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Photo by Tom Fogle/Local 798
4-Alarm Blaze Rips Through Warehouse at San Francisco’s Pier 45
A raging four-alarm fire ripped through a warehouse at San Francisco's Pier 45 early Saturday, sending thick, black smoke into the sky that could be seen for miles. Firefighters responded to the massive blaze at 4:20 a.m. and quickly went into an offensive fight by going inside the warehouse. Officials said the intensity of the fire was so hot, they quickly raised the response to four alarms and evacuated the warehouse. A fireboat was also called to respond to the blaze. Crews then started to fight the fire with a defensive strategy to protect other structures. Video showing the peak of the blaze shows a raging inferno, ripping through the warehouse. Portions of the warehouse roof also collapsed.

Photo by Captain Stoy Robinson
SS Jeremiah O’Brien: A Piece of American History Saved From Fire During Memorial Day Weekend
A fire broke out at San Francisco's Pier 45 Saturday morning fully destroying a warehouse and leaving nearby businesses worried, but thankful for the work of the San Francisco Fire Department. The SFFD however, saved more than businesses and a scenic San Francisco staple. They also saved a piece of American history; the SS Jeremiah O'Brien. The historic ship, which was next to the warehouse destroyed by the blaze, was used during World War II.
NBC

George Floyd Protests: SF Police Chief Laments Weekend Destruction; Explosives Seized, 120 Arrested
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott offered an update Monday on the weekend’s protests and looting across the city, along with a new tally on arrests. Scott said while the protests over the weekend were by and large peaceful, there were groups who were bent on confrontation and destruction who used the cover of the protests to engage in vandalism and other crime. Among those arrested were several people who launched explosives and had others in a backpack on Sunday night.
CBS

The author of this Opinion piece, Adam Wood, is 25-year veteran of the SFFD and represents SF Firefighters Local 798 as a delegate to the SF Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Unions are a voice for workers during and after the pandemic
Christian Smalls was fired from his warehouse job in Staten Island, New York on March 30. for protesting against unsafe working conditions at Amazon, where a number of warehouse workers had tested positive for Covid-19. In the weeks that followed, three more Amazon workers were fired while trying to raise awareness about glaring inadequacies in the company’s safety policies and trying to form a union on the job.

Coronavirus Map: Tracking COVID-19 cases across California
Track the spread of coronavirus cases in the Bay Area and California and get live updates with The San Francisco Chronicle's exclusive map, the only comprehensive case tracker for the region.

FIRST RESPONDER NEWS
Fiery Crash Slows San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Commute
A minivan exploded into flames Friday morning in the westbound lanes of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, grinding the commute into the city to a near halt as firefighters battled the flames. A Sigalert was issued for the crash around 6:20 a.m. The three right lanes were blocked near the center anchorage on the upper deck of the bridge. All crash was cleared and all lanes were reopened at around 7 a.m. but the 47-minute shutdown had a lingering impact on the morning commute.
CBS

Five injured when tree branch falls at Washington Square Park in San Francisco
Five people were injured on Tuesday night at San Francisco’s Washington Square Park when a tree branch fell and struck them, officials said. Officials responded at about 5:39 p.m. to the park near Filbert Street and Columbus Avenue in North Beach where they found a fallen tree branch, according to San Francisco police. Medics from the San Francisco Fire Department treated five people with injuries, police said. A boy was taken to the hospital “as a precaution.” The other four people were treated and released at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

BAY AREA NEWS
SF officials choke up as they announce new curfew: 'We don't want to see it go up in flames'
The peaceful atmosphere of a citywide march against police brutality on Saturday afternoon slowly diminished as increasingly violent demonstrations took over San Francisco later in the night, causing Mayor London Breed to establish an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew that will be enforced across the city and county on Sunday evening. It will be extended indefinitely. “I want to take this opportunity to really address the hurt and pain and frustration that I know so many people not only in San Francisco but across the country share for the unfortunate consistent violence that we see as it relates to African-American men who are unfortunately killed by police officers,” Breed said at the beginning of a virtual press conference this morning.

Warehouse Fire Devastates San Francisco’s Fishing Industry
A huge fire that tore through a warehouse on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf has destroyed fishing gear used to deliver about two-thirds of the city’s fresh seafood, threatening to disrupt the upcoming Dungeness crab season, local fishermen said Sunday. The fire erupted before dawn Saturday and wiped out the warehouse the size of a football field near the end of Pier 45. Larry Collins, who runs the San Francisco Community Fishing Association, estimates that thousands of crab, shrimp and black cod traps worth up to $5 million were lost in the blaze. He told the San Francisco Chronicle the numbers could be far higher since port officials changed the warehouse’s function into a storage facility in February because it lacked proper fire sprinklers.

Pier 45 blaze adds another close call to mighty Jeremiah O’Brien’s history
Something woke Joan Raphael in her room aboard the old gray Liberty Ship Jeremiah O’Brien last Saturday. It was just after 4, the darkest time of the night, nearly two hours before sunrise. “I didn’t know what woke me exactly,” she said. “But I was awake, and then I heard this huge sound. I heard it before I saw it. It was fire.” The ship was tied to a pier, and the pier was ablaze.

It’s the drugs, stupid
At the April 8 meeting of the Board of Supervisors budget committee, City Controller Ben Rosenfield reported San Francisco hotels were providing 1,977 rooms to the homeless during the Covid-19 pandemic at an estimated cost of $35 million for 90 days. District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen was an early, vocal supporter of the plan, saying in March, “If we have empty hotel rooms and someone doesn’t have a home to shelter in place, we must lend them the room.” I guess Ronen actually thought rooms would be lent. “We’re paying $197 per night?” she asked in disbelief. But Rosenfield had an even bigger bombshell — Mayor London Breed’s plan to procure 7,000 total hotel units would set taxpayers back $105 million for 90 days.

STATE NEWS
California readies for 'realistic' nightmare — raging wildfires during a pandemic
California is bracing for the possibility of a devastating wildfire season amid the coronavirus pandemic. One nightmare sequence of events could have California hospitals filled with patients from a resurgent coronavirus while a wildfire in the north forces the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents and blankets vast areas in smoke — potentially making people more susceptible to the respiratory symptoms of COVID-19. Adding to this are the possibilities that crucial firefighters get sidelined by a viral outbreak at an operations camp and that the state’s troubled utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Corp., shuts off power to millions of customers to reduce the risk of sparking blazes.

IN REMEMBRANCE
Remembering Lt. Vincent Perez and Firefighter Paramedic Anthony Valerio
On June 2nd, we always pause and take a moment to honor two good men who lost their lives doing the work they loved. The tragic June 2, 2011 fire at 133 Berkeley Way sadly claimed the lives of Lt. Vincent Perez and Firefighter Paramedic Anthony Valerio. Members of Station 26, Station 11, Batt 6, D3 and CD1 and CD2 (and several off-duty members) were joined by Lt. Vincent Perez’s brother to participate in a moment of silence to honor Lt Perez and FF Paramedic Anthony Valerio. They lost their lives 9 years ago doing a job they loved in a City they were dedicated to. We will never forget the sacrifice they made and the community impact it had. May you Rest In Paradise. You will never be forgotten.

The Passing of SF Firefighter Ed Banks
June 2nd brings the very sad news of another great San Francisco Firefighter that has lost his life to cancer…Ed Banks was loved by all, a true gentleman whose actions always spoke louder than his words. He grew up in the City and protected the City he loved. When you worked with Ed you knew whatever the job was it would get done. Before retiring he entered the Bureau of Fire Prevention, another step toward protecting the City he loved. Rest In Peace Brother and May your family find peace.

Remembering Our Fallen Brothers & Sisters
Edward Banks (Ret.)
Deceased: 6-2-20
Rank: H-4

Vinicio Tudoni (Ret.)
Deceased: 5-19-20
Rank: H-2

John Walters (Ret.)
Deceased: 5-19-20
Rank: H-2

George Vouchilas (Ret.)
Deceased: 5-14-20
Rank: H-40

Joseph Sheehan (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-25-20
Rank: H-20

James Kelleher (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-25-20
Rank: H-2

Edward Schuldt (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-25-20
Rank: H-2

Russell Albano Sr. (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-6-20
Rank: H-4

Frank Lehane (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-6-20
Rank: H-30

Richard Mize (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-5-20
Rank: H-20

Frances Galli (Ret.)
Deceased: 4-4-20
Rank: H-50

Robert Childs (Ret.)
Deceased: 3-30-20
Rank: H-28


2018 SFFD Year in Review
We are proud to present the 2018 San Francisco Fire Department Year in Review photo book. Last year, our call load increased once again as San Francisco Firefighters and Paramedics responded to more than 149,000 emergency calls for service across our City. This publication was created to honor the hardworking men and women of the SFFD. It highlights the professionalism and dedication of our First Responders as we serve the public with pride. Click HERE to view the book.
About Local 798
Local 798 is the labor organization of the proud men and women that serve as Firefighters and emergency medical responders protecting San Francisco. The members of the San Francisco Fire Department rely on Local 798 to focus on the wellbeing and safety of those that protect the lives of others. For more information, visit  www.sffdlocal798.org .