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San Francisco Fire Commission praises crews after North Bay deployments, hears fleet update
Summary
The San Francisco Fire Commission on Oct. 25 heard a report that 12 engines and 54 members were deployed to the North Bay fires and that eight new engines will be delivered in the coming weeks; commissioners commended volunteers and discussed reimbursement and staffing implications.
The San Francisco Fire Commission on Oct. 25 heard a detailed account of the departments response to the recent North Bay wildfires and an update on equipment and staffing.
Chief of Department Joanne Hayes White told the commission that San Francisco sent 12 engines and 54 members to assist North Bay operations as part of mutual-aid strike teams, with many personnel serving roughly 10-day deployments. "We were saved," said Paul Pendergast, a public commenter who thanked San Francisco crews for their mutual-aid work for people evacuated from Sonoma County.
White said the department is midway through first-quarter equipment and fleet purchases and that "there will be 8 delivered within the next few weeks," referring to the new engines arriving to replenish and expand apparatus availability. She added the department plans to apply for an exemption so it can keep additional vehicles in reserve rather than turning all older units in at once.
Commissioners asked about staff rotations and rest breaks during long deployments; White acknowledged some early days had limited downtime and said the department will recognize and credit deployed members at a future date. The chief also noted the states master mutual-aid plan provides portal-to-portal reimbursement for deployments, and Director Corso validates reimbursement paperwork.
The commission heard that recruit training is continuing: the 123rd academy is in its fifth week with 54 recruits and the 124th class is anticipated for a March hire date. Members discussed staffing growth tied to a five-year fleet-replacement plan that runs through 2020.
The commission did not take new policy action on the deployments but asked staff to provide follow-up details about rest rotations and any lessons for sustaining mutual-aid commitments. The department said it will brief the commission again during the December meeting cycle on budget instructions and the equipment plan.
The chiefs full report and the commissioners questions were informational; no formal ordinance or regulation was considered in this segment. The next procedural step is a staff briefing on budget instructions expected to be presented at the commissions Dec. 13 meeting.
