Fire emergencies, while not an everyday occurrence, do happen throughout San Francisco. Fires are routinely handled by “first responders” — firefighters, paramedics, and police — and go largely unnoticed. In certain fire related events, SFPUC staff may be called on to assist firefighters with providing water to extinguish fires. The SFPUC: A Partner and First…
Category: Emergency
How the SFPUC Practiced Emergency Communications While Benefiting Habitat for Humanity
“Ham radios can save lives!” said Nohemy Revilla, SFPUC Wastewater Engineer. “Ham radio is a system that uses radio waves to communicate wirelessly. In the event of a disaster, ham radio operators provide valuable assistance to first-responders, by augmenting other communication technology which may be inoperative.” The SFPUC employs many licensed amateur (ham) radio operators. In…
A Dozen Water Mains Break Across San Francisco in Two Week Span – Here’s Why
With the holiday season upon us, that means colder weather, which has been a key factor in the recent strings of water main breaks happening throughout San Francisco. Earlier this morning, there was an 8 inch water main break in the Sunset on Noriega near 18th Avenue in the City. This was the latest of…
Summer Inspections Help Prep for Rainy Season
Under San Francisco’s 49 square-miles, there is a city built under the City – San Francisco’s sewer system. Under the buildings, streets and parks where San Franciscans work, live and play, the sewer system infrastructure works 24/7 to protect public health and the environment. Protecting the health of San Francisco’s beaches and water quality is…
Why Painting Over a Fire Hydrant Isn’t a Work of Art
One may have seen it before in different parts of the City. And some people may think it is a cute or unique to do. But whatever the intention, painting over a fire hydrant is considered vandalism by the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) and the SFPUC. Painting over a fire hydrant with completely different…
The Moment 15 Seconds Made Its Mark in the Bay Area
On October 17, 1989 at 5:04 PM, the streets of San Francisco were rattled by the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake. While the quake shook for 15 seconds, confusion and fear swept through the Bay Area. Game 3 of the World Series between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants came to a standstill at…