What's Shakin'?
DEM's Online Newsletter - Issue: April - May 2015
Executive Director's Corner
Last month we celebrated the best of us … and there was plenty to celebrate. Our Facilities Manager Vivina Santos was chosen by her peers to receive DEM’s Professional Achievement Award for her diligence and care in maintaining 1011 Turk Street. In the words of one of her co-workers “Vina definitely does things for others that go way beyond her job requirements, and she does so with grace and a sense of humor.”
Dispatchers Lisa Marie Gerard, Cathy Osorio, Shauna Leal-Markham, Frances Rohwer, and Dawn Shaw were all honored for their generosity as the recipients of our Community Service Award. This group stepped up and coordinated the collection of 11 overflowing bags of toys for the San Francisco Police Department’s Operation Dream Toy Drive. Their leadership helped ensure children around the City had gifts under their trees during the holidays.
Committed. Talented. Passionate. These words describe our award recipients, nominees, and each of you. We are One Department: Dispatchers, emergency planners, and administration, information technology, grants managers, and EMS professionals. Together, we serve as San Francisco’s hub for public safety.
A few weeks ago, I asked DEM’s senior managers to think about the future of our Department. Everything was on the table: How do we promote a healthy work environment that is worthy of your efforts? How do we breakdown silos within the department and collaborate with each other no matter your role or function? How can we do better… in the execution of our mission and the care of our staff?
In the coming months we’re going to take this challenge on as partners. My door and the doors of our managers are always open for your questions, input, or if you just want to have a conversation about what’s going on.
Our engagement will not end here but rather this the first sentence in our long conversation about understanding how each us plays an important role in our Department. After all, we are One DEM.
Thank you and I look forward to working with each of you!
Anne
DEM Honors
The DEM Employee Recognition Program recognizes staff members across the entire Department for their contributions in the workplace and in the community. Staff members were nominated and selected by their peers. Awards were presented at a Departmentwide mixer.
Professional Achievement Award - Vivina Santos
As facilities manager, Vivina makes sure 1011 Turk Street operates and functions 24/7. In the words of her peers:
“Vivina's title is our building's facility manager, but she is so much more than that. She takes her job very seriously and takes care of this building like it is her own house; albeit with many more occupants. She goes way above and beyond the duties of her job.”
Community Service Award: Lisa Marie Gerard, Cathy Osorio, Shauna Leal-Markham, Frances Rohwer, and Dawn Shaw
Lisa Marie, Cathy, Shauna, Frances, and Dawn helped coordinate the collection of 11 overflowing bags of toys for the Police Department’s Operation Dream Toy Drive. The Toy Drive was challenged with replacing toys normally collected at 49er games. This team of dispatchers stepped up and made sure young people around the City had gifts under their trees during the holidays.
DEM Conducts a Disaster Feeding Table Top Exercise
Currently, community and faith-based organizations provide food daily for thousands of San Francisco residents. But what would happen if San Francisco were hit with a mega-storm that lasted 20 days? Last month over 50 non-profit, public, private, and NGO stakeholders came together to discuss that scenario.
To learn more about DEM's 2015 San Francisco Disaster Feeding Tabletop Exercise (TTX) click here.
Fire Safety: It Starts at Home
Amid the recent San Francisco apartment fires that left many families having to find new housing, and the unseasonably warm weather and excessively dry conditions, the City urged all San Franciscans to take measures to prevent residential fires.
To learn more about San Francisco's Home Fire Safety Event click here.
UASI Field Reports
Preventative Rad/Nuc Program
For the past 10 months, the Bay Area has been actively developing a regional preventative radiological/nuclear detection program (PRND). Federal resources from the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) and the Global Treat Reduction Initiative (GRTI) are being provided for integration into our program. Although not selected for the Securing the Cities Grant program this year, we were highly encouraged to apply in the next cycle.
Training Video Wins Gold
The San Ramon Fire District's "Residential Care Facility Evacuation" training video received a gold award at the 2014 California Emergency Services Association conference. The video can be seen at www.firedepartment.org
Citizen Corps - Tap Your Knowledge
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (SFDEM) had a fun evening on March 26 discussing the most important item in an emergency: Water!
To learn more about the meeting click here.
Join The Walking DEM
Please join DEM's Shape Up Walking Challenge team "The Walking DEM" this spring! Last year our team walked 6,041 miles. That was more than enough for a one-way trip from San Francisco to Casablanca in Morocco! Let's walk even further this year.
The Walking Challenge is an 8-week program designed to motivate those who live and work in San Francisco to be more physically active. The Challenge is to get people to create or join a team, set a physical activity goal, and track their progress toward meeting that goal. All their miles will contribute to their team's total, which is to collectively walk 1,016 miles -- equivalent to the CA coastline -- within the 8 weeks of the Challenge. In 2009, the Walking Challenge was recognized by the National League of Cities as a model program to increase physical activity.
To join, you can click this link: http://www.shapeupsfwalkingchallenge.org/user/register/298394 or paste it into your browser. You can also go to www.shapeupsfwalkingchallenge.com on your own and click on REGISTER HERE. Just make sure you pick our team from the list when you register!
You will be asked to create a username and password so that you can log in set a personal goal.
Whether you log your miles daily or weekly, remember to add all of your physical activity on the website. Walking, running, dancing, swimming, or skating -- it all counts! If your physical activity isn't measured in miles, just use our simple formula: 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity equals one mile.
By joining our team, you will not only be building great habits to stay healthy, but you will also be rewarded with city discounts and a celebration event for all your hard work.
SF's Whistle Blower Progam
We all share a common goal: To provide the residents of the City and County of San Francisco with an honest, effective, and efficient government. Like any organization, government institutions are vulnerable to fraud and improper activities in the workplace. The Office of the Controller’s Whistleblower Program is an important avenue for reporting fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement within the City and County of San Francisco. Reporting fraud, waste and abuse is an obligation for each City employee.
For more information, please visit the Office of the Controller’s Whistleblower Program website: www.sfgov.org/whistleblower
Interested in Submitting an Article?
Have a good story to tell or a picture to share about the good work taking place at DEM? Send an e-mail to francis.zamora@sfgov.org or kristin.hogan@sfgov.org.