Camaraderie: The Heart of Potrero Hill’s Fire Department

Bradley Akers knew he wanted to be a fireman since he was a young boy. Today, he works as an H-2 firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department, assigned to Station 37 at 798 Wisconsin Street. H-2 firefighters typically work 24-hour shifts and respond to building, environmental and medical emergencies. Akers said most recent calls have been health related. 

“Our goal is to get to them quickly and safely into the ambulance. From there, our colleagues at the Emergency Medical Services headquarters, Station 49, will prepare the ambulances and help transport them to the hospital,” said Akers. “A lot of times we get many calls from people who have been badly hurt from a variety of causes.”

According to Akers, firefighters aren’t expert at one specific task, but are akin to a Swiss Army Knife, with many different skill sets, including emergency medical response, rescue operations, hazardous materials handling, community engagement and crisis support. 

“A lot of them are also really caring people and compassionate, and they’re willing to help anyone in any way that they need while they are on or off duty,” he said. 

A Missouri Street resident, Akers is grateful to serve his neighborhood and appreciates the close-knit community. A few weeks ago, while his family was visiting him at the station, Akers spotted a familiar-looking gentleman walking up the hill towards him with a box of See’s Candies. 

“He was actually an individual that I responded to just a few weeks before that,” he said.

After the man suffered a stroke Akers and other responders were dispatched to his home in response to his Apple Watch dialed 9-1-1 using its Emergency SOS feature. 

“He simply wanted to thank me in person. He also wrote a letter expressing his gratitude to the department, which I still have on my refrigerator to this day. It was nice seeing it all come full circle that day,” said Akers. 

Mariano Elias, a SFFD lieutenant who has been with the department for 25 years, was inspired to become a firefighter after being involved in a high-speed car accident in Vallejo when he was 20 years old. Firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools – Jaws of Life – to remove him from his car, which was lodged against a tree.

“The SFFD protects the second most densely populated city in America and has some of the toughest topography with its many hills,” said Elias, who works from Station 4 at 449 Mission Rock Street in Mission Bay.

Station 25, located at 3305 Third Street, receives calls for medical assistance, grass fires, vehicle and home fires, even unhoused individuals burning wire to sell metal to a recycling facility, according to Elias. The Station averages five to ten calls a day, depending on the time of year. 

“Third Street becomes a main artery to get across these areas quickly and sometimes experiences motor vehicle accidents,” he said. 

The job is made more challenging because many San Francisco structures are made from wood, especially susceptible to water and fire damage. 

According to SFFD Rescue Captain Samuel Menchaca, Potrero Hill’s built environment poses unique challenges. Many buildings, including Victorian and Edwardian homes, were constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s and often contain below-grade areas within the home, or spaces located below ground level. These houses, between two to three stories, require an extra level of care to gain access. 

“That’s why we have wooden ladders and use the chocks on them to make sure they stay stable,” said Menchaca. “You might be wondering what a chock is; think of when you pop the door open, the little piece of wood to keep it propped open. We use big versions of those on some of our ladders to make sure they don’t slip or tip over, especially since we’re on a hill.”

Kelly Cronander, an SFFD probationary firefighter assigned to Station 37, recently completed 20 weeks at the Firefighter Recruit Training Academy, where he received rigorous instruction in fireground operations – activities conducted at the scene of a fire to control and extinguish it – rescue techniques, fire prevention and emergency medical procedures. Probationary firefighters are in their first year of employment with the department.

“There’s a lot of testing, a lot of physical training,” he said.

Cronander said the variety of houses located in Potrero Hill offers a robust training ground. 

“There’s also a lot of great information that I learn from the people who work at the station. All of the firefighters I’ve met so far want to improve and are willing to help one another whenever they have downtime, which is great because it makes all of us better. That is super important in the line of fire, that camaraderie,” he said. “I’m just very fortunate to be here.”