Fire Commission - August 28, 2019
Regular Meeting
Agenda

Fire Commission Regular Meeting
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 – 5:00 p.m.
 
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 400  San Francisco  California  94102
 
AGENDA
 
Item No.
1. ROLL CALL
 
President Stephen A. Nakajo 
Vice President Francee Covington
Commissioner Michael Hardeman
Commissioner Ken Cleaveland
Commissioner Joe Alioto Veronese
 
Chief of Department Jeanine Nicholson
 
2. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
 
Members of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes on any matter within the Commission’s jurisdiction and 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.
 
3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES [Discussion and possible action]
Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.
 
• Minutes from Regular Meeting on August 14, 2019
 
4. 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 August 14, 2019, including budget, academies, special events, communications and outreach to other government agencies and the public.
 
REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, DEPUTY CHIEF JOSE VELO
Report on the Administrative Divisions, Fleet and Facility status and updates, Finance, Support Services, and Training within the Department.
 
5. COMMISSION REPORT [Discussion]
Report on Commission activities since last meeting on August 14, 2019.
 
6. AGENDA FOR NEXT AND FUTURE FIRE COMMISSION MEETINGS [Discussion]
Discussion regarding agenda for the next and future regular meetings.
 
7. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED [Discussion]
 
• Letter from Rasha Harvey, Civil Grand Jury
 
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; 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
 
Agenda PDF

FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 – 5:00 p.m. 
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 400, San Francisco, California, 94102
 
 
 
President Nakajo called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m.
 
1. ROLL CALL
 
Commission President Stephen Nakajo Present
Commission Vice President Francee Covington Present
Commissioner Michael Hardeman Present
Commissioner Ken Cleaveland Present
Commissioner Joe Alioto Veronese Present
 
Chief of Department Jeanne Nicholson Present
 
Victor Wyrsch Deputy Chief -- Operations
Jose Velo Deputy Chief --Administration
 
Sandy Tong EMS
Dan DeCossio Bureau of Fire Prevention
Khai Ali Airport Division
Dawn DeWitt Support Services
Michael Cochran Homeland Security
Joel Sato Training Division
 
Assistant Chiefs
Charles Crane Division 2
Nicol Juratovac Division 3
 
Staff
Mark Corso Deputy Director of Finance
Olivia Scanlon Communications and Outreach
 
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
 
Denise Louie, who lives on Mount Davidson at the edge of Glen Canyon Park spoke of her concerns about wildland-urban interface fires in that neighborhood and stated that due to climate change, the tops of the trees are now brown and dead when they used to be green for years and she suggested that the City follow Cal fire vegetation guidelines.
 
3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES [Discussion and possible action]
Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.
 
• Minutes from Regular Meeting on August 14, 2019.
 
Commissioner Cleaveland Moved to approve the above meeting Minutes.  Commissioner Hardeman Seconded.  Motion to approve above Minutes was unanimous.
 
There was no public comment.
 
4. 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 July 10, 2019, including budget, academies, special events, communications and outreach to other government agencies and the public.
 
Chief Nicholson’s report covered events and activities since the last meeting on August 14, 2019.  She announced that she, Chief Wyrsch and Chief Velo met with the NERT Advisory Board and added that they are an incredible group of volunteers.  The Loma Prieta 30th anniversary will be commemorated at the biannual NERT drill on October 19th at Saint Ignatius High School from 8:00 a.m. to noon.  She also mentioned that she met with all the employee groups, including EMS Officers Association and Los Bomberos.  She has attended numerous meetings about the Ambulance Deployment Facility gate and stated they have a great working relationship with the artist, Michael Bartelos, and they have a final review and approval by the Arts Commission before it gets presented back to the Fire Commission.  She met with San Francisco Unified School District, as well as Supervisor Walton to discuss fire science and EMT classes in high schools and communities.  She touched on the meeting she and Commissioner Cleaveland had with board members of the GOTC about working on a strategic and business plan.  She stated that she welcomed 20 recruits to the 15th EMS academy class of H-3 Level-1’s on Monday and they are due to graduate on October 4, 2019.  She announced that the Department of Real Estate has engaged a broker for the search of a new training facility site.  She also announced that the Department will take care of business with the opening the Chase Center and she has no doubt that they will be able to protect the lives and property of everyone in and around Chase Center as well.  She touched on the upcoming stair climb scheduled for September 7, 2019, that she and Olivia Scanlon will be participating in, the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Station 5 starting at 6:45 a.m., and the police/fire mass scheduled for September 29, 2019.
 
There was no public comment.
 
Vice President Covington thanked the Chief for her report and asked for more details on the measures the Department is taking to ensure safe and prompt response to the area around Chase Center.  Chief Nicholson stated that they have done their due diligence by administering a drill as well as their continued and ongoing conversations with MTA, Department of Emergency Management and the Chase Center stakeholders.  Chief Cochrane added that Chase has been very open and transparent and that they have a very robust Homeland Security division and have conducted citywide tabletop meetings where they have discussed preparedness.  Chief Nicholson stated she is confident they are ready and good to go.
 
Commissioner Cleaveland confirmed that the Chase Center has contracted with a private ambulance company to provide services during events and will have their medical plan in the facility.
 
Commissioner Veronese asked that Chief Nicholson share the art drawings for the gate on the new Ambulance Deployment Facility, as there were concerns on some of the earlier renditions that were presented to the Commission.   He confirmed that the Department is gathering data around the time on task and time the ambulances are sitting at hospitals.
 
Commissioner Hardeman was glad to hear she is still meeting with employee groups.  He also complimented Chief Nicholson on her attitude on the issues around the Chase Center as he doesn’t think there is a whole lot to worry about as the Giant’s attendance has dropped significantly over the last couple of years.  He was also glad to hear that the Department of Real Estate has employed a broker and he agrees the less known the better on revealing potential sites for the training facility.
 
President Nakajo confirmed that the NERT drill will be on October 19th at St. Ignatius and the 30th-anniversary celebration of Loma Prieta will be on October 17th at Clair Lilienthal near the Marina.  He also confirmed that the EMT graduation will be October 4, 2019, at the John Adams campus.   He added that with regard to the Chase Center drill, they do what they need to do to be prepared and as Chief Nicholson stated “we take care of business” and part of that is being proactive and whatever it takes for us to do and let the citizens of San Francisco rest assured that the San Francisco Fire Department is on the job.
 
REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, DEPUTY CHIEF JOSE VELO
Report on the Administrative Divisions, Fleet and Facility status and updates, Finance, Support Services, Homeland Security, Training within the Department.
 
Chief Velo’s report covered the Month of August. He highlighted some of the incidents contained in the attached comprehensive report.  https://sf-fire.org/sites/default/files/COMMISSION/Fire%20Commission%20…
 
He touched on some of the highlights of his report including ongoing projects he’s working on with his divisions and has engaged all employees, workgroups and committees and they have submitted to him all the work plans for the year and the goal is for every member of the Department to know what each group is doing, including manual and policy revisions.  He mentioned that he has also been working with Chief Cochran and Chief Wyrsch on Incident Management Team development and training techniques and drills.  He attended the Fire Reserves graduation where 29 members graduated from their six-month academy.  He touched on the balancing tour project they are working on, the vacancy bids for Station 49 and the Support Services Division.  He announced the selection of the new Water Supply Officer, Captain Brent Stuckert who will be working with PUC on projects.  He mentioned the new battery-operated fans, five new engines now in the pre-construction phase and six new chiefs’ vehicles which are due in September.  He also covered events that were held throughout the reporting period.
 
There was no public comment.
 
Commissioner Hardeman thanked him for his report and stated that the public speaker who commented on fire danger in the Glenn Canyon area brought up a good point and he asked if the city has access to a helicopter.  Chief Velo confirmed that because the Department belongs to Cal Fire, which is located in the Santa Cruz area, they can call for mutual aid and they will respond with their helicopter in 15 minutes.  Chief Velo also confirmed that the Department has very good plans of what to do if there was a wildland fire in the City.
 
President Nakajo thanked Chief Velo for his report and thanked Chief DeWitt for being on top of her responsibilities and for taking care of business.
 
5. COMMISSION REPORT [Discussion]
Report on Commission activities since last meeting on July 10, 2019
 
Commissioner Hardeman stated that he took the advice of Commissioners Alioto-Veronese and Cleaveland and he and his wife visited the Fire Department’s museum where they were greeted by two volunteers, Nick Farack and Jeff Aguirre.  He compared the museum to a shrunk down Smithsonian and was impressed with the museum.
 
Commissioner Cleaveland confirmed that he met with Chief Nicholson and representatives of the Guardians of the City to come up with an action plan going forward.  He stated he felt encouraged following the meeting and that they will have better lines of communications between the Department and GOTC going forward.
 
Present Nakajo thanked Commissioner Hardeman for visiting the museum and Commissioner Cleaveland for attending the meeting with the GOTC.  He also announced that regarding the Civil Grand Jury report, he received a request from PUC and the Mayor’s office for more time to review it and will have it on the September 11th Commission meeting agenda as the responses are due by September 15th.  He added that staff lobbyist representative, Olivia Scanlon will be reaching out to each of the commissioners to give input in terms of the work that has been occurring within the Grand Jury report responses.
 
There was no Public Comment.
 
6. AGENDA FOR NEXT AND FUTURE FIRE COMMISSION MEETINGS [Discussion]
Discussion regarding agenda for the next and future regular meetings.
 
• Civil Grand Jury update
• Department Physician’s Office Presentation
• Presentation of Certificates of Appreciation
 
There was no Public Comment.
 
7. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING
 
• Letter from Rasha Harvey, Civil Grand Jury
 
There was no Public Comment.
 
8. ADJOURNMENT President Nakajo adjourned the meeting at 5:51 p.m.
Minutes PDF
Supporting documents