Mayor Lurie Signs Legislation to Pave Way for Upgrades to Fire Department Fleet

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today signed legislation to unlock private funding to revamp the San Francisco Fire Department’s (SFFD) fleet and support the department’s lifesaving work. The legislation was introduced in partnership with District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan and Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman.

Since appointing Dean Crispen as SFFD chief on his second full day in office, Mayor Lurie has supported the city’s emergency preparedness work—launching a new “ReadySF” emergency preparedness campaign and participating in a multiagency preparedness exercise at Fireboat Station 35 in January. He has also encouraged San Franciscans to “get prepared, get involved,” joining a community-based training through SFFD’s Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT). Under Mayor Lurie’s leadership, San Francisco has successfully executed a safe J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, which will return to the city in 2026, and the safest Chinese New Year Parade weekend on record, coinciding with NBA All-Star Weekend.

“Public safety is my number one priority, and that means making sure our first responders have the tools they need to keep San Franciscans safe,” said Mayor Lurie. “By modernizing our fleet, we can respond faster in emergencies and keep everyone safer. Thank you to Supervisor Chan, President Mandelman, Chief Crispen, and San Francisco Fire Fighters Local 798 for working alongside me and supporting this legislation.”

San Francisco’s fire apparatus fleet is aging rapidly. Over 63% of the city’s fire engines, 87% of fire trucks, and 70% of reserve vehicles are more than 10 years old. Nearly 90% of the city’s ambulances have exceeded their five-year service life. As of April 11, 2025, SFFD has seven frontline fire apparatus and 20 reserve vehicles over 25 years old, as well as four frontline apparatuses from the 1970s, still in service.

The behested payment waiver legislation signed today will enable the mayor and fire chief to solicit private donations specifically for the purchase of fire engines, trucks, and ambulances—equipment that is essential to public safety but increasingly expensive and difficult to replace.

“The SFFD is grateful to the mayor and Board of Supervisors for supporting and approving this critical legislation. A special appreciation is owed to Supervisor Chan for authoring this and President Mandelman for guiding this through the legislative process,” said SFFD Chief Crispen. “The behested payment waiver legislation will allow our department to team with private partners to purchase new fire apparatus. This partnership will allow us to fortify our aging fleet and increase our readiness. San Francisco is prone to large fires due to our topography and building construction. Further, we are highly susceptible to a conflagration after an earthquake. Our department is aware that it will take a significant number of resources to combat these disasters. Purchasing new fire trucks engines and ambulances is essential to fulfilling this mission. This legislation demonstrates our elected leaders’ awareness of this potential. They have taken action, and our city is safer thanks to their leadership.”

“This legislation is a critical investment in the safety of both firefighters and the people of San Francisco. By unlocking private funds to modernize our aging fleet, we can respond to emergencies quickly, safely, and more effectively,” said Sam Gebler, Vice President of San Francisco Firefighters Local 798. “Thank you to Mayor Lurie and the Board of Supervisors for prioritizing public safety and giving our firefighters the tools we need to keep San Francisco's communities safe.”

National fire safety standards recommend replacing most fire apparatus after 15 years of frontline service and removing them from service entirely after 25 years. Ambulances should be replaced after five years and decommissioned after seven. Delays in replacement due to rising costs and long manufacturing timelines pose serious risks to emergency response capabilities.

Watch Mayor Lurie's Video
https://www.instagram.com/p/DKQJ6hrTH2C/