Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Training Accreditation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Francisco Fire Department expands hands‑on recruit curriculum, wins state accreditation
Summary
Assistant Deputy Chief Jeff Columbini told commissioners the department has reworked the recruit academy to add three weeks of hands‑on training, active‑shooter instruction required by AB 1598, expanded certifications and instructor ranks, and earned accreditation as one of 12 state‑approved local academies.
Assistant Deputy Chief Jeff Columbini and training staff briefed the commission on a major overhaul of the department's recruit curriculum that aligns with new State Fire Marshal and NFPA requirements.
Columbini said the department extended hands‑on instruction — ventilation, live fire, rescue, driver and pump operations — and now runs a 20‑week academy that includes two initial weeks of focused EMS training and field evaluations. He said the changes were required in part by California Assembly Bill 1598 (active‑shooter first‑responder training) and that the department's active‑shooter module has been reviewed and approved by Alameda County EMS and the FBI.
The division of training also expanded its instructor and evaluator roster: Columbini reported more than 150 new H2s, 60 new H3 level ones, expanded state‑registered instructors (up from 19 to 60) and some 30 state evaluators added since 2016. The department became the twelfth accredited local academy in California after the state audit of facilities, classroom and props.
Columbini recognized training staff and highlighted Lieutenant Tyson Yee's statewide recognition as one of the top training officers. Commissioners asked about opening training to other departments and the timeline for a replacement training facility; Columbini said tight schedules make hosting outside agencies difficult now, and Chief Hayes White described ongoing capital planning and possible bond options for a new, state‑of‑the‑art site.
