Fire Commission - July 8, 2026

4. Chief of Department's Report [Discussion]

Report from Chief of Department, Dean Crispen 

Report on current issues, activities, and events within the Department since the regular Fire Commission meeting on April 8, 2026, including budget, academies, special events, communications, and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

Chief Crispen attended the press conference introducing Supervisor Bilal Mahmood’s lithium-ion battery legislation with Supervisor Mahmood and Union Local 798. Mayor Lurie attended the Department’s Battalion Control Drill, the first in a series of disaster preparedness drills. Chief Crispen thanked the Disaster Committee; Training Committee, and Assistant Deputy Chiefs (ADC) Kasper and Brown for organizing these drills. A City-wide drill will be held in April 2027. Chief Crispen attended the Juneteenth Parade; the City EMT Cohort 11 Graduation; the 137th Recruit Academy Class final run by Headquarters; and the 137th Recruit Academy Class Graduation ceremony. Chief Crispen thanked Captain Dustin Novo for training this class. Captain Novo retired on June 30, with 30 years with the Department. The Community Paramedic Cohort 8 Graduation was held on June 18 at Headquarters.  These new SFFD Paramedics will serve on the Street Crisis Response Team. Accredited by the Department of Public Health (DPH), Community Paramedics can administer 51/50 or involuntary mental health holds. Chief Crispen thanked Chief Sloan and her team for training this class. Chief Crispen attended the H3 Graduation on June 26. He thanked Commissioners Nakajo and Fraser for attending. Chief Crispen attended Firefighter Appreciation Night at the San Francisco Giants game, where Station 14 members were honored for a cliff rescue. Chief Crispen thanked all the members who responded to the third alarm fire on California Street on July 6. Chief Rabbitt will provide more details in his report. The Department is selecting candidates for the upcoming 138th Recruit Academy Class which begins on August 3, and the upcoming H3L2 Class which begins in September. Chief Crispen reported that Station 49 is close to being fully staffed. ADC Dustin Winn in Workforce Development met with all affinity groups, and will be developing a management training program for officers. ADC Winn has also been working on a career track guidebook, and a five-year strategic plan. The budget is currently in a 30-day hold, and includes $80 million over 10 years for apparatus replacement; $7 million for PFAS free turnouts; and $1 million over  two years for cancer screening. The Department lost some positions, but attrition and retirements will prevent layoffs. ADC Schwartz has been working with the Department of Public Works (DPW) on the 2020 ESER Bond project of rebuilding Station 7. They are conducting a seismic evaluation. Chief Crispen reported that the fuel dock at Gashouse Cove will be relocated to Hyde Street Pier. Chief Crispen met with the Treasure Island Development Association (TIDA) to discuss possibly extending the Department’s lease which ends in 2028 to at least 2033. The Department would like to build a fire station to serve Treasure Island. Chief Crispen reported that General Orders (GO) 26 A-50 and 26 A-51 address preparing for wildfires, and rendering aid to surrounding Bay Area counties. GO 26 A-52 improved the bidding process for Station 49, while GO 26 A-59 introduces a PPE cleaning and maintenance program. Chief Crispen thanked members for responding to 576 incidents on the 4th of July, including 14 calls related to fireworks, and two vehicle fires. Chief Crispen thanked ADC Brown and Lieutenant Mauberret for their work during the 4th of July. Chief Crispen introduced Emily Anderson as the ADC of EMS. Chief Crispen’s report is attached: Chief's report.

Commissioner Fraser thanked Chief Crispen for his report. She enjoyed hearing about the recent graduation ceremonies for firefighters and H3s. She was pleased that Community Paramedics can utilize 51/50 holds. Commissioner Fraser expressed that she was in favor of stronger enforcement measures such as fines to help prevent cliff rescues. Commissioner Fraser thanked members who responded to the third alarm fire on California Street, and enjoyed learning about cancer screening. Commissioner Fraser was glad there were no injuries in her neighborhood related to the 4th of July. She congratulated Chief Emily Anderson on her new position as ADC of EMS, and enjoyed marching in the Pride Parade. 

Commissioner Morgan thanked Chief Crispen for his report. He congratulated the 137th Recruit Academy Class and EMT graduates. Commissioner Morgan commended the members who responded to the third alarm fire on California Street. He was pleased to learn about cancer screening. 

Vice President Low if the lithium-ion battery legislation was finalized. Chief Crispen responded that the legislation was forwarded to the BOS, and was expected to pass and signed by the Mayor. Vice President Low requested an update at a future meeting. He inquired if the Hyde Street Pier belonged to Recreation and Parks Department or the Port of San Francisco. Chief Crispen responded that since both Recreation and Parks and the Port have attended the meetings, both agencies handle the pier. Vice President Low inquired where Departments boats get fuel. Chief Crispen responded that they get fuel from Gashouse Cove which will soon be closed, and move to Hyde Street Pier. The Department will monitor the discussions between both agencies to ensure there is no service gap for Department boats. 

Commissioner Nakajo congratulated ADC Anderson on her new position. He commended the members and the Fire Reserves for responding to the greater alarm fire on California Street. Commissioner Nakajo commented that this incident received national attention. He thanked members for their work during July 4th, and looked forward to the distribution of new turnout coats. Commissioner Nakajo inquired about recruiting new members. Chief Crispen responded that the Department is in the process of organizing the 138th Recruit Academy Class in August. The Department plans to hire between seven to nine new paramedics. Commissioner Nakajo inquired about the application process for paramedics. Chief Crispen responded that H3 Level 1 is an EMT position while H3 Level 2 is a paramedic position. Station 49 is currently fully staffed so the Department is hiring candidates with an active paramedic license. Commissioner Nakajo acknowledged recent graduates and thanked ADC Kasper and the Black Firefighters Association (BFA) for their work. He enjoyed attending the Community Paramedic Cohort 8 Graduation. 

President Collins commented that she was in London during the greater alarm on California Street. She was pleased that the Department’s response and expertise was covered in London news, and thanked members for responding.  

There was public comment from Amelia Harmon regarding peer counselors for the Community Paramedicine (CP) Program’s peer counselors. 

Report From Operations, Deputy Chief Patrick Rabbitt

Report on overall field operations, including greater alarm fires, Bureau of Fire Prevention & Investigation, Training within the Department, and Airport Division

Chief Rabbitt reported that the Department responded to 15,420 calls in May and 14,716 calls in June. Compared to May and June 2023, this was an increase of 2,553 calls. Given this increase in calls and the aging fleet, the Department will need funds to purchase new apparatus. Chief Rabbitt reported that building alarm activations have decreased thanks to the Bureau of Fire Prevention’s (BFP) work on monitoring nuisance alarms. There were 676 outside fires, a decrease from March and April 2026. Chief Rabbitt and BC Cannon wrote GO 26 A-34, which collaborates with the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) on drone deployment to rescues and working fires. In response to a Civil Grand Jury report regarding wildfires, the Department issued GOs pertaining to grass and vegetation response and wildfire training. Chief Rabbitt reported that the third alarm fire at the 7th Day Adventist Church on California Street on June 29 originated on the east exterior. Crews utilized a 35-foot ladder and the Emergency Firefighting Water System to help extinguish the fire. Fortunately, the building was not a total loss. The church will be rebuilt in the same location. Chief Rabbitt and BC Cannon attended a meeting of the State Assembly Transportation Committee to discuss the Department’s interactions with autonomous vehicles (AVs) in San Francisco and AV legislation. Senate Bill 1246 is currently going through Committee. Chief Rabbitt thanked Fire Marshal Law from the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation (BFP) for working on weed abatement efforts at Anderson Hill in Bernal Heights. Chief Rabbitt and Fire Marshal Law have been working with Supervisor Bilal Mahmood on lithium-ion battery legislation. The Airport Division responded to 1,142 incidents in May and June, including a construction fire at a Webcor’s construction site. ADC D’Arcy continues working on procuring aircraft rescue firefighting apparatus, including two trucks arriving in September and the Moose boat by the end of the summer. The Division of Training held the first marine firefighting training for land-based firefighters. Several of these trainings have been held at Treasure Island and other Bay Area locations to prepare members for rescues. The recent graduates of the 137th Recruit Academy Class began work the following Saturday. Exterior lighting installed at the Division of Training facility on Folsom Street helps Fire Reserves during their weekly nighttime drills. The Fire Reserves logged over 1,100 service hours, including events such as Juneteenth Parade, Asian Firefighters Association (AFA) hands-only CPR demonstration, and Carnaval. The Fire Reserves also assisted at the greater alarm fire on California Street. NERT is expanding their LISTOS program to serve the increased demand from the Spanish speaking community. In May and June, NERT trained over 750 people in basic teamwork and EMS skills. Chief Rabbitt’s report is attached: Chief Rabbitt's report. 

Commissioner Fraser thanked Chief Rabbitt for his report. She commented on the increase of cliff and bay rescues, and thanked members for their work. Commissioner Fraser was pleased to hear about drone assistance. She asked for more information on the Moose boat. Chief Rabbitt responded that the Moose boat is similar to Station 16’s boat. It is equipped with infrared technology, a small pump, an engine crew, and half a truck crew. 

Commissioner Nakajo thanked Chief Rabbitt for his report. He inquired about the origin of the greater alarm on California Street. Chief Rabbitt responded that the Arson Task Force determined that the origin was a third-floor construction site near the tower.   

Report from EMS and Community Paramedicine, Assistant Deputy Chief, Garreth Miller

Report on the EMS and Community Paramedicine (CP) Divisions

Chief Miller reported that the Department responded to 74% or 8,709 dispatches in May, and 81% or 9,059 dispatches in June. Call volume has stabilized over the last six months, with most calls being Code 2 returns, or non-emergent ambulance transports. In May Ambulance Patient Offload Times (APOT) were approximately 30 minutes over the mandate. There was no APOT date from the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA) in June. Narcan administrations were down in May and June. There was no major change to cardiac arrest date during this time. RC2, Engine 34 and Medic 573 stabilized a patient in cardiac arrest as they transported them to the hospital. Chief Miller reported that overall cardiac arrest outcomes would improve as the public is trained in hand-only CPR. Chief Miller attended the EMS Award Ceremony which honored Rescue Captain (RC) Jeffrey Covitz, and Paramedics (PM) Shaun Mills and Nicholas Koo, and EMT Paul Sugiyama. Retired Chief Simon Pang was also honored with a lifetime achievement award. 15 people participated in the EMT and Paramedic Graduation ceremony. EMS has reorganized its resources with the elimination of the EMS Administration Chief role at Station 49 and transitioning scheduling functions to the Assignments Office. Over 344 members participated in the scheduling bid which allows Station 49 members to select a partner and work schedule. EMS continues to work on restructuring other operational roles such as the diversion control, narcotics management, and equipment logistics. Chief Miller thanked and acknowledged recently retired members: ADC Tony Molloy and Section Chief Craig Gordon. Chief Miller reported on GOs and Memorandums related to EMS. The Department issued GOs requesting medical record support; support for gurney repair, event apparatus, and biomedical maintenance; and selections for vacation personnel at Station 49 and CP. Chief Miller issued 2 CD4 memorandums: implementation of a facility timestamp signature to help manage APOT times, and instructions for a new bid process. CP has been restructured with the elimination of the Administrative Section Chief role which handled training, scheduling, logistics, and fleet operations. Those duties have been redistributed. Given the low call volume from midnight to 5:00 a.m., CP’s Street Crisis Response Team (SCRT) will not operate during that time. CP has implemented a new deployment schedule where personnel and supervisors have the same schedule. This new schedule helps reduce inactive standby time. CP will also be developing a swing schedule where EMS6 and Community Paramedics swing from one position to the other during a pay period. Chief Miller reported a slight decrease in 51/50 holds. Community Paramedicine Cohort 8 graduated in June. Two members of Cohort 7 have started Community Paramedicine programs in their own agencies. Chief Miller acknowledged the Division of Training’s EMS component which organizes the paramedic Level 1 and 2 classes and bump up academies for Department members. Chief Miller reported that peer counselors would no longer be utilized by CP. Chief Miller’s report is attached: Chief Miller’s report.

Commissioner Nakajo thanked Chief Miller for his report. He asked for clarification on the shift change, which eliminated SCRT’s midnight to 5:00 a.m. shift. Chief Miller responded that over the next six months, they will evaluate if changing SCRT hours has improved operations and is the best use of resources. There are fewer calls from midnight to 6:00 a.m., but there will still be 24-hour field RCs on duty to respond to any calls from midnight to 5:00 a.m. Commissioner Nakajo inquired if these changes involve other agencies such as the Department of Public Health (DPH). Chief Miller responded that neighborhood street teams have moved from the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) to DPH. SFPD has taken the lead on the Healthy Streets Operations Center (HSOC) which was previously managed by the Department. Commissioner Nakajo inquired about 30-minute APOT delays. Chief Miller responded that the Department is working on improving direct supervision of ambulance personnel to help alleviate wait times. 

Commissioner Morgan thanked Chief Miller for his report and for responding to public comment. He inquired if the reduction of operating hours affected staff. Chief Miller responded that there were no staff reductions , just a shift in hours worked. Chief Crispen responded that with two SCRTs responding to an average of three calls for service per night, and many facilities being closed during those hours, it made more sense to reallocate Department resources. Ambulances will now respond to calls during that time and will look for alternative transport destinations such as the Geary Stabilization Unit (GSU). 

Commissioner Fraser thanked Chief Miller for his report. She commented on having personally experienced APOT delays, so she looks forward to hearing APOT time updates. She acknowledged that it has been a challenge. Commissioner Fraser was pleased to learn about SCRT calls. She looks forward to hearing future updates on how peer counselors/advocates can participate in future responses with the Department. 

President Collins thanked Chief Miller for his report. She looks forward to future updates on changes in EMS and CP. 

There was public comment from Amelia Harmon regarding peer counselors for the Community Paramedicine (CP) Program. Chief Miller responded that there are operational challenges to account for and that the Department is open to exploring other options in the future.

Commissioner Morgan asked if drones were activated during the greater alarm fire on California Street. Chief Rabbitt responded that there were two drones at that fire, one of which was from the SFPD. Drones are requested by a chief officer. Commissioner Morgan thanked Chief Rabbitt for his report.  

There was no public comment.

Brief Out From Administration, Deputy Chief Sayumi Brannan

Summary on the Administrative Divisions, Fleet and Facility status and updates, Finance, Support Services, and Homeland Security since the last meeting on June 10, 2026

Chief Brannan acknowledged Headquarters’ administrative support team, and Teresa Rechsteiner’s birthday. Chief Brannan reported that Captain Colin Carter is leaving the Investigative Services Bureau (ISB) for the Airport Division. She thanked Captain Carter for his work on background checks and secure storage of personnel material. Chief Brannan welcomed ADC of Workforce Development, Dustin Winn. ADC Winn will be assisting with promotional exams and serve as the liaison to the Department’s affinity groups. ADC Winn is also working on the Racial Equity Action Plan. A management training program beginning in 2027 will enhance operations. Chief Brannan reported on the new EMS bid process. Previously done manually by phone, the new plan streamlines the process and provides real-time updates through an application. Chief Brannan thanked IT Engineer Derek Entwistle, CIO Ron Dibiase, Lieutenant Zachary Kim, and retired Section Chief Craig Gordon for working on this application. Chief Brannan introduced ADC Matthew Schwartz as the new ESER Bond Project Manager, and ADC James O’Connell as the new Support Services Chief. She congratulated Emily Anderson on her new position as ADC of EMS. 

Commissioner Nakajo thanked Chief Brannan for her report. He was pleased to learn about the Assignment Office and the new bid process. He thanked Chief Brannan and her team for their work, and appreciated learning the names of new staff members. 

Commissioner Morgan thanked Chief Brannan for her report. 

Commissioner Fraser thanked Chief Brannan for her report, and for organizing the new bidding process. 

Vice President Low thanked Chief Brannan for her report. 

President Collins congratulated Chief Brannan on updating the bidding process. 

There was no public comment.