News

Report States Water for Firefighting Could Be Problem After a Disaster for many San Francisco neighbourhoods

Information recently obtained claims that more than 15 San Francisco neighbourhoods could burn to the ground due to a lack of water being available to the San Francisco Fire Department after a major earthquake.

The information claims a plan to expand the city’s emergency firefighting network was stalled for years because of political interference and one city agency’s refusal to ask voters for the money that is needed to protect neighbourhoods in the southern and western parts of the city.

Critics say alternative plans being promoted are likely to fail, leaving vulnerable city residents, like senior citizens and the disabled, to perish in a firestorm of the city’s making or to suffer the consequences of disease and other maladies due to a lack of
fresh water after a disaster.

This story, which was written by Tom Pendergast, came to light due to SF Fire Department Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Tom Doudiet, who worked on the Auxilliary Water Supply System (AWSS) before it was removed from the SFFD in 2010. He can be reached by e-mail at tdoudiet@comcast.net

For an online version of the story visit www.sfrichmondreview.com

Image of San Francisco skyline for illustration purposes.