Fire Commission - May 23, 2018

 

 

The Video can be viewed by clicking this link:  http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=180&clip_id=30…

 

President Cleaveland called the meeting to order at 4:59 p.m.

 

1. ROLL CALL

 

Commission President Ken Cleaveland Present

Commission Vice President Stephen Nakajo Present

Commissioner Michael Hardeman Present

Commissioner Francee Covington Present

Commissioner Joe Alioto Veronese Present 

 

Chief of Department Joanne Hayes-White Present

 

Mark Gonzales Deputy Chief – Operations

Jeanine Nicholson Deputy Chief --Administration

 

Dan De Cossio Bureau of Fire Prevention

Tony Rivera Support Services

Michael Cochrane Homeland Security

Andy Zanoff EMS

Khai Ali Airport Division

Joel Sato Division of Training

 

Assistant Chiefs

Bob Postel Division 2

Lorrie Kalos Division 3

 

Staff

Mark Corso Deputy Director of Finance

Olivia Scanlon Communications and Outreach

Jesusa Bushong Human Recourses

 

 

3. PUBLIC COMMENT

 

There was no public comment.

 

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

Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.

 

• Minutes from Regular Meeting on May 9, 2018.

Commissioner Hardeman Moved to approve the above meeting Minutes.  Commissioner Covington 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, JOANNE HAYES-WHITE

Report on current issues, activities and events within the Department since the Fire Commission meeting on May 9, 2018, including budget, academies, special events, communications and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

 

Chief Hayes-White reported on events since the last meeting on May 9, 2018.  Chief Hayes-White stated that in regards to the budget, Mayor Farrell will be submitting a balanced budget on June 1, 2018.  She mentioned that she remains cautiously optimistic in regards to the budget and that they have had very promising discussions with the Mayor’s budget office and she will have Director Corso give an overview at the next Commission meeting.  She acknowledged all of the Commissioners for their continued support as well as the members of the Budget Committee who were very helpful in coming up with priorities and being actively vocal regarding the Department’s needs.  She added that there will be an opportunity for public comment on the budget on June 18th before the Budget and Finance Committee.  She touched on the Division of Training and stated that the 124th academy class is in their ninth week with 52 members.  The 125th academy class start date it to be determined but she anticipates having 54 recruits enter that class.  Chief Hayes-White responded to Commissioner Covington’s request with an update on anticipated projections of upcoming retirements.  She explained the attached chart.  She added that 32 members have put in paperwork to retire, but often some members change their minds, but they anticipate in the next two fiscal years similar numbers of retirements to be somewhere between 80 to 100 retirements.  She mentioned that with those projections, she feels they are in good shape in regards to the hiring plan.  She touched on the recent events she attended over the reporting period which included attending a meeting with Supervisor Fewer regarding updates on additional work in the Sunset and Richmond districts relating to the water supply system, she attended a Union Square Business Improvement District event, the Inner Station Run at Lake Merced which was spearheaded by Lt. Walter Villavecencio at the vision of retired member Jim Gallagher 40 years ago. She recommended that at an upcoming meeting, we acknowledge Mr. Gallagher for his efforts.  Chief Hayes-White congratulated Commissioner Covington on her reappointment to the Commission.  She touched on her monthly meeting with Local 798, and her welcoming of Abbie Yant, the new department head at the Health Service System.  She talked about upcoming events planned for EMS week.  She acknowledged Assistant Deputy Chief Andy Zanoff, Section Chief Tony Molloy and Lt. Baxter who put a lot of work into the EMS week events.  Chief Hayes-White attended the Geary Boulevard Merchants Association luncheon where they acknowledged Rescue Captain Beth Goudreau for the totality of her career as well as an incident she responded to, where a victim was seriously injured in a solo car accident.  She also mentioned the Ray Lim Award of Excellence that retired Rescue Captain Sandy Tong was awarded.

 

Commissioner Covington thanked the Chief for attending her swearing in.  She mentioned that she added up the red bars of the retirement chart that Chief Hayes-White previewed and stated that there have been 537 total people who have retired or been separated from the Department since 2010 and she wanted to reiterate how important it is for the department to continue to have academies and that it is heartening to see that the department is making progress.  Chief Hayes-White acknowledged Commissioner Covington for advocating for larger recruit classes and that they are matching the new hires with retirements.  Commissioner Covington confirmed that the Department was expecting 80 to 100 retirements per year for the next two years.  She apologized for missing the EMS event but was glad there was due recognition given to everyone and that there were lots of people in attendance.

 

Commissioner Veronese confirmed that over the past three years, there have been 6 academy classes.  He also confirmed that retirements are paid out from the Retirement Board budget and not the Department’s budget as well as when new neighborhoods expand and the city grows, the department anticipates new stations to be built along with new FTE’s to staff those stations.  He gave a shout out to all the EMS members in honor of EMS week.

 

 

Vice President Nakajo thanked the Chief for her presentation in terms of the retirement information and he understands and realizes the number of years of experience that goes along with the members retiring.  He talked about the history, in terms of the consent decree and the hiring plan the commission approved years back.  He mentioned factors that may contribute to members retiring such as health-related and longevity in fire suppression.  He confirmed that there are about 70 civilian employees in the Department.  Chief Hayes-White thanked her assistant Kelly Alves and HR director Jesusa Bushong for putting the chart together.  Vice President Nakajo acknowledged the good work of Commission Secretary, Maureen Conefrey.

 

President Cleaveland commented on the fine work that Maureen Conefrey does for the Commission and he thinks all of the commissioners will agree with the Chief that they key thing is to keep the replacement of both the equipment and personnel as the top priorities for future budgets and whomever the mayor is in the future, it should be the commissions message that they need to continue the recruitment and retention of employees, and to continue to have replacement of the fleet so that they have a modern and up to date fleet.

 

There was no public comment.

 

REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, DEPUTY CHIEF JEANINE NICHOLSON

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

 

Chief Nicholson reported on events for the month of April 2018.  She began her report by stating that the Inner Station Run that she and the Chief attended was founded by Jim Gallagher and they have since renamed it the Jim Gallagher Inner Station Run and the funds that they raise from it go directly to the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation.  She mentioned that the Physician’s Office conducted 33 probationary and permanent physicals in multiple ranks and 50 return-to-work evaluations.  She stated that the Investigative Service Bureau administered 107 drug and alcohol tests and all were negative.  In regards to Support Services, she mentioned that they had 149 facility requests and she commended Chief Rivera and Olivia Scanlon for their diligence in working with DPW to really streamline the station repairs and improvement process.  She touched on the update to Station 35 and the meeting which is scheduled with BCDC on June 11, 2018, to get permit approval and she mentioned that the ambulance deployment facility behind station 9, demolition and abatement has begun.  With regards to Station 16, they will be meeting with the contractor soon, and that Station 5 is on schedule and she is pleased with the progress.  She touched on the clothing depot, the 124th academy class, and in-service suppression training and that she has Chief Sato and Captain Cristobal working on an officers’ academy which will consist of a five-day class for new offices and any officers who maybe are not new but have not gone through the class.  With regards to NERT, she mentioned that they did 29 events, classes, outreach presentations and a citywide drill in the month of April with over 220 volunteers at the drill.  She stated that Homeland Security, under the direction of Chief Cochrane, worked with Chief Zanoff during the Bay to Breakers and they are working on plans for Fleet Week events and upgrading the command vehicles.

 

Chief Hayes-White announced that her youngest son will be graduating from high school this weekend and she has taken some time off work preparing and acknowledged all the hard work of everyone that assists and supports her during these times and she appreciates the great team she has.

 

Commissioner Veronese congratulated Chief Hayes-White on the graduation of her youngest child.  He also asked for an update on the empty lot next to Station 8.  Chief Rivera gave a brief update and stated that the developer is working on the lot and he would be happy to get more information and report back.

 

Commissioner Hardeman thanked them for their reports and mentioned that Chief Nicholson’s responsibilities are all moving along.  He mentioned that by the next meeting, the City will have a new Mayor, and whoever it is, it looks like they’ll have a good relationship with the Fire Department.  He acknowledged the good and aggressive job he thinks Mark Farrell has been doing.  He also acknowledged the great job the command staff does and that they are out there representing the Fire Department basically out of the goodness of their hearts and he appreciates that.

 

Vice President Nakajo thanked Chief Nicholson for her comprehensive report and the style she presents it as it adds a little life to the meetings.  She confirmed that the Commissioners will be able to observe the officers’ training session and he hopes the material that is taught contains a concentration in leadership development.  He acknowledged Director Corso and Lobbyist Olivia Scanlon for all of the hard work and hours they put in and he acknowledged Chief Hayes-White's career and participation in her career which not only produced a good chief but also produced a good mom.

 

 

Commissioner Covington also congratulated Chief Hayes-White’s son Sean on his graduation from Sacred Heart.  She added that it takes a youngster to let us know how much time has passed.  Commissioner Covington confirmed that the officers’ academy is for members of the SFFD only and that the curriculum is currently in the development stage.  She was also happy to hear that DPW has streamlined work orders that the Department places, such as plumbing and electrical problems.

 

President Cleaveland also was happy to see that the Department is working with DPW to expedite problems and projects that arise.  He confirmed that fleet week is October 2nd through the 10th.  He confirmed that there are six new engines in the works and they usually retire the rigs out at around 100,000 to 150,000 miles.  Chief Hayes-White added that more than 50 percent of the fleet was purchased within the last five to six years, and they have been making great progress with the support of the Commission.

 

7. COMMISSION REPORT [Discussion]

Report on Commission activities since last meeting on May 9, 2018

Commissioner Veronese stated that since the last meeting he has been working with the Chief in regards to his Peer Support Unit Resolution as well as with Local 798 and they seemed to be okay with the current language and he would like to get it out to the commissioners soon.  He also had the pleasure of visiting the Arson Station and Station 4 and mentioned what a beautiful state of the art station it is.  He also had the pleasure of visiting the ladies and gentlemen that participated in the surf and rescue training where he played victim for a bit during the drill and he shared pictures from his experience on the overhead.  He went on to describe his experience.

 

There was no public comment.

 

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

Discussion regarding agenda for the next and future regular meetings.

 

• Airport Presentation and update

• Overview of the current budget

• Peer Support Resolution

 

There was no public comment.

 

9. ADJOURNMENT 12. ADJOURNMENT

 

President Cleaveland adjourned the meeting at 6:31 p.m.