Fire Commission - April 27, 2022

Regular Commission Meeting
    Agenda

    SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco Fire Deprtment Official Seal FIRE COMMISSION

    Fire Commission Regular Meeting

    April 27, 2022, 5:00 p.m.

    City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 400 n San Francisco n California n 94102

     

    AGENDA

     

    In Person and Remote Meeting via video and teleconferencing (see below phone number)

     

    This meeting is being held by WebEx pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Orders and Mayoral Proclamations Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency.

     

    During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) emergency, the Fire Commission’s regular meeting room at City Hall is closed, and meetings of the Fire Commission will convene remotely.

     

    To join the meeting, use the following link for attendees:

    :

    https://ccsf.webex.com/ccsf/onstage/g.php?MTID=eea2d33ad90e6a10301217315a945f973

     

    Watch live at www.sfgovtv.org

     

    Participating During Public Comment: By Phone

     

    Public Comment Call in number is: 

     

    1-415-655-0001 and use Access Code:  2497 509 0350

     

     

    Members of the public will have opportunities to participate during public comment. The public is asked to wait for the particular agenda item before making a comment on that item. Comments will be addressed in the order they are received. When the moderator announces that the Commission is taking public comment, members of the public can:

    1. Raise hand” by pressing * 3 and you will be queued.
    2. Callers will hear silence when waiting for your turn to speak. Operator will unmute you.
    3. When prompted, callers will have the standard three minutes to provide comment unless the President of the Commission decides to reduce the time depending on the number of callers:
    • Ensure you are in a quiet location.
    • Speak clearly.
    • Turn off any TVs or radios around you.

     

    Item No.
    1.         ROLL CALL

     

    President

    Katherine Feinstein

    Vice President

    Stephen Nakajo

    Commissioner

    Francee Covington

    Commissioner

    Armie Morgan

     

     

    Chief of Department

    Jeanine Nicholson

    2.         Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement

    The San Francisco Fire Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land, and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramaytush Ohlone have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the Ancestors, Elders, and Relatives of the Ramaytush Ohlone community and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples.

     

    3.         RESOLUTION 2022-08 [Discussion and possible action]

    Discussion and possible action to adopt Resolution making findings to allow teleconferenced meetings under California Government Code Section 54953(e)

     

    4.         GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
    Members of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes on any matter within the Commission’s jurisdiction that does not appear on the agenda.  Speakers shall address their remarks to the Commission as a whole and not to individual Commissioners or Department personnel.  Commissioners are not to enter into debate or discussion with a speaker.  The lack of a response by the Commissioners or Department personnel does not necessarily constitute agreement with or support of statements made during public comment.

     

    5.         APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES [Discussion and possible action]

    Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.

     

    • Minutes from the Special Meeting on March 2, 2022.
    • Minutes from the Special Meeting on March 29, 2022.
    • Minutes from Regular Meeting on April 13, 2022.

     

    6.         CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT’S REPORT [Discussion]

    REPORT FROM CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT, JEANINE NICHOLSON

    Report on current issues, activities, and events within the Department since the Fire Commission meeting on April 13, 2022, including budget, academies, special events, communications, and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

     

    REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, DEPUTY CHIEF TOM O’CONNOR

    Report on the Administrative Divisions, Fleet and Facility status and updates, Finance, Support Services, and Homeland Security.

     

    7.         AGENDA FOR NEXT AND FUTURE FIRE COMMISSION MEETINGS [Discussion]
    Discussion regarding agenda for next and future Fire Commission meetings.

     

    8.         ADJOURNMENT      

    San Francisco Fire Commission

     

    NOTICE OF COMMISSION PROCEDURES

     

     

    Commission Meeting Schedule and Location

     

    The Fire Commission will meet regularly on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102. The second Wednesday in Room 416 at 9:00 a.m. and the fourth Wednesday in Room 400 at 5:00 p.m.

     

    Commission Office

     

    The Fire Commission Office is located at 698 Second Street, Room 220, San Francisco, CA 94107. The Fire Commission telephone number is (415) 558-3451; the fax number is (415) 558-3413. The web address is http://sf-fire.org/fire-commission-home.  Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

     

    Language Access

     

    Per the Language Access Ordinance (Chapter 91 of the San Francisco Administrative Code), Chinese, Spanish and or Filipino (Tagalog) interpreters will be available upon requests. Meeting Minutes may be translated, if requested, after they have been adopted by the Commission.  Assistance in additional languages may be honored whenever possible. To request assistance with these services please contact the Commission Secretary at (415) 558-3451, or fire.commission@sfgov.org at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing.  Late requests will be honored if possible.

     

    Information on Disability Access

     

    The hearing rooms in City Hall are wheelchair accessible.  The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: #42 Downtown Loop, and #71 Haight/Noriega and the F Line to Market and Van Ness and the Metro Stations at Van Ness and Market and at Civic Center. For information about MUNI accessible services call (415) 923-6142. There is accessible curbside parking adjacent to City Hall on Grove Street and Van Ness Avenue and in the vicinity of the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue adjacent to Davies Hall and the War Memorial Complex.  For more information about MUNI accessible services, call (415) 701-4485.

     

    To obtain a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the meeting, please contact the Commission Secretary at least two business days before the meeting at (415) 558-3451 to make arrangements.  Late requests will be honored, if possible.

     

    To assist the City’s efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products. Please help the City to accommodate these individuals.

     

    Policy on use of Cell Phones, Pagers and Similar Sound-Producing Electronic Devices at and During Public Meetings

     

    The ringing and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at Fire Commission meetings. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic device.

     

    Documents for Public Inspection

     

    Documents referred to in this agenda, if not otherwise exempt from disclosure, are available for public inspection and copying at the Fire Commission Office.  If any materials related to an item on this agenda are distributed to the Fire Commission after distribution of the agenda packet, those materials, if not otherwise exempt from disclosure, are also available for public inspection at the Fire Commission Office, 698 Second Street, room 220, San Francisco, during normal office hours.

     

    Know Your Rights under the Sunshine Ordinance

    (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)

     

    Government's duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review.  For more information on your rights under the sunshine ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact the sunshine ordinance task force. You may contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force Administrator, as follows: Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall, Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4689, Phone: (415) 554-7724, Fax: (415) 554-5784, E-mail: sotf@sfgov.org. Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Task Force, the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s Web site at http://www.sfgov.org.

     

    San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance

     

    Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local policy or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance (San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code sections 2.100 – 2.160) to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102, telephone (415) 581-2300, fax (415) 581-2317 and Web site: http://www.sfgov.org/ethics/.

     

     

    FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING

    MINUTES

    Wednesday, April 27, 2022 – 5:00 p.m.

    This meeting was held remotely on WebEx

     

     

    The Video can be viewed by clicking this link:  https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=180&clip_id=4…

     

    President Feinstein called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

     

     

    1.         ROLL CALL

     

    Commission President

    Katherine Feinstein

    Present

    Vice President

    Stephen Nakajo

    Present

    Commissioner

    Francee Covington

    Present

    Commissioner

    Armie Morgan

    Present

     

     

     

    Chief of Department

    Jeanine Nicholson

    Present.

     

    Robert Postel

    Deputy Chief -- Operations

    Thomas O’Connor

    Deputy Chief --Administration

     

     

    Sandy Tong

    EMS

    Ramon Serrano

    Support Services

    Erica Arteseros

    Homeland Security

    Natasha Park

    Health and Wellness

    Brice Peoples

    Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

    Simon Pang

    Community Paramedicine

     

    Assistant Chiefs

    Ken Yee

    Division II

    Michael Thompson

    Division III

     

    Staff

     

    Mark Corso

    Deputy Director of Finance

     

    2.         Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement

    President Feinstein read the Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement.

     

    3.         RESOLUTION 2022-08 [Discussion and possible action]

    Resolution making findings to allow teleconferenced meetings under California Government Code Section 54953(e)

     

    Commissioner Covington Moved to adopt the Resolution.  Commissioner Morgan Seconded.  The motion was unanimous.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    4.         PUBLIC COMMENT

     

    Richard Rothman from the Outer Richmond thanked the Fire Department and paramedics who came to assist his wife before she passed away. He added that every time they came, they were always very professional, kind, and courteous.  He also expressed his concerns about the slow down on Chain of Lakes and the speed bumps in Golden Gate Park that may compromise emergency vehicle response times.

     

    David Osgood with the Rincon Center Tenants Association expressed his concerns about the alarm testing instructions that are blasted into 4 to 500 residents’ homes over the intercom that they should ignore any alarms that they hear, and he finds this dangerous as well as creating high liability.  He added that he thinks this potential problem can be easily solved if the Fire Department would instruct all building managers to not tell occupants to ignore alarms if they’re not going to hear the testing.  He played the recorded announcement.

     

    5.         APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES [Discussion and possible action]

    Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.

     

    • Minutes from Special Meeting on March 2, 2022.

     

    Commissioner Covington Moved to approve the minutes and Commissioner Morgan Seconded. The motion was unanimous.

     

    • Minutes from Special Meeting on March 29, 2022.

     

    Commissioner Covington Moved to approve the minutes and Commissioner Morgan Seconded. The motion was unanimous.

     

    • Minutes from Special Meeting on April 6, 2022.

     

    Commissioner Morgan excused himself from the vote as he was not at the hearing.  Commissioner Covington Moved to approve the minutes and Vice President Nakajo Seconded. The motion was unanimous 3-0.

     

    • Minutes from Regular Meeting on April 13, 2022.

     

    President Feinstein Moved to approve the minutes and Commissioner Morgan Seconded. The motion was unanimous.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    6.         CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT’S REPORT [Discussion]

    REPORT FROM CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT, JEANINE NICHOLSON

    Report on current issues, activities, and events within the Department since the Fire Commission meeting on January 12, 2022, including budget, academies, special events, communications, and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

     

    Chief Nicholson reported on activities since the last meeting.  She announced that much of her time has been spent participating in vaccination hearings and in depositions.  She provided a COVID update stating they are seeing a bit of an uptick and they have 25 members out, 15 are in quarantine, two are positive and 8 people are out on long-term COVID.  She announced the graduation of the H-3 Level 2 class, and that she presented at the Budget and Finance Committee on the purchase agreement for the site on Carroll Avenue for the new fire training facility and she stated that she is happy to say that it passed today at the Assembly Appropriations Committee in Sacramento, the bill to release the trust on the Port land passed and it will go to the floor of the Assembly next.  She acknowledged the great job by Chief Simon Pang who presented at the Board of Supervisors hearing on the Street Crisis Response Team, Street Wellness, and Street Overdose teams.  She also mentioned that there was a hearing on the Dream Keeper Initiative, and it allowed them to discuss with the BOS the success of the city EMT program which received funding from the Dream Keeper Imitative.

     

    Commissioner Morgan congratulated the Chief on the new training facility.

     

    Vice President Nakajo acknowledged the presence of Lt. Kato at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown who was distributing good information on the SFFD to members of the public.

     

    Commissioner Covington confirmed that candidates for the upcoming H-2 and H-3 academies are in medical background and clearing medical the process, and the H-2 academy is slated to begin at the end of June and the EMS academy is to start on Monday.  She also confirmed that the process of selection for the H-2 has been run through the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office with multiple panels and they refer the best candidates to the Chief who meets with them, and Chief Peoples and they select from those candidates who they want to extend an offer to.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, DEPUTY CHIEF TOM O’CONNOR

    Report on the Administrative Divisions, Fleet and Facility status and updates, Finance, Support Services, and Training within the Department.

     

    Chief O’Connor presented his March administration report.  He mentioned that Chief Arteseros Brown of Homeland Security began the month with a Homeland Security special event emergency planning for the St. Patrick’s Day parade where they had a great turnout by both the command staff and the men and women of the Department.  He announced that the Department welcomed a new canine, Reva, who was given to Captain Gareth Miller.  He touched on the office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Women's Boot Camp on Treasure Island which was sponsored by the United Fire Service Women.  He acknowledged the City EMT class that has morphed into the 9910-job classification with public safety trainees and he stated how fantastic it is to reach into the community and provide a pathway for men and women into the fire service.  He mentioned that NERT and SFFD worked together on a drill for the anniversary of the 1906 earthquake event.  He touched on the Health, Safety, and Wellness Division under Battalion Chief Natasha Parks where they had their second meeting of Coffee with a Clinician where they take members off-campus to a coffee house with a certified mental health professional and let them discuss concerns and issues they have out of the firehouse and in a neutral environment.  He stated that the Physician’s office is busy, and that Dr. Brokaw and Jennifer Greene from the Behavioral Health Unit visited Stations 10, 12, and 21 to discuss mental health and peer support resources.  He also touched on the Investigative Services Bureau and Support Services Division.

     

    Vice President Nakajo thanked Chief O’Connor for his comprehensive report.  He thanked the command level staff in terms of having the NERT live exercise during April.  He asked Chief Parka for feedback following the Coffee with a Clinician event.  Chief Parks responded that they just completed their second Coffee with a Clinician this morning and that the Fire Credit Union provided the tea and coffee.  She added that about 25 members showed up where they can talk to a clinician about anything, and the clinician gives them information about therapies and other helpful information, and she has gotten positive feedback on the event.  She added that the goal is to hit a different Battalion every month. Vice President Nakajo expressed his appreciation to have events back live such as the gathering at Lotta’s Fountain at 5:15 a.m. in which he mentioned that Commissioner Morgan was also there.

     

    Commissioner Covington confirmed that the artwork for the gates on Station 49 should be complete by late spring and she suggested having a ceremony for the unveiling of it.  Commissioner Covington stated that Coffee with a Clinician sounds great, and she thinks it is a wonderful opportunity for people to share and get information about such a stressful job.

     

    Commissioner Morgan was glad to hear that the COVID numbers went down.  He thanked Chief Parks for taking a picture of him with the Mayor at the Lotta's Fountain earthquake anniversary event.

     

    President Feinstein thanked Chief O’Connor for his report, and she confirmed that when they do the drug testing, they test for just about everything, opiates, cocaine, marijuana, etc.  She confirmed with Chief Nicholson that the COVID long haulers are members who have been out for 30 days or more and their condition is monitored by the Physician’s Office.

     

    Chief Nicholson asked that the meeting be adjourned in the memory of Eric Deng, who was a civilian member of the IT team, and he was senselessly killed last week in his home and leaves behind a wife and seven-year-old son.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    7.         AGENDA FOR NEXT AND FUTURE FIRE COMMISSION MEETINGS [Discussion]

    Discussion regarding agenda for next and future Fire Commission meetings.

     

    • Update from the Fire Reserves
    • Update from the CCSF Fire Science Program
    • Invite members of the City’s EMT program

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    8.         ADJOURNMENT President Feinstein adjourned the meeting at 5:58 p.m. in the memory of Eric Deng.