Fire Commission - November 10, 2021

    Agenda

    SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco Fire Deprtment Official Seal FIRE COMMISSION

    Fire Commission Regular Meeting

    November 10, 2021, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

     

     

    AGENDA

     

     

    This meeting is being held by WebEx pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e)

     Mayoral Proclamations Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency.

     

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

     

    Watch live at www.sfgovtv.org

     

    Participating During Public Comment: By Phone

     

    Public Comment Call in number is: 

     

    1-415-655-0001

    Access Code; 2480 805 4943

     

    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

    Ken Cleaveland

    Commissioner

    Armie Morgan

     

     

    Chief of Department

    Jeanine Nicholson

    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.

     

    2.         RESOLUTION 2021-04 [Discussion and possible action]

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

     

    3.         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.

     

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

    Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.

     

    • Minutes from Regular Meeting on September 22, 2021.

     

    • Minutes from Regular Meeting on October 27, 2021.

     

    5.         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 October 27, 2021, including budget, academies, special events, communications, and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

     

    REPORT FROM OPERATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF BRYAN RUBENSTEIN

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

     

    6.         COMMISSION REPORT [Discussion]

    Report on Commission activities since last meeting on October 27, 2021.

     

    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, October 13, 2021

    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=39831

     

    President Feinstein called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m.

     

    Commission President

    Katherine Feinstein

    Present

    Vice President

    Stephen Nakajo

    Present

    Commissioner

    Francee Covington

    Present

    Commissioner

    Ken Cleaveland

    Present

    Commissioner

    Armie Morgan

    Present

     

     

     

    Chief of Department

    Jeanine Nicholson

    Present.

     

    Bryan Rubenstein

    Deputy Chief -- Operations

    Jose Velo

    Deputy Chief --Administration

     

     

    Shaine Kaialoa

    Division of Training

    Sandy Tong

    EMS

    David Brown

    Airport Division

    Ken Cofflin

    Bureau of Fire Prevention

    Dawn DeWitt

    Support Services

    Erica Arteseros

    Homeland Security

    Tom O’Connor

    AWSS

    Simon Pang

    Community Paramedicine

    Natasha Parks

    Health and Wellness

     

     

     

    Staff

     

    Mark Corso

    Deputy Director of Finance

     

    President Feinstein read the Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement.

     

    2.         RESOLUTION 2021-04 [Discussion and possible action]

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

     

    Commissioner Cleaveland Moved to adopt Resolution 2021-02. Vice President Nakajo Seconded. The motion was unanimous.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    3.         GENERAL 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 September 22, 2021.

     

    Commissioner Covington Moved to adopt the minutes. Commissioner Cleaveland Seconded. The motion was unanimously approved.

     

    • Minutes from Regular Meeting on October 27, 2021.

     

    Commissioner Cleaveland Moved to adopt the minutes. Commissioner Morgan Seconded. The motion was unanimously approved.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    5.         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 October 27, 2021, including budget, academies, special events, communications, and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

     

    Chief Nicholson reported on activities since the last meeting on October 27, 2021. She announced that yesterday, the Board of Supervisors, the mayor, and Supervisor Safai introduced a supplemental budget request for an additional 50 paramedics to be funded, which is in addition to the 10 that were previously granted in August and does not include the 35 community paramedics that were added in the budget, which totals 95 new FTE’s to be hired into the EMS Division. She thanked the Commissioners, Shon Buford, Local 798, Olivia Scanlon, Mark Corso, Jesus Mora, Sandy Tong, CD2, and CD3 for advocating for the Department. She added that they were also granted an additional H-2 academy class for next year, which means they will have 3 academy classes with 50 recruits in each next year. She mentioned that she has spent a significant amount of time holding administrative hearings regarding the vaccine mandate and she had forwarded those non-vaccinated members to the commission for the next phase of the process. She stated that she attended the following events since the last commission meeting: the swearing-in of the new city attorney, David Chiu, a retiree luncheon, and reception honoring first responders in Chinatown.

     

    (President Feinstein lost connection to the meeting, so Vice President Nakajo took over chairing the meeting)

     

    Commissioner Covington congratulated Chief Nicholson on the wonderful news about the monies that are going to be available for three academies. She also thanked the mayor and her staff as well as the Department members and Local 798 who were involved for their support in pushing for this.

     

    Vice President Nakajo echoed what Commissioner Covington said. He acknowledged the various advocates and supporters, including Local 798, and Supervisor Safai. He added that nothing could be better than this kind of relief in this kind of situation at this given time and he thinks the numbers are good. (President Feinstein was logged back in.)

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    REPORT FROM OPERATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF BRYAN RUBENSTEIN

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

     

    Chief Rubenstein reported on Operation activities for October 2021. He mentioned that there was a second alarm fire on Clay Street where the crews were able to contain the damage to mostly the roof area. He added that a resident had fallen asleep in his bedroom and a local person in the neighborhood saw he was in distress and drove his van up underneath the window, climbed on top of his van, pulled the ladder up, and rescued this individual. He provided a damage update from the recent storms. He stated that the Public Information officer was busy and hosted a tour for the Civil Gand Jury. He mentioned that October was cancer awareness month and that the Fleet Week activities in San Francisco were the only live Fleet Week in the nation. He described the various photos in his PowerPoint presentation. He touched on the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation, San Francisco International Airport, and Homeland Security. He added that the Department and Presidio Trust are developing opportunities for training at the Presidio as they have many unused buildings.

     

    Commissioner Covington thanked Chief Rubenstein for his report and acknowledged the gentleman who was fast thinking enough to move his vehicle under the window so the young man could make a safe exit. She added that she would ordinarily suggest that they invite that gentleman to a meeting to honor him, but since Chief Rubenstein stated he was shy, that probably will not happen. She thanked Chief Rubenstein for coordinating with the Presidio Trust on training opportunities. She mentioned that having Fleet Week in San Francisco helped people feel a sense of normalcy and she acknowledged Chief Arteseros for making sure that everything went smoothly.

     

    Vice President Nakajo thanked Chief Rubenstein for his comprehensive report, and he also acknowledged the citizen that drove his van back and put up the ladder and would like to know his name as he thinks this citizen ought to be recognized for saving that individual from serious injury. He went through pages of Chief Tong’s submission and confirmed what different topics were and confirmed that the EMS Advancement Academies are so that current ambulance EMT’s with a paramedic license can bump up to a paramedic rank and he thinks it is important for the Commission to take and embrace the concept of the bump up. He added that he always looks at the issue of staff shortages, over time, burn out and the news about the approval of the supplemental budget will be a great relief in the sense that the reinforcements are coming. He suggested that regarding Chief Pang’s portion of the report, specifically Community Paramedic Monthly Fire Commission Report if it could be set up where they expand on the individual programs.

     

    President Feinstein confirmed with Chief Rubenstein that the fire hydrants in the Presidio are different than the hydrants in San Francisco in their design and outlets and the members have all the appliances they need to make use of them and that Engine 51 has a program where they go around and test hydrants usually on Saturday mornings. She also confirmed that the San Francisco Fire Department is not responsible for the maintenance of those hydrants but should truck 51 find any problems with them, they would report those problems to the Presidio Trust who would have them taken care of. She commented that everything that the Department did during Fleet Week with the Navy and Marine personnel, bodes well for the future of the city and commended Chief Rubenstein and those under his command for all the effort that went into that event. She acknowledged Chief Tong and Chief Pang for the highlights on their reports and stated it shows the depth of skill, ability, and service that the Department is providing to the City. She stated that she heard Station 49 was somewhat impacted by the heavy rain recently and commended both Chief Tong and Chief Pang who oversaw that those operations continued flawlessly, and she commended Chief DeWitt, who jumped right on it and a response was had and attention was paid to getting a situation that could have endangered operations, and making sure that operations continued effectively. President Feinstein also confirmed that there has been a bit of an increase in response times in the last couple of months and that has been part of their argument around getting additional staffing and given the increase in call volume, they needed more staff.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    6.         COMMISSION REPORT [Discussion]

    Report on Commission activities since last meeting on September 22, 2021.

     

    There was nothing reported

     

    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 Fire Marshal Cofflin
    • Budget update/Grants
    • Update from Guardians of the City.

     

    There was no public comment.

     

    8.         ADJOURNMENT President Feinstein adjourned the meeting at 10:09 a.m.