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Committee accepts $350,000 Osher gift to buy ambulances, forwards donations of retired apparatus to training programs
Summary
The committee accepted a $350,000 donation from Bernard and Barbara Osher for two new ambulances and approved forwarding three related resolutions — including donations of a retired fire engine to City College and an obsolete ambulance to Galileo High School — to the full Board with positive recommendations.
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee on Feb. 11 voted without objection to forward three resolutions to the full San Francisco Board of Supervisors that would accept a private gift to the fire department and transfer retired apparatus to training programs.
Chair Aaron Peskin opened the portion of the hearing on the items by reading the clerk’s description of the measures, which included a $350,000 gift from Bernard and Barbara Osher for the purchase of two new ambulances and authorizations to donate a 1998 fire engine to City College’s fire academy and a 1998 ambulance to the San Francisco Unified School District’s Health Academy at Galileo High School. "I too want to add my words of thanks to Barney and Barbara Osher for their generous donation in the amount of $350,000," Peskin said.
Supervisor London Breed, who introduced the resolutions, said the items respond to a demonstrated need to replace emergency equipment and support training pipelines. "I'm really excited about this," Breed said, noting the connections between high school, community college and the city’s emergency services.
Mark Corso of the Fire Department told the committee the Osher gift "is a much appreciated donation" and that, combined with federal grant funding and other allocations, the department would be able to purchase nine additional ambulances this fiscal year. Corso described the donated engine and ambulance as 1998 models no longer fit for regular service but valuable as hands-on training tools for students.
There was no public comment. Supervisor Bridal moved to forward all three items to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the committee approved the motion without objection. The resolutions will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on Feb. 23 unless otherwise noted.
The measures are procedural authorizations: accepting a private gift and transferring city-owned equipment to educational programs. No new city operating appropriation or policy change was adopted by the committee at this hearing; the matters were advanced to the full Board for final action.
