S.F. fire chief says city ordinance will bar PFAS in turnout gear; department to test lighter respirators

San Francisco Fire Department Chief Janine Nicholson told the Fire Commission on May 8 that the Board of Supervisors has adopted an ordinance requiring the department to stop purchasing turnout gear containing PFAS by June 30, 2026, a change she described as "a big lift, logistically, financially, etcetera." She said the department will keep the commission, the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Budget Office informed about implementation progress.

Nicholson noted the ordinance follows growing attention to firefighting chemicals and cited an NBC feature that included a profile of Lieutenant Sadie Magali, who discussed her experience as a breast cancer survivor. "I believe it is the first ordinance in the country, mandating no PFAS be in, turnout gear for firefighters," Nicholson said during her report.

On equipment testing, Nicholson said she signed a direction under Health & Safety Chief Matt Alba to pilot powered air‑purifying respirators (PAPRs) with several truck companies to evaluate whether they can match the protection of Scott Air Packs while allowing firefighters to carry less weight during overhaul operations. "We are going to test those with a couple of our truck companies to see if they work as efficiently and effectively as a Scott Airpack," she said. Nicholson emphasized that Scott Air Packs remain the gold standard for firefighting and that PAPRs would be evaluated for overhaul situations (when the fire is out but off‑gassing continues), not for active interior firefighting.

Nicholson also urged continued adherence to departmental policies on air monitoring, decontamination and overhaul protocols as the department transitions away from PFAS‑containing gear. She said the department has multiple ongoing health studies, including respiratory research, and will report back to the commission as pilots and studies produce results.

The chief’s comments were delivered as part of a broader report that included outreach efforts, station visits and public events; she asked commissioners to expect periodic updates on the PFAS transition and related safety research.

What happens next: The department will begin equipment pilots and report findings to the commission. The ordinance’s compliance date is June 30, 2026, and budget and procurement planning will be required to meet that deadline.