Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the City’s commitment to improving fire and emergency medical response by announcing a long term five year apparatus replacement plan and by investing heavily in the first two years of the plan. The long term apparatus replacement plan, similar to the five year hiring plan for the Fire Department, proposes that the City make an on-going commitment to fund equipment to ensure it is replaced in a timely manner and on a more regular basis.

Over the next two years, Mayor Lee proposes to invest $14.3 million, which includes the acquisition of 13 fire engines, 4 aerial ladder trucks, and 8 ambulances. For the following three years the proposal calls for a minimum $4 million per year. The historic investment ensures that the Fire Department’s first responders have the necessary rescue tools and personal protective equipment to address emergency incidents to meet the demands of a growing San Francisco and to keep residents safe.

“The dedicated men and women of the Fire Department represent the best of our City, and investing in our City’s public safety is critical to providing unparalleled services to residents and visitors, 24 hours per day,” said Mayor Lee. “The five year apparatus replacement plan will ensure that our first responders have the 21st Century equipment and tools to do their job to protect our City.”

“Our Fire Department badly needs to overhaul its aging fleet. I’m glad that the Mayor’s Office and the Fire Department are making progress in renewing the fleet and moving toward smaller and more agile fire trucks that can better maneuver San Francisco's neighborhood streets,” said Supervisor Scott Wiener. “We need a more modern fleet so that the men and women of our Fire Department can do what they do best – keep our City and our neighborhoods safe.”

“By funding an emergency response fleet plan, we will put our firefighters and EMT/paramedics in the best possible position to do their jobs so they can continue to effectively serve the people of San Francisco,” said Fire Chief Joanne Hayes White. “This means providing the equipment that a modern, state-of-the-art, 21st Century department needs.”

“Replacing our fleet, modernizing our department and hiring more first responders are all critical to helping firefighters and paramedics keep our growing City safe,” said San Francisco Firefighters Union Local 798 President Tom O’Connor. “I thank Mayor Lee for working in partnership with the Department and Local 798 to provide these additional resources to the San Francisco Fire Department so that we can continue to serve and protect our residents.”

Mayor Lee’s proposed two year budget makes an $11.8 million investment in accelerated emergency response vehicle replacement that will have lasting public safety benefits, and modern, more reliable vehicles will make the City’s emergency apparatus fleet more resilient during critical times. The City has invested in Fire Department fleet and budgeted $6.6 million – averaging $1.1 million per year – from FY 2010-11 to FY 2015-16. The upcoming investment increases annual funding by over 600 percent, takes advantage of one time revenues for one time prudent uses with long term benefits, and increases the resiliency of a growing, dynamic City.

Fire engines are staffed at each of the City’s 44 fire stations spread throughout all neighborhoods in the City and are generally the first unit arriving on the scene of a 9-1-1 incident for fire suppression, rescue, and emergency medical service calls. The Department also staffs 20 aerial ladder trucks on a daily basis, which carry specialized equipment, including “jaws of life” as well as other extrication and rescue tools. The City’s 54 ambulances respond to over 100,000 medical calls per year, and are responsible for safely transporting patients to hospitals.

San Francisco has some of the busiest fire stations in the United States. The apparatus replacement plan will be implemented to prioritize service and response times citywide, including the busiest stations and highest need communities. The three busiest stations in the City are:
• Fire Station 3 serving Downtown, Nob Hill, and the Tenderloin, which responded to 15,248 calls in 2015, or 42 calls per day;
• Fire Station 1 serving South of Market, which responded to 13,075 calls in 2015, or 36 calls per day; and
• Fire Station 36 serving Hayes Valley, which responded to 8,830 calls in 2015, or 24 calls per day.

The Department will reduce maintenance costs of its current fleet, while increasing the time each vehicle spends in service and in the field. In addition, newer apparatus are smaller and more maneuverable which improves access to narrow streets, features greater visibility for drivers, and more closely aligns with the City’s Vision Zero Policy. Improved emissions will reduce environmental impacts.

Going forward, the Fire Department will be better positioned to replace its equipment in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) best practices guidelines. The budget includes $2.5 million in other life-saving equipment funding for the City’s first responders, which includes $1.0 million of medical, rescue, safety, and protective equipment.

The Fire Department will graduate five firefighter academy classes over the next two years, equating to over 250 new hires to help prepare the Department for upcoming retirements and reduce reliance on overtime. The Department also plans to hold multiple EMT/Paramedic academies in the upcoming years, in order to support, maintain, and enhance ambulance service staffing levels in the City. The equipment and hiring plans are in line with the Fire Department’s long-term strategic planning efforts for the Department and the City.

In addition, Mayor Lee announced a number of other initiatives for the Fire Department, including a collaborative program with the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) to improve the outreach and education surrounding fire safety, and increase fire inspection and building data available to the public.