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Mayor's budget keeps SFFD hiring and equipment funding while asking for short‑term savings
Summary
Director Mark Corso told the commission the mayor's introduced budget proposes a roughly $384 million SFFD budget, sustains hiring and equipment initiatives, and includes line items for a harm‑reduction pilot and additional materials funding; the commission asked for better tracking of calls related to homelessness.
Deputy Director Mark Corso briefed the commission on the mayor's introduced budget for 2017–18 and said the department's portion totals about $384,000,000. He told commissioners the mayor's office asked departments to identify 3% reductions over the next two fiscal years, but the department was able to hold funding for several multi‑year initiatives while identifying efficiencies.
Corso highlighted the department's hiring plan, saying the mayor’s public‑safety hiring program will fund multiple firefighter academies and EMT/paramedic classes to backfill service tiers. "We anticipate currently over the next 2 years additional firefighter academies and EMT paramedic academies," he said. Corso estimated the combined hiring plan would amount to roughly 220 hires over two years, including new or backfilled paramedic positions.
Equipment and fleet funding was increased in year two, Corso said, adding several million dollars to the apparatus replacement and equipment program to buy ambulances, engines, breathing apparatus and thermal imaging cameras. Corso also said the department was allocated approximately $750,000 for a mayor‑sponsored harm‑reduction pilot (to work in partnership with Public Health, Public Works and SFPD in areas such as the Tenderloin and Civic Center), and an additional $300,000 for materials and supplies to address rising call volume.
Commissioners pressed for better data on how many calls are related to homelessness and asked the department to track and report the share of incidents tied to street homelessness so policy makers can align resources with demand. Corso said the department is working to add a tracking field to NFIRS and EMS reporting to enable better internal categorization of calls.
Next steps: The department will present to the Board of Supervisors' budget hearings; commissioners requested follow‑up data on homelessness‑related calls and further detail on planned hiring and equipment phasing.
