San Rafael fire staff pursue regional drone training, foundation fundraising and report early BLS ambulance success

San Rafael fire staff told the commission they had been invited to a March workshop hosted by Sacramento Metro to study that agency's drone program and policies, and urged commissioners to attend. Staff said Sacramento operates about 20 drones and that the department had already exchanged policy documents with Fresno County and Los Angeles County to learn best practices.

Separately, foundation leadership asked commissioners to leverage personal contacts at the Marin Community Foundation — cited in discussion with a roughly $1.5 billion endowment mentioned by participants — to explore grant support for the Fire Foundation and department programs. "If any of you have a contact in any fashion with Marin Community Foundation ... please send me an email," a foundation representative said.

Commissioners also reported early operational gains from a new BLS ambulance pilot launched in early January. Staff said the pilot has billed roughly $10,000 in early reports and is relieving pressure on engines and ALS units by taking lower‑acuity calls; the pilot currently operates four days a week with plans to expand if data supports it. At least one staff member said the pilot had generated more than 100 applications for part‑time EMT roles, which the department described as a promising pipeline for recruitment.

Commissioners discussed the possibility of further community health work — fall‑prevention classes at senior facilities and a mobile clinic staffed by a nurse or physician assistant — while cautioning against expanding duties without clear data or a sustainable funding model.

Next steps: staff and foundation volunteers will pursue contacts at the Marin Community Foundation, and operational staff will collect three months of BLS pilot data to assess expansion to five or seven days a week.