San Francisco Fire leaders report staffing, training and operational updates; no policy votes taken

Janine Nicholson, chief of the San Francisco Fire Department, told the Fire Commission the department is preparing for a recruit academy scheduled to start in January 2023 and has invited roughly 50 candidates for the class. "This morning I will be excusing myself to attend the Mayor's Department Head meeting," Nicholson said in her opening report, before summarizing staffing and training activity.

Nicholson highlighted recent training and staffing milestones: 25 EMTs and paramedics graduated last week from the H3 academy, which contributes to a goal of filling 60 full-time-equivalent positions allocated in this year's budget. She also reported COVID-related staffing impacts, saying the department currently has "7 members on quarantine and 3 positive members" and a small number of longer absences.

The chief credited recent exercises and public events with strengthening readiness. She noted Fleet Week participation, multiagency drills on Treasure Island and a canine search-and-rescue demonstration at Debose Park. "We did participate in several training exercises," she said, adding the events provide opportunities to rehearse large-scale responses.

Deputy Chief Bob Ostell delivered the operations summary for September, describing what he called "a relatively quiet month in suppression." "We had no rare firearms. We did have 10 working fires," Ostell said, and he described ten water and surf rescues and several high-angle cliff rescues. He also praised crews who responded to a recent second-alarm structure fire that involved multiple buildings, naming Battalion Chief Dustin Wynne for his on-scene command.

Ostell provided a snapshot of the department's regulatory workload: 2,311 inspections, 399 complaints, 412 permits issued and 61 sunshine (records) requests processed during September. He also described a full-scale airport drill at San Francisco International Airport that involved multiple jurisdictions and private partners.

Training and recruitment matters were a second focal point. Officials said the recruit class has completed state-required testing and live-fire training; training staff are repairing and building props for future instruction. The department has also added roughly 35 volunteers to a civilian response team and plans battalion-based dispatch exercises to test post-disaster operations.

On EMS and community paramedicine, a deputy chief identified as Katie reported that the department graduated 25 new members at Station 49, added four new ambulance shifts to improve coverage and has seen a recent drop in so-called "medic follow" calls. The deputy also described local participation in a blinded study of a "mind rhythm" headband intended to help prehospital teams detect large-vessel occlusions in stroke patients; the device is being tested pending possible future FDA approval.

There was no public comment on the record. The commission approved the minutes of the Sept. 28, 2022 meeting by voice vote and later moved to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 09:46; the commission noted its next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 26 at City Hall.

No ordinances, contracts, budget votes or appointments were taken at this session.