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San Francisco Fire Reserves brief Commission on training, deployments and recruitment
Summary
Fire Reserve Commander Phil Buckley told the Fire Commission April 12 the reserves are a sworn volunteer force governed by the Commission and Administrative Code, provide training (52‑hour academy) and support at greater alarms; membership is funded largely by donations and in‑kind department support.
Fire Reserve Commander Phil Buckley presented an overview of the San Francisco Fire Reserves to the Fire Commission on April 12, 2017, describing the unit as a sworn volunteer organization governed by the Fire Commission and operating under San Francisco Administrative Code authority. Buckley said the reserves' primary mission is to support the San Francisco Fire Department during large‑scale emergencies and to serve as a training pipeline for aspiring firefighters.
Buckley gave a history of the reserves dating to World War II and reorganizations in 1950 and the 1980s. He said the reserve program uses the same SFFD training curriculum in a 52‑hour academy, requires recruits to hold EMT and CPR certifications and to be San Francisco residents, and meets weekly for drills. He reported current strength of 24 active members and 31 recruits in the academy, projecting as many as 56 members after upcoming graduations.
On financing, Buckley said the reserves rely on grants, donations and in‑kind contributions from the department; the program was once in the department budget but is now supported largely by donated equipment and community fundraising. Commissioners praised the reserves' role at greater alarms and asked for periodic updates and bios of reservists; Chief Joanne Hayes White and other commissioners noted the reserves serve as a valuable recruitment pipeline for SFFD.
