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Union leaders and paramedic captains warn Station 49 supervision gap as SFFD seeks budget increases
Summary
Paramedic captains and the EMS Officers Association told the Fire Commission that a restored RC4 unit remains at Station 49 rather than staffed in the field and said the department is operating far beyond EMSA supervisory ratios. Commissioners acknowledged the problem while debating budget enhancements to strengthen EMS supervision.
Paramedic captains and representation from the San Francisco Fire Department EMS Officers Association told the Fire Commission on Feb. 10 that critical front-line supervisory gaps are worsening and contributing to response delays.
"My name is Mike Hooley. I am the president of the San Francisco fire department EMS officers association," said Mike Hooley, a paramedic captain, during the public-comment period. Hooley said that although the commission funded RC4 last year, the unit "is being held at the Ambulance Depot Fire Station 49" and described the practice as "somewhat akin to a hostage taking" because the unit will not be moved until staff agree to 12-hour shifts at Station 49.
Hooley and other captains told commissioners the department routinely staffs more than 40 ALS units per day — sometimes more than 50 — while EMSA regulations require one paramedic captain per ten ALS units. "Therefore we have been out of variance with the EMSA for many years," Hooley said, adding that the shortage has led to delayed responses and occasions when an RC did not arrive on scene.
The staffing issue reappeared during the budget discussion, where Mark Corso, the department's budget presenter, confirmed enhancement requests include additional EMS supervisory positions, rescue captains for CQI/training and two more section chiefs to support Station 49 operations. Corso said some EMS infrastructure positions have been discussed in committee and would be reflected in the department's request to the mayor's office.
Vice President Ken Cleveland and other commissioners pressed for details and a prioritization of the roughly $29.3 million in enhancement requests tied to the operating budget. Cleveland sought more time to review the proposals and asked that the commission be involved in ranking EMS needs before final negotiations with the mayor's office; Corso and Chief Joanne Hayes White said the department intended to submit the full request by Feb. 22 but that prioritization would continue in the mayor's office and with the budget committee.
No formal policy change was adopted during the meeting; commissioners instead voted to move the department's budget forward as presented and said they would follow with prioritization and further vetting of enhancement requests. Commissioners and chief staff agreed to return with more specific proposals and metrics — including proposed staffing conversions and estimated ongoing costs — during follow-up budget committee work and subsequent meetings.
The commission scheduled a fuller review of EMS 6 and 9-1-1 collaboration for its March meeting to provide at least 30 days of operational data on the newly reinstated EMS 6 deployment.
