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Fire Commission hears surf rescue briefing; department outlines case for dedicated marine unit
Summary
The San Francisco Fire Commission received a detailed briefing on the department's surf rescue program, including training, equipment and a proposal for a 24-hour dedicated marine unit. Staff said the city has six jet skis (two staged for immediate response), rising water-rescue calls and equipment procured via federal grants, but staffing would likely require general-fund support.
Assistant Deputy Chief Rudy Castellanos introduced a surf-rescue committee update and invited Captain Robert Styles and firefighter Catherine Alba Swanson to describe the unit's work and training.
Swanson said training is intensive: the surf-rescue qualification begins with a timed pool swim, proceeds through Aquatic Park acclimation and culminates in an Ocean Beach test day. The presentation included a short television report that noted dozens of water-rescue incidents this year; presenters told commissioners that water-rescue events have risen substantially in recent years.
Castellanos outlined the program's operational footprint: rescue-qualified firefighters are stationed across the city rather than concentrated only at Ocean Beach. He identified Station 16 (Greenwich/Fillmore), Station 51 (The Presidio) and Station 4 (near AT&T Park) as key locations that support on-water assets, and said Station 16 currently houses the rescue boat and jet skis for some responses.
Regarding equipment, the department reported it maintains six jet skis, with two ready for immediate deployment and four used as backups or for training. Presenters described regular interagency drills with the U.S. Coast Guard, National Park Service and other partners for ferry and large-bay exercises.
On the idea of a dedicated marine unit, Castellanos described the department's vision for a permanent, 24-hour capability staffed by a pilot, an officer and four firefighters who would serve as divers, jet-ski operators and boat crews. "These individuals would be not only swimmers, they would be divers, they would be jet ski operators and boat operators," he said during the Q&A. Presenters emphasized the specialized training and safety redundancies a full-time marine unit would require.
Commissioners asked for comparative staffing and cost models and for examples from other jurisdictions. Deputy/administration staff Mark Corso said no specific supplemental funding source for dedicated staffing has been identified and that long-term staffing would likely have to be incorporated into the department's general-fund budget. He added that equipment purchases (for example, a recent dive boat and rescue boats) have been obtained through federal grants in the past.
Commissioners requested a follow-up presentation that compares staffing models, shift structures and operating costs used elsewhere, and asked staff to return with potential funding sources, including grant programs. Presenters agreed to return with a more detailed proposal.
The commission did not take immediate action on the marine-unit concept; commissioners indicated interest and asked staff to prepare cost estimates, comparative models and possible grant opportunities for a future meeting.
