>> 2021, the time is 9:03. i item one, roll call. president kathrin feinstein. >> u a present. >> vice president nakajo. >> present. >> commissioner covington. >> present. >> commissioner ken cleaveland. >> present. >> u a commissioner morgan is excused today. >> i have chief of department, janine nicholson and let me unmute her here. >> present. >> present. >> okay. >> all right. we have you present. via telephone.

>> good morning, everybody. to commence our meeting, please allow me to make this acknowledgment on the san francisco fire commission acknowledges that we are on 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, or forgotten their responsibilities as the care takeers of this place as well as for all people 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,

elder, and relatives of the ramaytush ohlone community and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. thank you. >> thank you. item 2, resolution 2021-04. resolution making findings to allow tele conferenced meetings under california government code section 54953e. >> well, and before we get there, i will learn my lesson from commissioner covington and i am unexcusing commissioner morgan. good morning, commissioner morgan. i wasn't sure if you were going to be joining us this morning. so welcome. and may we please, madam secretary, change the roll call. >> yes, i will. >> i have commissioner morgan as

present. >> yes. chair, i apologize. i had problems logging on. i couldn't get through. sorry. >> president: we all have had that problem at one time or another, that's for sure. welcome. good morning. i'm sorry, madam secretary, again with item two. >> item two, there is no nobody on the public comment line. >> thank you. >> as to this, are there any questions or anything that any of the commissioners wish to discuss about the resolution? is there a motion? >> commissioner cleaveland, i think you are speaking. there we go. >> i make a motion we approve resolution 2021-04. >> and is there a second? >> madam president, i would second. >> all right. thank you, vice president

nakajo. i will take a roll call vote. [roll call vote on item 2] >> i vote aye be request they read it into the record. >> it passes unanimously and it will be posted on the website. >> excellent. that's good. >> president: all right. item 3. >> a 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 a commissioner or department personnel does not necessarily constitute agreement with or support of statements made during public comment. there is nobody on our public comment line. >> president: all right, then public comment shall be closed. >> item 4, approval of the minutes. discussion of and possible action to i a prove the meet minutes of regular meeting on september 22, 2021. >> i move to be accepted as amended. >> all right. and i'm sorry. just let me clarify, commissioner covington, does that apply to both september 22 and october 27? >> no, just september 22.

since they are two different items. and two different meetings. >> okay. >> all right. let's vote on september 22. >> do we have a second? >> i'll make a second on that. >> thank you, commissioner cleaveland. >> [roll call] >> they are approved unanimously and the minutes from the regular meeting on october 27, 2021. >> president: and any public comment on those? >> there is no public comment on either. >> president: all right, thank you. commissioners --. >> move to approve the meeting minutes of october 27, 2021. >> thank you, commissioner cleaveland. and a second?

>> i will second. >> president: vice president nakajo, you second? >> commissioner morgan. >> okay. i will take roll call vote. [roll call vote] they are adopted unanimously. item five, chief of department's report chief nicholson 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 and report from operations, deputy chief brian rubenstein on overall field operations including greater alarm fires, emergency medical services, bureau of fire prevention and investigation, homeland security and airport division. >> good morning. can you hear me? >> yes, we can. >> greetings, president feinstein, vice president nakajo, commissioners. i am chief nicholson calling in via phone as i am going to a department head meeting with mayor breed at 9:30. i am sitting across the street from that location. and in-person meeting. this is my report from the last commission meeting, and i am going to start with good news for a change, not for a change, but good news.

yesterday at the board of supervisors the mayor along with supervisor safai introduced a supplemental budget request for an additional 50 paramedics. 50 paramedics to be funded. this is going to add to the 10 that were granted in the budget that was signed in august so that's a total of 60 paramedics for the ambulance alone. and this does not include the 35 community paramedics that were added in the budget. so we're going to be getting a total of 95 new fte, new full-time employees, that will be hired into the ems division and again, 35 of those for community paramedicine and 60 for the ambulance. and what that will do is give us

six 24/7 ambulances and six additional 24/7 ambulances that is really, really good news. in addition, we have a class of surgery starting an ems class on november 29. and that will be about six weeks before they are out in the field in january, and then we will continue hiring as we move along. this is a much-needed boost for us and working closely with the mayor's office and the controller and dem as well as local 798 to push that forward and the 60% increase in call volume since 2015 and without any increase in ambulance staffing, so this is really

critical for us and it will bring much-needed relief to the current ems ambulance staffing and paramedics and emts and who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic. and then we're also continuing to grow the community paramedic division. and thank you, commissioners, for advocating for the department and i also, again, thank sean buford and p 798 for working with us and we are still working with the controller's office to determine a long-term hiring plan for the ems division. so we can avoid having to seek supplemental requests in the future. and i don't know of any other supplemental request that the fire department has done, and by that i mean a mid-year ask. >> i am grateful for the collaboration and proud that we

were able to do this. with regards to suppression and there will be an increase or there has been a bit of a pump in retirement. and then there are other factors such as the vaccine mandate and we had mandatory overtime and shortages with staff and with the inability and the good news on this side is that initially we were supposed to have two academies next year and we were granted a third academy next year. we will have three academies for h2 firefighters and likely of 550 each in each academy. and so thanks for your support with this and thanks to everyone who has worked on this for working hard to figure out a

training schedule. and i would be remiss if i did not thank chief sandy tong for the dedication and hard work on the ems staffing and mark corso and moira and everybody has really, really stepped forward and of course, if i didn't thank you, thank you. and the past month a significant amount of time holding administrative hearings regarding the vaccine mandate and i know as a commission it is now in your hands and most of them and i haven't met with most of them in the next hand for the phase of the process. and we are still hovering just under 20 members. and moving forward with that. and finally, i attended several

events since our last commission meeting since the swearing in of the new city attorney david chiu. i also attended our retiree luncheon where it was nice to catch up with the retired members and attended a great thank you reception for first honoring first responders in chinatown. that concludes my report. and i am happy to take questions. and i have a few minutes before i need to leave. >> president: president feinstein lost connection and i believe vice president nakajo, if you can take over while she tries to log back in. >> understood. madam secretary, we have gone through public comment with the chief's report -- >> we have not called for public comment and there is nobody on the public comment line. thank you. >> thank you very much for that. at this particular point in time

and do any of the commissioners have any questions or comments with the chief? >> okay. commissioner covington please. >> thank you. excuse me. thank you, mr. vice president. and chief, congratulations. this is wonderful news about the monies that are going to be available for three academies and this is just that is beyond the relief to hear about this. it's just fabulous. i want to thank the mayor and her staff along with all of the people who are in the department at the highest level and thank them for their support and pushing for this and i know

commissioners when we have had an opportunity to the powers that be and i want to thank local 798 for their push for this. and paid off and i think that everyone can breathe a sigh of relief that the future is now much brighter than they thought it would be. >> thank you very much, commissioner covington. at this point, commissioner morgan, commissioner cleaveland, is there any comments or questions to the chief of the department? none from commissioner ecleaveland. commissioner morgan? all right. all right. thank you very much, chief. i wanted to echo what the commissioner covington has said with the rest of our colleagues and the commission and the list goes on in terms of who we want to thank and again, as commissioner covington and yourself, we don't want to miss anybody because we know the

whole command force and the various advocates and supporters definitely 798, definitely in terms of safai, the mayor and the press release released was all the departments and were acknowledged. nothing could be better than this kind of relief and at this given time. and the numbers are good and impressive and need the numbers with the emt and the paramedics and the three classes and all that. thank you so much, chief, for your advocacy and hard work. thank you very much. >> thank you, vice president. >> madam secretary s the president back on? >> yes, she is. >> and back to the president of the commission, thank you. >> did we finish cd one's report? >> and vice president nakajo

went through the commissioners and they have asked their questions. >> since i didn't hear the report, i have no questions. hopefully i can get filled in, and thank you, vice president nakajo. don't ask me what happened. it's hopeless. and whether that doesn't like me and i don't like it, that can be part of the record. sorry. >> we will move on to chief rubenstein's report. >> wonderful. >> good morning, everybody. good morning, president, vice president nakajo, commissioners cleaveland, covington, and morgan and command staff, this is my report for october -- i am trying to share it here.

that is the wrong one. are you able to hear me? >> yes. in the month of october we had a second alarm fire on clay street. it was a good second alarm. there were good companies inside and see in through the windows that there is very little smoke and fire in there. this fire was running in the attic and compartmentalized and difficult to get to and a lot of work for all of the companies on hand. they managed to contain the

damage and mostly the roof area. here is an incident that we had on warren street and you will see on the left panel and fall asleep and possibly altered and started a fire in his bedroom. and a local person in the neighborhood saw he was in distress. couldn't get him to come down off that later. and the other panels and progressing and how violent it got after he was removed and see the company going to work inside. and pack to that left panel and the civilian drove his van up underneath the window. and climbed on top of the van, pulled the ladder up there and rescued the individual.

he really saved this person's life and saved him from serious injury. and he was pretty shy and didn't like all the attention he was getting from the chiefs and the firefighters. remarkable really. we had our rains and flood and dozens of families in that area. and led to high surf boarding and public information officer was busy and with the civil grand jury to several of the facilities station 39, 45, and

looks good and working with the partners in pg&e to produce training videos for them, collaborative effort. this is a drill. october was cancer awareness month and we're all wearing our pink shirts. lead week was the only live fleet week in the nation held in san francisco in 2021. and it was great and i hope that everybody got a chance to participate in some way or another. we found and took advantage of many opportunities for community outreach. and we may have found with ambassador's replacement.

>> halloween is upon us and have a lot of people visiting the firehouses and a good day for the community. and ems and take a look at all the apparatus and on the way to fleet week activities. and on gator, private ambulances, buggies and mass casualties and the bust and the big operation and week long and you will see more about it with homeland security. and if the sailors go on ride alongs and that was well received by all parties. and the bureau of fire prevention and investigation continues to work along. and sfmta past meetings in october and two meetings as wushl the collaborators with

only a couple of interactions. san francisco national airport continues to train and many multi-agency drills and with the active shooter drill. and found and locked at alternatives for large-scale, live fire playing drills. and mission high school and a field trip sfo and the stimulator. the homeland security security division was very, very busy with fleet week. it takes months of planning and coordination. and the partners in the military take these opportunities when they get into the community to talk about the support of the civilian authority and be of assistance to us and with the

from the pilots and from the pilot staff. we had some of the navy folks come to the training center on treasure island to practice the search and rescue techniques and set up a good day for them and the veteran's association put on a hot lunch and a good day out there. and the resources and humanitarian assistance air show. and the medical groups and support for mass casualties. gators and ambulances. all in support and very, very successful fleet week. that is a big win for the mayor. we had resources in support of the air show to include marine command control and in the water and the whole time.

later in the month, national guard support team came out and we had a drill with the prosidio trust to work on hazmat and unified command exercise. and developing a lot of opportunities for training in the presidio and four or more different projects with them manually. here are the props in the hazmat drill. and with the highly professional unit called in in the event of a major hazmat incident and we work with them and twice a year and every time we are engaging with them and with a new piece of breaks with them. and the full-blown drill and

including the entry team. reminder that it is time to get the flu shot and vaccine and that concludes my report for october. >> thank you. >> thank you. thank you, chief rubenstein. >> do we have any public comment? >> let me check. >> let me scroll down here.

it is not letting me scroll down. there is nobody on the public comment line. public comment will be closed. thank you, madam secretary. all right. commissioners, questions or comments. commissioner covington? >> thank you, madam president. and thank you, chief, for your report. and i think that we saw so many

wonderful things. and no secret to why you were so enthusiastic while giving your report. i would ordinarily suggest that the gentleman who was fast thinking enough to move his vehicle into the garage so that young man could make a safe exit and he also has a ladder and all of that, but essentially very, very shy and probably would not want that. and it just points to how big hearted san franciscans are and how if they see an opportunity to help and usually they will. and as you said, to safe that young man's life and is

incredible and when don't have a vehicle that can do that. and the vehicles are too large. and so it was heartwarming to see that. very much so. i also want to appreciate you for coordinating with the presidio trust. they have everything and they have a chapel, they have so much land, they have a bowling alley. i mean, all of these different facilities in one place and so to be joining with them is a very, very good idea and one of the ideas that when you think about it, you go, oh, why weren't we doing this before? and i am glad to know that we are doing it now. i also wanted to say that fleet

week just having fleet week in san francisco and really helps people feel a sense of normalcy. and all of the newspapers and news programs highlighted the fact that pedestrian was the only city in the nation to have a fleet week this year. and i know that chief was running around like crazy to try to make sure that everything went smoothly and i just want to acknowledge everyone else who worked so hard during and before that week with the planning and then having everything go very well. and that is all. >> thank you. >> very nice. thank you.

>> i believe vice president nakajo, please. >> thank you very much, madam president. chief rubenstein, thank you very much for your comprehensive report. i just have a few comments in terms of particularly and chief's report and exknow acknowledgment to the citizen that drove his van back and put up the ladder. in that circumstance, quite frankly, i don't know what i would do. most people sitting there looking, whatever, and i think there is really a great deal of commitment and having the wherewithall to think about that particular moment with the gentleman hanging out the window and take the pickup truck, put it back, and put the ladder up

and quite frankly, i would like to know who this person's name is. and not only do i want to know who this person's name is, shy or not, and i think this citizen ought to be recognized for definitely saving that particular individual from serious injury or whatever. i think it takes quite a bit to do that. and in that moment to move that fast and to basically save that person's life in some way or fashion or serious injury. i just definitely think chief rubenstein if there is some and i know we acknowledge various citizens in the past and i think that the department particularly this commission with the commissioners and would like to thank this gentleman and nar action and i think it is a great example and san franciscans should see that as well and be acknowledgeable. i just wanted to say that part. and have you contemplate that with the chief of the department at some point. and i am going to move into and

comments and chief and to the report. i am on page 13 if you are with me. >> and i finally began to realize as i paged through all of this, because out of the report that chief rubenstein gives in this section of operation, there is quite extensive material through the units and definitely in terms of this particular report. and i finally began to realize that as i go through this section and read it and began and read it before and this particular section and with this emergency medical services.

and on that page 13 and the only thing that to comment on the reinforcement on the second paragraph and in november and back to back ems advancement packup and the paramedic license and to bump up two paramedics and is really important and indicate that as well. and graduate the next large class, chief tong, that we will have an opportunity with the paramedics in the bump up to be moved up to a paramedic division. i think it's important for the commission to take and embrace the concept of the bump up and i don't know how many academies have the opportunity in the ems division to offer to emts the

opportunity to get the training to bump up to paramedics. i wanted to say that. do you have any comment on that, chief? >> thank you, vice president nakajo. commissioners, president feinstein, and chief and assistant deputy chief, ems, and yes, this is for those emts with a paramedic license and hire as emts first to to become paramedics and desperately need and going forward and offering paramedic entry academies and we haven't done that in quite a while and so coming in the next year with the fte that we look to be getting. we will be able to hire directly paramedics into the department rather than having them go through starting at the emt or get fired as an emt even though they have paramedic licenses and

be able to continue on and get the paramedic position once they go through the academy. and instead we want to offer entry level paramedic positions and we will be doing that in the next coming year or so. and all of it is great and need paramedics and allow us flexibility and partner and ambulance and staffing and if they have the paramedic and can work with the emt and more flexibility and more options and higher numbers of paramedics. thanks for that. >> thank you for that, chief tong. and part of the reporting system is that i always look at the issue about staff shortages, overtime, burnout, and this news about the approval of the supplemental budget as well as in terms of the numbers and the

programs. and it's great relief in the sense that the reinforcements are coming. and if you are on the front line and you are there and working, and i am paraphrasing this, nothing better than to have reinforcements within the cause. that is how big and charge and challenging it is to go back to myself. and i am going to move on to chief pang on page page 17 as i read this report in terms of paging through this and what catches my eye in your title is community paramedic monthly fire commission report. and my mind starts to move that to, okay n terms of the division

at large, and i refer to the patient to advance the infrastructure to part of an administrative structure. and also in terms of your component and this community paramedic monthly fire commission as i read it and began to realize with sections of it that divided my mind. i am just going to make a suggestion, chief pang. and in some ways the last thing that staff needs to here hear is another suggestion from another commissioner to add to work and offering up a suggestion and when i read it, what stands out and take look at sit the ems6 report on page 17 and i make my circles in terms of when i want to ask and page 18 it talks about ems highlights and

coordination and of successes and is interesting because it highlights coordination and care, page 18 and taking the time to do this and aren't privy to the dockets that we have and in the highlights, chief pang, beginning two lines talk about the history of traumatic brain injury. on the second paragraph, we talk about coordination of care by ems enabling individuals with schizophrenia. as we move on, we talk about early advocacy helps transgendered youth get off the street and paraphrasing the information and show of force and becomes evident and ems created and that is what's rising clearly above and beyond

the definition of what ems was and ready to do in the large area of ems and ticks into mental health. homeless and all of the concepts that we have developed and also develops into the other areas. i am on page 19. so what happens with me is i look and i read your report and it says ems6 and at one point i had to pause and ask myself if i wanted to get clarity and i guess i asked if this is clearly the part of the area, chief rubenstein. and that is what i am looking at and alethy street operations and i have to be able to read it and take it in and on page 19 and after healthy street operation center and is street crisis response team. and i read the information and with me, chief tom? and i turn to page 20 and then i

look and read further and then in the middle of the page near the end, there is another categorical street overdose response team. and i read that particular section and then i move over to page 21 and i am glad that you guys are the team or the command force to make sure you have these identifications sort and there is an appendix for me to look back at it. i go back and try to remind myself which is sort and becomes with the overdose response team. and as i move down to page 21 and the street wellness response team. and these are all categoricals and these are a simple question and the particular units and as commissioners and ask for clarification and explanation on

the ems6 on. is that accurate, chief pang? >> president feinstein, vice president nakajo, and commissioners and abc community paramedics and vice president nakajo, thank you for your question. >> if the question is, and ask for me to expand on any of those programs, yes. and that is what i wanted to get reinforced in and read it and know that chief tong is there in terms of community services. and with the positioning and responsibility. and go back over a lot of material. is there some way, just a suggestion, not to create more

work and highlight the sections and a color code or something that stands out. and really ems sections and healthy street operation and street crisis section. and as you identify it and as the report goes on, street wellness center and street wellness response and six to seven to eight pages. and quickly just to identify the headings. and then the commissioners or myself can be able to read that. and making a suggestion, chief pain, and to reject that and i am perfectly fine with that as well. awe thank you for the suggestion. it is a very good one and make it more clear to make it easy to read. and essentially the reporters for you and the other commissioners and we will do whatever we can to make it more

clear. again, it is a suggestion, chief. i am not trying to create more work but the worst thing to do is create more work. i make that reference to move on and concluding this segment on page 22 and page 23 and large -- are you there, chief? >> yes. and reading is a whole bunch of colored lines. you see it? >> i do. >> a red line, blue line, green line, and black line. as i try to follow the codes, i began to realize that is why my section came in and not to confuse the narcan colors along the line to identify bolder print and stand out that you

communicate. and that concludes the report and the only thing i know is that we will get in the new year report from the fire marshal prevention and january of next year and i am perfectly okay with that because, again, it is an extensive area in terms of the package and that section has 13 pages, and between ems and ems6 reports and not saying the other reports aren't important and just saying that it takes a while to digest. and appreciate the opportunity. >> thank you, mr. vice president. >> further comments or questions? from our commissioners? >> i have just a couple and obviously i can't comment on the

chief of the department's report since i did not hear it. and i will watch it or listen to it later. and a few comments to direct through you, chief rubenstein, and parse them out not in any particular orderment and making one comment about the presidio and i just took notice of this because i have taken to learning about fire hydrants probably much to your dismay. i look at the arrows and in the street and the presidio seems to have the oldest fire hydrants i can imagine seeing. and i am just wondering who is responsible for testing those

fire hydrants and determining that they work. and they downtown look real operational to me. but what do i know? and i like reassurance and things aren't quite so dry and fire prone and the they have done an excellent job in cleaning out fodder for fires. i am curious to who maintains the fire hydrants and how operational they are. >> thank you very much for your question. and the presence in the presidio are different than hydrants in san francisco and the design and the outlet. we have all the appliances we need to make use of them. and engine 51 who is in the presidio has program where they go around and hydrants in the

mornings generally on saturday. and we are not responsible for the maintenance of the hydrants and if 51 found any problems and report them with the presido trust and no repairs that i am aware of. >> that is impressive considering how they look. that is okay. all right. that was item one. item two, i wanted to make a comment that i think it's really excellent and that the presence that the department had at fleet week, and people love to see all the apparatus, love to see the firefighters, paramedics, other members of the department and it is commissioner covington that

commented that there was a feeling of normalcy and that is part of it. everything that the department did during fleet week and with those navy personnel and marine personnel and the rescue drill it's not boding well for the future of the city. and mufsh a massive coordination job but i really wanted to commend you and those under your command for all the effort that went into that. and i also want to say i think it's terrific that chief brown involved the high school students at the airport. kids love stuff like that and it's a way of getting educated

about the fire department and certainly more educational than a video game or some equivalent thing. and to the extent that we can do that without making more work just as vice president nakajo said, i just really want to comment that kind of community effort. it does nothing but bolster our citizens' confidence in the department. and i wanted to really as we said, used to say give a shout out to those efforts. i had -- and we're going to pick a little bit on a pleasant way on chief tong and chief pang. and commissioner, nakajo, a list of sedated a lot of the comments

that i had. and i really find that the highlights that you have to give and in the report and as to what you are doing are really show the depth and skill and ability and service that the department is providing. you all need to be all of those and work under under each of the respective commands. the numbers are impressive. the stories are impressive. and any way you look at it, it is really, and it is tough duty and i know every outcome isn't a happy one, but i really want to commend all the effort that's gone into developing community

paramedicine as a division and operation of the department and is really, really well done. and i want to make that comment. the other comment and hear the station 39, your new home, impacted by the heavy rain that we had a week or so ago. and that operations continue flawlessly. i want to commend both chief tong and chief pang on that. and i want to commend chief dewit and the response was had and tension was paid to getting the situation that was could

have endangered operations and getting things so that operations could continue effectively. that was really wonderful coordination. and i wanted to mention that. i had one question which is really under, i am not sure who to direct it to under homeland security and san francisco fire department with the responses to medical calls through october 31 and is towards the back of my packet. this is page one of five and to figure that out and response time.

>> thanks for that question and that is for chief tong. and the second to last page, i believe -- last page maybe. >> it's not my last page, but it is the second to last page. >> first unit on the scene. first ambulance on scene, that page. >> thank you, president feinstein. and otooriginal packet and what are your questions? i have that report. >> i am wondering how they are doing in terms of the response

time. as i said, i have one page and first unit on the scene and the date and first als unit and first ambulance, excuse me, on the scene. with the on-time percentages, etc., which look pretty good to me for the als units in the first ambulance. and i am curious if you can help me understand those numbers a little better. >> i apologize and in the background they are testing the alert system, so sorry about the other stuff. in general we do well in our response times. sorry. the ewe do have and have been having a little bit of increase in response times in t last few

months in terms of ambulance response as well as a little bit in sometimes the bls first responder. [please stand by]

this is a news release between levinworth and i. it details the boxes. i can understand most things. after the fire goes to a second alarm, it says 'special

apparatus' and it says '87 and a.i., be1, ar1, cmda 5 what do those things mean? >> thank you for your question and i regret that we didn't include those. m.a. is mobile area. and that's so we can come to the scene of an incident and rebuild our scott repack bottles so we can continue the fight. we also have b.e.1 which is our bureau of equipment. and we have 24-hour staff to respond to make sure all the apparatus is functioning and

they're experts at making sure all of that's working. a.r.1 is our unit or any of the units where there are suspicious nature. b.m.d.a.5 is a term we use to command frequency. so at a greater time or when the commander feels there will be a specific amount of traffic necessary, we will direct the communication center to give us a specific frequency for that incident only that is separate from the frequency. normally, we respond on a.1, 2, and 3. we had divisions one, two, and three, at one point. and four, five, and six were

the command frequencies for those different positions. >> president: and no other incident would be sharing that channel with you? >> that's correct. no other communication about anybody going on and we have the advantage of also getting a dispatcher that's dedicated to that channel just listening to us. >> president: excellent. thank you. i appreciate that. thank you very much. that concludes my questions. i think that's everybody. all right. madam secretary.

>> secretary: okay. we will go on to item six. commission report. report on activities since last meeting on october 27, 2021. and there's nobody on the public comment line. >> president: so public comment will be closed. anything else anybody wishes to report? i'm not seeing any hands. all right. so we shall move on. >> secretary: item seven, agenda for next and future fire commission meetings. >> president: all right. what do we have and what would people like to add? >> secretary: in january, we do have fire marshal cofflin is going to present at our first january meeting. >> president: i bet he's looking forward to it too.

excellent. and, is that it? >> secretary: that's all i have so far. we do have probably a closed session at that meeting as well, deliberations. >> president: all right. thank you. and, commissioners, anything you wish to see added? yes, commissioner cleveland. >> commissioner: thank you, madam president. i would like to add on to the list of future speakers the g.o.t.c. so they can talk about their strategic plan they've just issued out. i think that's important for all of us to get a handle on that. >> president: all right. >> commissioner: we would put that on the agenda at some point and invite their leadership to come and make a presentation. >> president: all right.

thank you, commissioner cleveland. any other suggestions? commissioner covington, yes? >> commissioner: thank you, madam president. i would like to hear from mr. corso regarding grants and other things. we haven't heard from him in awhile. i want to know how our grant funding is going. >> president: can you be a little more specific with other things? >> commissioner: well, i would like to know if he's going to if he presents earlier in the year if he's going to bring along confetti. whatever she would like to tell us. we haven't had a report from

him in quite some time. >> president: all right. mr. corso, you're on notice, sir. >> thank you very much. the cycle budget process kicks off in early december and i will work with commissioner secretary on scheduling but having some items on instruction and where you go from that. you will be sick of me in a few months. >> president: i doubt that, mr. corso. >> i doubt it as well. thank you. >> president: thank you. all right. i'm seeing no other hands. so, madam secretary. >> secretary: item eight. adjournment. >> commissioner: so moved. >> president: thank you, commissioner covington. is there a second? >> president: thank you commissioner cleveland.

>> secretary: and president feinstein, how do you vote? [roll call] this meeting is adjourned at 10:09 a.m. >> he is a real leader that listens and knows how to bring people together. brought this department together like never before. i am so excited to be swearing in the next chief of the san

francisco fire department, ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome, jeanine nicholson. (applause). >> i grew up total tomboy, athlete. i loved a good crisis, a good challenge. i grew up across the street from the fire station. my dad used to take me there to vote. i never saw any female firefighters because there weren't any in the 1970s. i didn't know i could be a fire fighter. when i moved to san francisco in 1990, some things opened up. i saw women doing things they hadn't been doing when i was growing up.

one thing was firefighting. a woman recruited me at the gay-pride parade in 1991. it was a perfect fit. i liked using my brain, body, working as a team, figuring things out, troubleshooting and coming up with different ways to solve a problem. in terms of coming in after another female chief, i don't think anybody says that about men. you are coming in after another man, chief, what is that like. i understand why it is asked. it is unusual to have a woman in this position. i think san francisco is a trailblazer in that way in terms of showing the world what can happen and what other people who may not look like what you think the fire chief should look like how they can be successful. be asked me about being the first lbgq i have an understands

because there are little queer kids that see me. i worked my way up. i came in january of 1994. i built relationships over the years, and i spent 24 years in the field, as we call it. working out of firehouses. the fire department is a family. we live together, eat together, sleep in the same dorm together, go to crazy calls together, dangerous calls and we have to look out for one another. when i was burned in a fire years ago and i felt responsible, i felt awful. i didn't want to talk to any of my civilian friends. they couldn't understand what i was going through. the firefighters knew, they understood. they had been there. it is a different relationship. we have to rely on one another. in terms of me being the chief

of the department, i am really trying to maintain an open relationship with all of our members in the field so myself and my deputy chiefs, one of the priorities i had was for each of us to go around to different fire stations to make sure we hit all within the first three or four months to start a conversation. that hasn't been there for a while. part of the reason that i am getting along well with the field now is because i was there. i worked there. people know me and because i know what we need. i know what they need to be successful. >> i have known jeanine nicholson since we worked together at station 15. i have always held her in the highest regard. since she is the chief she has

infused the department with optimism. she is easy to approach and is concerned with the firefighters and paramedics. i appreciate that she is concerned with the issues relevant to the fire department today. >> there is a retired captain who started the cancer prevention foundation 10 years ago because he had cancer and he noticed fellow firefighters were getting cancer. he started looking into it. in 2012 i was diagnosed with breast canner, and some of my fellow firefighters noticed there are a lot of women in the san francisco fire department, premenopausal in their 40s getting breast cancer. it was a higher rate than the general population. we were working with workers comp to make it flow more easily for our members so they didn't

have to worry about the paper work when they go through chemo. the turnout gear was covered with suit. it was a badge to have that all over your coat and face and helmet. the dirtier you were the harder you worked. that is a cancer causeser. it -- casser. it is not -- cancer causer. there islassic everywhere. we had to reduce our exposure. we washed our gear more often, we didn't take gear where we were eating or sleeping. we started decontaminating ourselves at the fire scene after the fire was out. going back to the fire station and then taking a shower. i have taught, worked on the

decontamination policy to be sure that gets through. it is not if or when. it is who is the next person. it is like a cancer sniper out there. who is going to get it next. one of the things i love about the fire department. it is always a team effort. you are my family. i love the city and department and i love being of service. i vow to work hard -- to work hard to carry out the vision of the san francisco fire department and to move us forward in a positive way. if i were to give a little advice to women and queer kids, find people to support you. keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep trying.

you never know what door is going to open next. you really don't. [cheerit.

>> shop & dine in the 49 promotes local businesses and challenges resident to do their shop & dine in the 49 within the 49 square miles of san francisco by supporting local services in the neighborhood we help san francisco remain unique successful and vibrant so we're will you shop & dine in the 49 chinatown has to be one the best unique shopping areas in san francisco that is color fulfill and safe each vegetation and seafood and find everything in chinatown the walk shop in chinatown welcome to jason dessert i'm the fifth generation of candy in san francisco still that serves 2000 district in the chinatown in the

past it was the tradition and my family was the royal chef in the pot pals that's why we learned this stuff and moved from here to have dragon candy i want people to know that is art we will explain a walk and they can't walk in and out it is different techniques from stir frying to smoking to steaming and they do show of. >> beer a royalty for the age berry up to now not people know that especially the toughest they think this is - i really appreciate they love this art. >> from the cantonese to the hypomania and we have hot pots we have all of the cuisines of

china in our chinatown you don't have to go far. >> small business is important to our neighborhood because if we really make a lot of people lives better more people get a job here not just a big firm. >> you don't have to go anywhere else we have pocketed of great neighborhoods haul have all have their own uniqueness. >> san francisco has to all

. >> president yee: of the 26 neighborhoods we have in west portal, it's probably the most unique in terms of a small little town. you can walk around here, and it feels different from the rest of san francisco. people know each other. they shop here, they drink wine here. what makes it different is not only the people that live here, but the businesses, and without all these establishments, you wouldn't know one neighborhood from the other. el toreador is a unique restaurant. it's my favorite restaurant in san francisco, but when you

look around, there's nowhere else that you'll see decorations like this, and it makes you feel like you're in a different world, which is very symbolic of west portal itself. >> well, the restaurant has been here since 1957, so we're going on 63 years in the neighborhood. my family came into it in 1987, with me coming in in 1988. >> my husband was a designer, and he knew a lot about art, and he loved color, so that's what inspired him to do the decorations. the few times we went to mexico, we tried to get as many things as we can, and we'd bring it in. even though we don't have no space, we try to make more

space for everything else. >> president yee: juan of the reasons we came up with the legacy business concept, man eel businesses were closing down for a variety of reasons. it was a reaction to trying to keep our older businesses continuing in the city, and i think we've had some success, and i think this restaurant itself is probably proof that it works. >> having the legacy business experience has helped us a lot, too because it makes it good for us because we have been in business so long and stayed here so long. >> we get to know people by name, and they bring their children, so we get to know them, also. it's a great experience to get to know them. supervisor yee comes to eat at

the restaurant, so he's a wonderful customer, and he's very loyal to us. >> president yee: my favorite dish is the chile rellenos. i almost never from the same things. my owner's son comes out, you want the same thing again? >> well, we are known for our mole, and we do three different types of mole. in the beginning, i wasn't too familiar with the whole legacy program, but san francisco, being committed to preserve a lot of the old-time businesses, it's important to preserve a lot of the old time flavor of these neighborhoods, and in that capacity, it was great to be recognized by the city and county of san francisco. >> i've been here 40 years, and

i hope it will be another 40 year >> we are right now in outer richmond in the last business area of this city. this area of merchants is in the most western part of san francisco, continue blocks down the street they're going to fall into the pacific ocean. two blocks over you're going to have golden gate park. there is japanese, chinese, hamburgers, italian, you don't have to cook. you can just walk up and down the street and you can get your

cheese. i love it. but the a very multicultural place with people from everywhere. it's just a wonderful environment. i love the richmond district. >> and my wife and i own a café we have specialty coffee drinks, your typical lattes and mochas and cappuccinos, and for lunches, sandwiches and soup and salad. made fresh to order. we have something for everybody >> my shop is in a very cool part of the city but that's one of the reasons why we provide such warm and generous treats, both physically and emotionally (♪♪) >> it's an old-fashioned general store. they have coffee. other than that what we sell is fishing equipment. go out and have a good time.

>> one of my customers that has been coming here for years has always said this is my favorite store. when i get married i'm coming in your store. and then he in his wedding outfit and she in a beautiful dress came in here in between getting married at lands end and to the reception, unbelievable. (♪♪) >> the new public health order that we're announcing will require san franciscans to remain at home with exceptions only for essential outings. >> when the pandemic first hit

we kind of saw the writing on the walls that potentially the city is going to shut all businesses down. >> it was scary because it was such an unknown of how things were going to pan out. i honestly thought that this might be the end of our business. we're just a small business and we still need daily customers. >> i think that everybody was on edge. nobody was untouched. it was very silent. >> as a business owner, you know, things don't just stop, right? you've still got your rent, and all of the overhead, it's still there. >> there's this underlying constant sense of dread and anxiety. it doesn't prevent you from going to work and doing your job, it doesn't stop you from doing your normal routine. what it does is just make you

feel extra exhausted. >> so we began to reopen one year later, and we will emerge stronger, we will emerge better as a city, because we are still here and we stand in solidarity with one another. >> this place has definitely been an anchor for us, it's home for us, and, again, we are part of this community and the community is part of us. >> one of the things that we strived for is making everyone in the community feel welcome and we have a sign that says "you're welcome." no matter who you are, no matter what your political views are, you're welcome here. and it's sort of the classic san francisco thing is that you work with folks. >> it is your duty to help everybody in san francisco.