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Union and captains press San Francisco Fire Commission over funded but unstaffed RC4 and Station 49 positions
Summary
Union representatives and Station 49 captains urged the commission to restore a funded field unit (RC4) and fill a budgeted fourth EMS captain at Station 49, saying the units have been funded but not activated; the administration said the staffing model and language in the MOU are barriers and asked to continue negotiations and bring the item back in May.
Union representatives and department members addressed the San Francisco Fire Commission on April 13, urging action to restore a funded field unit (RC4) and to staff a budgeted fourth EMS captain at Station 49. Ray Crawford, a senior captain assigned to Station 49, told the commission RC4 "has not been in the field since January of 20 10" and said the EMS Officers Association plans to file a sentinel event with the County MSA Authority, alleging a violation of county policy and procedures.
Sean Buford, speaking for Local 7 98, said the union supports returning RC4 to field service because the positions are already funded. "Since it's already in the budget ... we should put the RC4 back into the field," he told the commission, while asking administration and labor to work collaboratively on Station 49 logistics.
Commissioners pressed department leaders for specifics. Chief Joanne Hayes White and deputies explained the department has budgeted positions that remain unfilled in part because the current supervisory model uses 24‑hour administrative shifts while the budgeted plan envisions 12‑hour supervisory shifts. Chief Hayes White said the administration prefers a 12‑hour supervisory model to mirror subordinate shift schedules and provide consistent on‑floor supervision.
Deputy/Acting Chief Mark Gonzalez and other staff described the issue as tied to contract language and negotiation. As Chief Hayes White summarized during the discussion, changing the supervisor shift length "would have to be a side letter or something negotiated when the MOU is reopened." Commissioners said they would place a fuller discussion of RC4/Station 49 staffing on the May agenda when Vice President Ken Cleveland returns.
The commission did not adopt a formal action to change assignment or staffing at the April 13 meeting. Commissioners and union leaders agreed to continue discussions; several speakers asked the administration to bring written correspondence and a status update to the next meeting so the record reflects outstanding communications between the department and labor.
The issue touches several operational and public‑safety concerns: the workload and supervision model at Station 49, whether funded positions are being used as leverage in negotiations, and the department's goal to expand EMS capacity while changing supervisory shift patterns. The commission indicated it will revisit the item in May.
