i know what they need to be successful. >> i have known jeanine nicholson since we worked together at station 15. i have always held her in the highest regard. since she is the chief she has infused the department with optimism. she is easy to approach and is concerned with the firefighters and paramedics. i appreciate that she is concerned with the issues relevant to the fire department today. >> there is a retired captain who started the cancer prevention foundation 10 years ago because he had cancer and he noticed fellow firefighters were getting cancer. he started looking into it. in 2012 i was diagnosed with breast canner, and some of my fellow firefighters noticed there are a lot of women in the san francisco fire department, premenopausal in their 40s getting breast cancer. it was a higher rate than the general population. we were working with workers comp to make it flow more easily for our members so they didn't have to worry about the paper work when they go through chemo. the turnout gear was covered with suit. it was a badge to have that all over your coat and face and hel

nicholson. (applause). >> i grew up total tomboy, athlete. i loved a good crisis, a good challenge. i grew up across the street from the fire station. my dad used to take me there to vote. i never saw any female firefighters because there weren't any in the 1970s. i didn't know i could be a fire fighter. when i moved to san francisco in 1990, some things opened up. i saw women doing things they hadn't been doing when i was growing up. one thing was firefighting. a woman recruited me at the gay-pride parade in 1991. it was a perfect fit. i liked using my brain, body, working as a team, figuring things out, troubleshooting and coming up with different ways to solve a problem. in terms of coming in after another female chief, i don't think anybody says that about men. you are coming in after another man, chief, what is that like. i understand why it is asked. it is unusual to have a woman in this position. i think san francisco is a trailblazer in that way in terms of showing the world what can hap

. >> i have known jeanine nicholson since we worked together at station 15. i have always held her in the highest regard. since she is the chief she has infused the department with optimism. she is easy to approach and is concerned with the firefighters and paramedics. i appreciate that she is concerned with the issues relevant to the fire department today. >> there is a retired captain who started the cancer prevention foundation 10 years ago because he had cancer and he noticed fellow firefighters were getting cancer. he started looking into it. in 2012 i was diagnosed with breast canner, and some of my fellow firefighters noticed there are a lot of women in the san francisco fire department, premenopausal in their 40s getting breast cancer. it was a higher rate than the general population. we were working with workers comp to make it flow more easily for our members so they didn't have to worry about the paper work when they go through chemo. the turnout gear was covered with suit. it was a badge to have that all over your coat and face and helmet. the dir

our fire chief, jeanine nicholson is here. and let me tell you, it does take a village. i know we got today is really about giving. and let me just tell you, it is really a blessing to be a blessing. and i know that in so many ways, we are going to be handing out turkeys here, thanks to foster farms and whole foods, but we also know that many of you who are cooking those turkeys are going to be sharing them with your family members and neighbors and friends. [applause] so i want to take this time to acknowledge and thank the folks who are here volunteering. your supervisor watson is here as well. [applause] but i also need to pause and explain to all of you why the mayors of san jose and oakland are in the house. [applause] let me explain. see, what had happened was we had a bet and a couple months ago, we had a bet, first it started as the battle of the bay, we are battling for the bay. to clean up the bay, to clean up our city, to love our cities, to show love and respect to our community. and let me tell you, first the bet was between me and oakland mayor libby schaaf

chief jeanine nicholson. this is my report since november 13. it's going to be a minute longer than it usually is because we have a few more things than we did. november 15, i set up a meeting with the head of d.e.m., mary ellen car ellen carroll, and the head of p.d., chief scott, to collaborate on issues, whether it's dispatch, training, and other challenges and opportunities that we can work on together. so we are going to be having quarterly meetings where we can, you know, work on things together. the retirement ceremony, thank you to the commissioners for coming to that. about 40 people, and it was very well received by those that came. they were very appreciative. on the 19th of november, we had labor management. things are moving along there. on the 21st, i attended, as well as i believe c.d. 2 and c.d. 3 went to the toys opening event at the newhall hall, 798 hall, so they had a big open day event that i stopped by that evening. that evening, there was an american legion annual 456 annual awards. three firefighters were awarded for a re