Fire and police describe joint command post, prepositioning and Teams channel for real‑time Fleet Week coordination

Officials from the San Francisco Fire Department and Police Department told supervisors they operate a joint command post and use centralized communication channels to coordinate real‑time incident response during major events.

Assistant Deputy Chief Erica Brown (Homeland Security division) said event planning includes a six‑month permitting timeline and that an EMS medical plan is required for gatherings with expected peaks of 1,000 or more people; SFFD prepositions EMS assets and surge units to protect citywide coverage while supporting event needs. Commander Chris Delgandio said SFPD runs a joint command post with representatives from police, fire, EMS and DEM and that for those not physically present the departments exchange updates over a Teams channel, enabling staff to pivot resources in real time.

Both departments said they use after‑action reviews to adjust staffing and that they plan conservatively—preparing for larger crowds than producers estimate to ensure public safety. "We're always planning for more because it's easier to plan for more than to call up resources last minute," Delgandio said.