San Francisco Fire Fighters Rally to Save Public Safety

June 18, 2009 – Citizens, police officers and sheriff’s deputies joined San Francisco, CA Local 798 fire fighters in an aggressive show of labor to encourage supervisors to vote “yes” to keep San Francisco firehouses open.

On a flatbed truck outfitted with informational literature, loudspeakers and American flags, Local 798 members spoke fervently to citizens numbering in the thousands in an effort to convince the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that closing firehouses would drastically endanger the safety of the citizens of San Francisco.

Mayor Gavin Newsom, former Mayor Willie Brown and San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White, along with other labor leaders, spoke to the crowd and pledged their support for keeping firehouses open.

Following the rally, Local 798 members were denied access to the Board of Supervisors chambers to make comments.