to Hawaii
Summary
Chief Joanne Hayes White updated the commission on academy graduations, strike-team deployments to the Mendocino Complex and Mill Creek fires, incoming apparatus, and a K-9 deployment to Hawaii ahead of Hurricane Lane; commissioners asked for more operational briefings on strike-team activities.
Chief Joanne Hayes White presented a multi-part operational report on staffing, deployments and facilities for the San Francisco Fire Department.
Hayes White said the department recently graduated a class of 49 and is planning a 54-member class in early 2019 plus a fall "bump up" paramedic class of about 30, describing the training pipeline that moves EMTs and firefighters toward paramedic certification. "We graduated a class of 49," she said, and described the composition and planned future classes.
On mutual-aid deployments, the chief said strike teams were active through late July and early August. "We deployed a strike team originally end of last month, I believe, July 26 down to the Cranston Fire in San Bernardino. They were redeployed up to the Mendocino Complex Fire where they remained until August 8 and came back," Hayes White said. She gave updated tallies: "At this time, we have 26 members deployed, 4 still at the Mendocino Complex and 22 to the Mill Creek Fire." Commissioners asked for a future presentation from strike-team leadership to describe what teams are seeing and to give the public context for the department's role in large regional incidents.
Deputy Chief Janine Nicholson provided administrative detail: the department handled 129 facility requests in June and closed 128; Investigative Services Bureau performed 86 drug and alcohol tests (all negative); several apparatus orders are pending, including six engines and three aerial trucks; and the Ambulance Deployment Facility (ADF) behind Station 9 has construction bids under review with an anticipated opening in late 2020.
Nicholson also noted the department's USAR and K-9 activity: firefighter Ed Martinez and his dog were deployed with California Task Force 3 to Hawaii "in anticipation of Hurricane Lane" to support search-and-rescue operations. "We sent Ed Martinez and his canine with Task Force 3 to Hawaii this morning," the chief had said earlier.
Training highlights included live-fire training modules, a multi-agency Caltrain drill and an officers academy scheduled to start Sept. 17. Commissioners praised the training and asked for periodic data on deployments, training numbers and outcomes.
The report closed with updates on station projects: Station 16 completion was projected for Nov. 8 and Station 49 construction work is expected to be completed toward the end of 2020, pending fuel-system permitting and final bids.
The commission did not take action on operational items during the meeting but asked staff to provide further briefings and data at future meetings.
