The concept of a single combined training facility is a long-standing goal of the Department. A single structure or campus physically centralizing the training of firefighters and medical personnel would enhance administrative functions, streamline the training process, and provide an improvement for operational response. While the Department has listed the requirements for a single training facility on more than one occasion, we are forced to face the reality of searching for a large parcel of property in the most expensive real estate market in the nation. In order to effectively perform our mandate, we would require a parcel of land much larger than anything the Department currently possesses, and located in an area that allows units to respond to emergency incidents in a timely manner.

A single combined training facility would allow the Department to take advantage of the economies of scale involved in mounting the support and infrastructure necessary to fulfil the training mandate for fire recruits, suppression and EMS training. The ability to efficiently coordinate over 45,000 training hours per year would be significantly enhanced by a single, comprehensive facility.

The Department has given significant thought to the strategic planning required to identify, purchase, construct or modify a training facility, and finally to occupy this new facility, with a consolidated Division of Training as recommended in Section 1.4 of the Auditor"s Report. Although the project is ambitious, the Department has identified three distinct chronological phases to this project stream: short, medium and long term.

The short-term phase of the project would be comprised of research and planning. The Department would, consistent with the recommendations of the Auditor, begin substantive discussion with the Department of Architecture and Department of Real Estate to develop an exhaustive list of requirements and research property opportunities within the City. This period of research and planning would run concurrent with the Rapid Paramedic Response Program (RPRS). The Department anticipates that a detailed action plan and project time line could be developed and presented to the Board of Supervisors within one year. During this phase, the Division of Training would assume some basic administrative responsibilities currently held by the EMS Division in-service training section.

The medium-term phase of the project would involve physical consolidation of current Department training facilities and providing as much training as possible at a consolidated training site. This medium term phase would allow the Department to proceed with construction / modification to the new training facility while preparing to occupy the new facility at the completion of this phase. The Department anticipates that this phase could begin within two to three years.

The long-term phase of the project can begin once construction of the new facility is complete. The Department anticipates that physically moving into a facility designed to fulfill the elaborate training requirements would require three to six months. At the conclusion of this phase the Department could begin productive and full-time use of the facility.

Clearly, consolidation of the training facility is a massive project for the Department. We look forward to working with other City Departments in this endeavor to find housing the Division of Training.

· Recommendation of Auditor"s report

1.5.1 Develop a set of specifications regarding desired land area, improvements and other special features of a site to accommodate a combined training facility.

· Assessment of Department

The Department concurs with the recommendation of the audit.

The Department looks forward to developing a list of requirements. A partial list of requirements for a combined Fire and EMS training facility is as follows:

1. Parking for multiple Engines, Ambulance and Truck Companies

2. Storage for heavy rescue, hose, ladders, light tools and medical training supplies

3. Simulation facilities for fire and EMS training; including live fire simulator

4. Ample classrooms for multiple training programs including ample space for concurrent recruit classes.

5. Office space for all training officers and administrative staff

6. Infrastructure necessary to support all training

7. Computer network hardware to provide access to Fire and EMS simulators, Department AIS systems and internet study / research sites

8. Large auditorium for training, ceremonies, and meetings.

9. Vehicle Operations Course

10. Space for future expansion

This represents a partial list of necessities; an exhaustive list of requirements can only be developed with cooperative internal planning and consultation with other large Fire training facilities in the country.

·Department Action plan and timeline

Development of a comprehensive list of features will begin in January of 2002, with a projected completion date of January 2003.

· Recommendation of Auditor"s report

1.5.2 Evaluate possible administrative changes and resource-sharing opportunities that can be implemented to achieve improved cost effectiveness in training.

·Assessment of Department

The Department concurs in principal with the recommendation of the audit.

While it is difficult to anticipate what type of resource sharing can be achieved without knowing the physical layout of the facility the Department intends to occupy, it should be possible to use this evaluation to assist in designing the facility itself. The Department will configure the offices and classrooms with an eye to consolidating function, sharing administrative support resources, and capitalizing on economies of scale.

Department Action plan and timeline

The Department expects to complete this process in January 2003.

· Recommendation of Auditor"s report

1.5.3 Work closely with the Department of Real Estate (DRE) to identify and obtain a site within the City and County of San Francisco that generally meets the newly developed specifications.

· Assessment of Department

The Department concurs with the recommendation of the audit.

·Department Action plan and timeline

This step represents activities in short term phase of the Unified Training Site Project (UTSP). We will begin substantive talks with the Department of Real Estate in January of 2002 and will seek their help in developing the requirement list as recommended in 1.5.1

· Issue / recommendation of Auditor"s report

1.5.4 Working with the Department of Real Estate and design consultants, prepare a cost benefit assessment of alternatives for centralizing training and present it to the Fire Commission prior to forwarding it to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors.

· Assessment of Department

The Department concurs with the recommendation of the audit.

·Department Action plan and timeline

This step represents activities in short term phase of the Unified Training Site Project (UTSP) scheduled to begin in January of 2002 and be completed by January 2003. The analysis will be presented to the Fire Commission for its review prior to its delivery to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors.

· Recommendation of Auditor"s report

1.5.5 Include all aspects of the alternative development opportunities, including offsetting financial benefits derived from the sale or transfer of the Folsom Street property to another city agency, reduced lease costs and potential operational benefits to be derived from the combined facility.

· Assessment of Department

We concur with the recommendation of the audit.

·Department Action plan and timeline

This step represents activities in short term phase of the Unified Training Site Project (UTSP) scheduled to begin in January of 2002.

· Recommendation of Auditor"s report

1.5.6 Submit the completed assessment of alternative"s to the Fire Commission within one year of the date of this report.

· Assessment of Department

The Department concurs with the recommendation of the audit.

Recommendation 1.5.6 refers to the final step in the development the Unified Training Site Project (UTSP), the short-term phase of the overall project. Clearly a project of this magnitude must be approached in a thoughtful and systematic fashion. The Department has developed a brief outline of the phases of the UTSP:

Phase 1:

The development of the needs database. As mentioned in Auditor"s Recommendation 1.5.1, this list must be an exhaustive and thorough manifest of minimal, necessary and desired qualities for the location, open space, and physical plant for the new Division of Training.

Phase 2:

Research into options available for the new combined facility. These include but are not limited to:

1. A new site within the City and County

2. A build out of the Folsom Street facility

3. A multi-facility plan

Phase 3 (can be executed in parallel with Phase 2):

Working with Department of Real Estate to identify a site within the City that could accommodate a new combined Division of Training

Phase 4:

Prepare for the Mayor and Board of Supervisors a detailed and comprehensive report that outlines the best options available and the approximate costs and benefits of each option. This is the phase of the project that calls for the greatest degree of diligence. We must make every effort to assure that all possible costs for all outlined options are reported.

·Department Action plan and timeline

As previously stated in this section, the Department looks forward to beginning the short term UTSP in January of 2002, with completion of the assessment by January 2003 and its subsequent presentation to the Fire Commission.