Fire Commission - September 9, 2020

Wednesday, September 9, 2020 – 9:00 a.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=36556

 

Vice President Feinstein called the meeting to order at 9:11 a.m.

 

Commission President	Francee Covington	Present joined via phone conference at 9:30
Commission Vice President	Katherine Feinstein	Present
Commissioner	Stephen Nakajo	Present
Commissioner	Ken Cleaveland	Present
Commissioner	Tony Rodriguez	Present
Chief of Department	Jeanine Nicholson	Present.

 

Victor Wyrsch	Deputy Chief -- Operations
Jose Velo	Deputy Chief --Administration
Joel Soto	Division of Training
Sandy Tong	EMS
Mark Johnson	Airport Division
Dan DeCossio	Bureau of Fire Prevention
Dawn DeWitt	Support Services
Natasha Parks	Health and Wellness
Staff
Mark Corso	Deputy Director of Finance
Olivia Scanlon	Communications and Outreach

 

2.         PUBLIC COMMENT

 

There was no 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 26, 2020.

 

Commissioner Rodriguez moved to approve and Commissioner Cleaveland Seconded.  The motion was unanimous.  There was no public comment.

 

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 August 26, 2020, 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 August 26, 2020.  She provided a COVID 19 update by stating that 26 members tested positive and 15 are in quarantine.  She added that seven of the members who tested positive had returned from wildland deployments.  She mentioned that they are continuing to work with other city agencies to open businesses across the City and that Fire Marshal De Cossio has been integral and critical to this effort to make sure there is a compliance plan to ensure that businesses are following the safety guidelines and that Chief Tong is working with her team to get the crisis response team plan in place to roll out as soon as possible.  She announced that a 9/11 event plan was sent out to anyone who wants to participate in the events virtually.

 

Commissioner Rodriguez confirmed that the 9/11 events can be viewed online and that it was not necessary to show up in person.

 

Vice President Feinstein confirmed that the uptick in positive COVID tests has been due to some community transmission as well as the wildland deployments and she confirmed that they are still doing decontamination properly in the stations.

 

There was no public comment.

 

REPORT FROM OPERATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF VICTOR WYRSCH

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

 

Chief Wyrsch's Operation report for August 2020 included one greater alarm which was a second alarm at 77 Carmelita Street and acting Assistant Chief Abbott was the commanding officer, and one firefighter had minor injuries and the fire is still under investigation.  He added that a great job was done by all members, and it was put out extremely rapidly.  He mentioned that there was a total of 22 working fires, 32 outside fires, 20 grass fires, and 58 encampment fires in August.  He stated that 41 members are currently deployed to wildland fires throughout California.  Other significant occurrences he touched on were:  two cliff rescues, 15 surf rescues, and two bay rescues.  He announced that they provided 1,500 people with coastal and cliff safety awareness brochures.  He acknowledged Lt. Baxter who has been instrumental in providing these brochures.  He touched on EMS, the Bureau of Fire Prevention, the Airport Division, and Homeland Security.

 

President Covington thanked Chief Wyrsch for his detailed report and she thanked Vice President Feinstein for chairing the meeting.

 

Commissioner Rodriguez asked why there is an uptick in encampment fires.  Chief Wyrsch responded that they are working very hard on that issue and that they are tracking them differently than they have in the past and that is the main reason for the uptick.

 

Commissioner Cleaveland thanked him for his report and asked why there was a change in the terminology on dealing with the homeless.  Chief Wyrsch explained that they were looking for terminology that wasn’t insulting  He confirmed that the top two complaints that come to Fire Prevention are associated with fire alarms, either lack of maintenance or malfunction issues related to the fire alarms.  He also confirmed that most of the red box fire alarms on city corners are working but some need repair or replacement.

 

Commissioner Nakajo thanked Chief Wyrsch for his comprehensive report and pointed out the combination of his narration with the photos is very helpful and he appreciates the summary provided which makes it easy to follow his written report.  He confirmed that the EMS-6 report contains the challenges as well as successes specific to the EMS-6 program.  He acknowledged Chief Pang for providing those items in the report.

 

Vice President Feinstein commented on how proud she is of the Department and how everybody is performing at the level that they're performing given that it seems to be one catastrophe after another that they are dealing with within the city and the state.  She acknowledged the many responsibilities that fall under Chief De Cossio's department as well as Chief DeWitt and her department and she thinks all of this adds up to make the Department as great as it is in terms of prevention, success and it gives her great pride to be on the Fire Commission. She added that she finds it stunning to see how much work is getting done in these very troubling and disturbing times.  She confirmed that as of now, the Captains test scheduled for next week is still going to happen and the members who are deployed to wildland fires will have an opportunity to take the test upon their return.  She confirmed that Chief Wyrsch has a difficult time approving traffic changes with the uptick in vehicle, pedestrian, bike, and scooter accidents.  She also confirmed that decon events are when the ambulances go back to Station 49 and may have transported a patient who may have been COVID positive and they decontaminate the entire apparatus, it also applies to a patient transports that had massive trauma, other than COVID.  She concluded by wishing everyone who has been deployed great safety whether they're being deployed on the streets of San Francisco or to one of the horrendous wildland fires and that she will keep them in her thoughts and she hopes that there is some relief in the near future.

 

President Covington stated she is very concerned with the number of surf rescues and suggested that they come up with a plan to help reduce these rescues and to work with the National Park Service to get the numbers down.

 

There was no public comment.

 

5.         PRESENTATION FROM THE LOS BOMBEROS DE SAN FRANCISCO [Discussion]

Mariano Alias, President of Los Bomberos de San Francisco to provide an overview of their Group.

 

This item to be continued to a later date.  The presenter was called out on a wildfire strike team.

 

6.         COMMISSION REPORT [Discussion]

Report on Commission activities since last meeting on August 26, 2020.

 

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.

 

President Covington stated that they will continue to schedule the employee and affinity groups within the Department to future commission meetings.

 

8.         PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM  9

Public comment on all matters pertaining to Item 9 below, including public comment on whether to hold Item 9 in closed session.

 

There was no public comment.

 

9.         POSSIBLE CLOSED SESSION REGARDING PERSONNEL MATTER

 

1. VOTE ON WHETHER TO CONDUCT ITEM 9(b) AND (c) IN CLOSED SESSION [Action]

The Commission may hear Item 9(b) and (c) in closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b) and Administrative Code Section 67.10(b).

 

Commissioner Cleaveland moved to conduct items 9(b) in closes session.  Commissioner Nakajo Seconded.  The motion for unanimous.

 

The meeting went into closed session at 10:77 a.m. Also present was Deputy City Attorney Brad Russi.

 

b.   CASE NO. 2020-01:  COMMISSION DELIBERATIONS ON PROPOSED FINDINGS OF FACT, AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF FINDINGS OF FACT REGARDING COMMISSION’S DECISION ON EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE CONCERNING VERIFIED COMPLAINT FILED BY CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT AGAINST MEMBER, DATED JANUARY 9, 2020 [Action]

At a Special Meeting of the Fire Commission on July 29, 2020, regarding the above-noted matter, following the evidentiary hearing, the Commission deliberated and reached a decision on employee discipline concerning verified complaint filed by Chief of Department against member, dated January 9, 2020.

 

The Commission is now considering proposed Findings of Fact in relation to that decision. [Action]

 

Commissioner Rodriguez Moved to approve the Findings of Fact.  Vice President Feinstein Seconded.  The motion was unanimous.

 

3. POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF RULES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL FOR CASE NO. 2020-01 [Action]

The Commission to consider adopting Rules for Administrative Appeal for Case No. 2020-01 as submitted to the parties.

 

Commissioner Cleaveland Moved to adopt the Rules for Administrative Appeal for Case No.; 2020-01.  Commissioner Rodriguez Seconded.  The motion was unanimous.

 

4. IF CLOSED SESSION IS HELD, RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION

 

      1.  Report on any action taken in Closed Session as specified in California Government Code Section 54957.1(a)(5) and San Francisco Administrative Code section 67.12(b)(4).

2.  Vote to elect whether to disclose any or all discussions held in Closed Session, as specified in San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(a).  [Action Item]
 

Reconvened in open session at 10:30 a.m.

 

Vice President Feinstein Moved to not disclose.  Commissioner Cleaveland Seconded.  The motion was unanimous.

 

10.       ADJOURNMENT President Covington adjourned the meeting at 10:33 a.m.