Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Emergency Management and Fire Department present FY10–11 budget balancing plans
Summary
Department of Emergency Management outlined personnel and non‑salary reductions to meet mayoral targets while protecting 911 dispatch and preparedness. The Fire Department presented midyear savings and proposed continuing reductions and revenue options; supervisors and union representatives discussed trade‑offs and frontline staffing.
The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and San Francisco Fire Department presented proposed measures to meet FY2010–11 budget targets.
DEM described FY09‑10 reductions already taken (consolidation of IT positions, eliminating vacant posts, reduced work orders) and proposed further savings: summer layoffs, eliminating vacant positions, cutting temporary salaries, limiting non‑mandatory training, streamlining contracts, and evaluating fee increases such as EMT recertification. DEM noted a near‑complete shift to general‑fund reliance after Prop O and emphasized protecting core services — particularly 911 dispatch and the Emergency Operations Center.
The Fire Department outlined that approximately 91% of its base operating budget is salary and mandatory fringe. Midyear actions included defunding a civilian position, shifting prevention inspectors back to field companies as permit activity slowed, and selling unused properties (Old Station 16 on Tennessee Street) to offset costs. The department proposed additional measures to reach a 20% target (~$8.8M) plus a 10% contingency and discussed revenue options such as air rights over Station 13 and cost‑recovery for motor‑vehicle incidents; union representatives urged maintaining current dispatch and suppression staffing levels.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about cross‑jurisdictional 911 routing issues (area‑code/cell‑phone calls reaching neighboring counties) and requested follow‑up on proposals to share some membership costs with enterprise departments. Both departments emphasized the need to preserve core emergency response capabilities while pursuing further administrative savings.
