Fire chief outlines vaccination-status deadline, possible separations for noncompliance

At the Aug. 11 San Francisco Fire Commission meeting Chief of Department Janine Nicholson described the department’s implementation of city vaccination policy and reported COVID-related staffing impacts.

"We currently have 29 members off either with COVID or COVID exposure," Chief Janine Nicholson said, noting the department is following a citywide process to gather vaccination status and will require field members to be vaccinated by Oct. 13, with their vaccine regimen finished by Sept. 30. She said members must report their vaccination status (a citywide deadline was described in the department's general order) and that disciplinary action, including separation, could follow for those who fail to comply without an approved medical or religious exemption.

Commissioner Francie Covington urged members to be vaccinated and urged public confidence in the department’s ability to respond safely. Commissioners and staff described outreach efforts to make vaccination easier for personnel and said the department is encouraging members daily to enter status information into the system.

Nicholson said officials do not yet have a precise up-to-date vaccination percentage for the entire force but estimated reporting rates in the low 90s for status submission and said historically vaccination rates were above 75% from earlier information. She said some implementation details (for example, operational restrictions for exempt employees) were still being finalized in writing but the overall city timeline and disciplinary framework had been communicated to staff.