Fire Commission - May 11, 2022

Regular Commission Meeting
    Agenda

    SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco Fire Deprtment Official Seal FIRE COMMISSION

    Fire Commission Regular Meeting

    May 11, 2022, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

     

    City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 416 n San Francisco n California n 94102

     

    AGENDA

     

    This meeting will be held in person at the location listed above.  As authorized by California Government Code Section 54953(e) and Mayor Breed’s 45th Supplement to her February 25, 2020, emergency proclamation, it is possible that some members of the San Francisco Fire Commission may attend this meeting remotely.  In that event, those members will participate and vote by video.  Members of the public may attend the meeting to observe and provide public comment at the physical meeting location listed above or online at the below meeting link.  Instructions for providing remote public comment are below.

     

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

    :

    https://ccsf.webex.com/ccsf/onstage/g.php?MTID=e665766636b23f266cb7d17f377c7c48c

     

     

    Watch live at www.sfgovtv.org

     

    Participating During Public Comment: By Phone

     

    Public Comment Call in number is:  1-415-655-0001

     

    Access Code:  2488 479 1320

     

    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.
    • 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 A. Nakajo

    Commissioner

    Francee Covington

    Commissioner

    Amie 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 2022-09 [Discussion and possible action]

    Adoption of resolution setting forth 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 Regular Meeting on April 27, 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 27, 2022, including budget, academies, special events, communications and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

     

    REPORT FROM OPERATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF ROBERT POSTEL

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

     

    7.         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/.

     

     

    May 11, 2022, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

     

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

    This meeting was held in person and remotely on WebEx

     

     

    The Video can be viewed by clicking this link:  https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=180&clip_id=41243

     

    Vice President Nakajo called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.

     

    Commission President

    Katherine Feinstein

    Excused

    Vice President

    Stephen Nakajo

    Present

    Commissioner

    Francee Covington

    Present

    Commissioner

    Armie Morgan

    Present

     

     

     

     

    Robert Postel

    Deputy Chief -- Operations

    Thomas O’Connor

    Deputy Chief --Administration

     

     

    Sandy Tong

    EMS

    Simon Pang

    Community Paramedicine

    David Brown

    Airport Division

    Ken Cofflin

    Bureau of Fire Prevention

    Shayne Kaialoa

    Division of Training

    Ramon Serrano

    Support Services

    Erica Arteseros Brown

    Homeland Security

     

     

    Assistant Chiefs

     

    Bill Storti

    Division 2

    Nicol Juratovac

    Division 3

     

     

    Staff

     

    Mark Corso

    Deputy Director of Finance

     

    2.         Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement

    Vice President Nakajo read the Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement.

     

    3.         RESOLUTION 2022-09 [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.         GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

     

    Brice Peoples stated the following: “Hello, Commissioners.  It's nice to see you this morning.  My name is Brice Peoples, a long-time resident of San Francisco, a 27-year firefighter, and also currently serving as the Department's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, the very first one, as Assistant Deputy Chief.  I'm coming today because I need help.  I need your assistance.  It's a transparency issue.  As you know, the law went into effect here regarding the Racial Equity Action Plan and how the Department and all the city agencies are supposed to interact with this law.  I would like for you to ask, please, the Chief and the administration two things.  Two things, please.  Number one, this document which you have not seen is part of the Racial Equity Action Plan.  It is the budget and the positions on how the plan will be implemented.  It has been suppressed.  It has sat on the Chief's desk now for six months.  I've asked it to be given to you to have thoughtful consideration as we go into the budget cycle, and it has not been allowed to be published publicly.  It is part of the law that this document should see the light of day for transparency.  So, as you know, if this, the budget, does not go into discussion, then the Racial Equity Action Plan does not exist either.  There is -- it is dead on arrival.  So these items are in conflict with the law.  The second question I would like for you to ask the administration is here is the progress report for how we have been doing under the Racial Equity Action Plan.  It was supposed to be submitted by the racial equity leaders, which was tried to submit on May 2nd.  It still has not been done.  And the racial equity leaders have been told not to do it.  So, I don't know what plan is for that.  Maybe you can ask the Chief what is the plan.  I would appreciate that as the oversight body.  Secondly, or lastly, please participate in an experiment with me.  This administration for the last two years has been the subject of four discrimination lawsuits.  And that is not the -- the horrible aspect of it.  In those lawsuits, it is alleged that the individuals have been retaliated against when they have spoken up about transparency and about social justice inside the Department.  The experiment I'm asking you to do now is I have just spoken up.  Let's see what they try to do to me.  Thank you very much.”

     

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

    Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.

     

    • Minutes from the regular meeting on April 27, 2022.

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

     

    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 April 27, 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 next week they will be celebrating EMS Week and the theme is rising to the challenge.  She mentioned that EMS members Jennifer Ishikawa, Matthew Ferris, Larry Para, and Fred Salan will be honored by the Board of Supervisors.  She added that Captain Julie Mau was also honored at the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  Chief Nicholson provided a COVID update stating that six members are out with COVID, 8 members are on long-term COVID leave and 14 members are in quarantine.  She stated that last week they welcomed an H-3 Level 1 and Level 2 hybrid class and that two of those recruits are from the City EMT program.  She announced that May 15, 2022, is the Bay to Breakers race and they will be staffing up a bit for the event as well as a Walk with Sadie (the Department’s therapy dog) event at Lands’ End Trail on May 24, 2022.  She announced that she had several meetings with the supervisors regarding the budget and other items.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    REPORT FROM OPERATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF ROBERT POSTEL

    Report on overall field operations, including greater alarm fires, Emergency Medical Services, Bureau of Fire Prevention & Investigation, Homeland Security, Airport Division.

     

    Chief Postel reported on Operations during April.  He reported that they had 12,700 calls for service, 22 working fires, three greater alarms, and one mutual aid deployment.  He described the second alarm fire at 400 Upper Terrace, which was a wind-driven fire and they experienced significant challenges with access to the building for rigs and personnel due to its location up on top of the hill on a narrow street.  He added that Assistant Chief Storti was the incident commander and that the crews did an excellent job.  He also described in detail the third alarm at 141 to 147 Noe where crews did an excellent job of containing the fire to the two originally involved buildings and that Assistant Chief Mike Thompson was the incident commander at that fire.  The third fire he described was a third alarm at 301 West Portal which was started on the roof by roofers of a large single-story commercial occupancy building with multiple businesses on the ground floor where the fire quickly consumed the roof and spread to the very large attic space.  Assistant Chief Nicol Juratovac was the incident commander who did an excellent job.  Chief Postel also described the mutual aid request from the City of Benicia for the fireboat to assist with a large 4th alarm pier fire.  He stated that they approved the request knowing that San Francisco has the only fireboat with the capability needed and the SFFD fireboat St. Francis provided the needed support to contain this very stubborn fire.  He touched on the EMS Division where last month the call volume was fairly steady with 300 to 350 calls per day.  He added that Medic to Follow calls were substantially reduced on most days due to the increased staffing from the H-3 Level 1s and the H-3 Level 2 bump-up academies that concluded last month.  He also touched on the additions to the Street Overdose Response Team and the Street Wellness Response Teams.  He expanded on the success stories of EMS-6 and the Street Crisis Response Team.  He touched on the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation which they are continuing its efforts to efficiently process plans for the Plan Check Division and meet bi-monthly with the MTA and Transportation Advisory Safety Committee (TASC) to review streetscape changes that impact the fire response and access.  He reported that the Airport responded to 438 calls for service, and bike medics responded to 225 of those incidents as well.  He announced that Assistant Deputy Chief Brown has notified the Department that he intends to retire by the end of June.  Regarding the Division of Training, he stated that the 129th academy class is scheduled to graduate June 3, 2022, and the sixth H-3 Level 2 academy graduated April 15th with 13 members in total.  The H-3 Level 1 class is due to graduate on May 20, 2022, with 25 graduates.

     

    Commissioner Morgan told Chief Postel his report was great and that he liked the videos with the fireboat in Benicia.  Commissioner Morgan confirmed that a “full box” means when there is a report of smoke or fire in a building dispatch will strike a full box assignment and it goes back to the original dispatch days of the Fire Department with the bells.

     

    Commissioner Covington thanked Chief Postel for his report and added that when you have so much to report, brevity goes out the window.  She invited Chief Juratovac to add to the incident she commanded.  Chief Juratovac stated that anytime she gets a chance to brag about the firefighters in her division she is more than happy to do so.  She described the third alarm fire in West Portal and added that because of the men and women of the San Franciso Fire Department, West Portal is safe and sound.  Chief Storti thanked BC O’Connell, BC Gearing, and BC Siguenza who did an excellent job keeping their firefighters safe at the Upper Terrace fire and confining it to the two apartments and keeping it to a second alarm.  Commissioner Covington also mentioned that she loves the videos and level of detail, and she finds them very helpful.  She confirmed through Chief Pang that Buprenorphine is considered a medication treatment that is similar to Methadone, and it is a way for people who have an opioid substance use disorder to substitute Buprenorphine for whatever it is that they are dependent on.  Commissioner Covington asked Chief Cofflin to talk about how the Streetscape plans are developed and implemented and if they impact response times.  Fire Marshal Cofflin responded that they have different members working directly with SFMTA for input and concerns regarding challenges that affect the department and ultimately, they run that through the chain of command and based on field input, what they are going to object to or work further on with SFMTA.  Commissioner Covington congratulated Chief Brown on his upcoming retirement.

     

    Vice President Nakajo thanked Chief Postel for his comprehensive report and acknowledged Chief Storti and Chief Juratovac for their comments on the recent fires they described as well as the members of the Department and battalion chiefs that responded to those significant fires.  He thanked Chief Brown from the Airport for his hard work and experience.  He confirmed some of the incidents in the Operations Report overseen by Chief Pang and confirmed that police code 800B is a mentally disturbed person with a B priority meaning that there is no report of violence or weapons.  Vice President Nakajo highlighted some of the success stories outlined in the report.  He confirmed with Chief Kaialoa trainings that took place during the reporting period including SFFD leadership class and wildland training.  He also verified with Chief Postel that Department General Orders are sent out in paper format, but they are also sent to each member which needs to be acknowledged and reviewed through the HRMS system.  Additionally, every company officer at roll call reviews any new or pertinent general orders that have been issued so that everybody’s familiar with them.  Vice President Nakajo confirmed that Lt. Nancy Galvin oversees the NERT program. 

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    7.         ADJOURNMENT      Vice President Nakajo adjourned the meeting at 10:12 a.m.

     

    Supporting documents