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SFFD outlines how a 1906‑scale earthquake would be fought today, stressing water redundancies and mutual aid
Summary
At an April 6 Fire Commission meeting, Chief Joanne Hayes White reviewed how the San Francisco Fire Department would respond to a 1906‑style earthquake and fire, highlighting the Auxiliarized Water Supply System, hydrant adapters, fireboats, cisterns and mutual‑aid coordination.
Chief Joanne Hayes White told the Fire Commission on April 6 that the San Francisco Fire Department has modernized systems and procedures intended to prevent a repeat of the 1906 catastrophe and to ensure a coordinated response to a large‑scale conflagration.
"The San Francisco Fire Department is comprised of 1,800 members, and we have an operating budget of approximately $220,000,000," Hayes White said, framing the department’s capacity and the resources it draws on during major incidents. She stressed that the department has layered redundancies for water delivery, communications and personnel.
Why it matters: The 1906 earthquake remains a reference point for city preparedness because ruptured mains and lack of firefighting water allowed fires to overrun neighborhoods. The department’s presentation…
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