Volunteer Operations Review Hundreds of citizen volunteers assisted the Fire Department at the Marina District fire and the collapse of a building at Sixth and Bluxome streets. Some, acting under the direction of Department members, were instrumental in rescue and fire suppression operations. Clearly, the organization and direction of volunteers must be addressed.
1. Some citizens, at their own initiative, assisted in search and rescue operations, fire
suppression and traffic control. Many others stood by, ready to help, but were not used.
2. Fifteen of 40 members of the San Francisco Fire Reserves reported for duty at
various disaster locations.
1. The San Francisco Fire Department Reserve should be expanded and its mission
redirected away from purely suppression-
2. The San Francisco Fire Reserve should become Emergency Response Teams and
trained in emergency first-aid, light rescue, limited suppression activities and community
organizing.
3. City employee disaster worker training should be reinstituted.
4. All firefighters should be trained in the direction and supervision of citizen
volunteers during disasters.
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