Fire Cat Edna

weebeasties

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Apparently the firefighters were forced to give her up.:(
It appears she was adopted by one of the first responders which is good news, but so sad she lost the home and family of firefighters who loved her.
 
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RajaNMizu

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It's sad for all the parties involved. I'm sure many of the firefighters view her as an emotional support animal. I'm glad to hear she was able to be given a home with one of them but it just seems so wrong to do.
 

Mamanyt1953

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While I'm happy that she has a home with someone she already knows and loves, I'm a little disgusted by this. Who on earth would object? And why? I only hope that her other firefighter friends are able to visit her.
 

weebeasties

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I was discussing this with a friend of mine and she brought up the question "Would there have been a complaint if instead of a cat it had been the traditional dalmation dog?" No way to know, but I sort of suspect not.
 
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RajaNMizu

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After writing a letter of complaint yesterday evening, I received this letter this morning:

Official San Francisco Fire Department Statement
The City received an anonymous complaint regarding a cat in the SFFD workplace at Station 49. To clarify what
has been reported in the media, the workplace in question is not a Fire Station. This facility is the Department’s
Ambulance Deployment Facility. Within this facility is Department Logistics, where medical supplies, equipment
and pharmaceuticals used by ambulance staff to provide crucial lifesaving emergency health care are housed. In
response to the complaint, an independent investigation was conducted and concluded that having the cat in the
facility compromised the sterility of supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals used on patients. Public health and
safety concerns counseled removal of the cat from the premises.
Moreover, the Department has maintained a Policy Prohibiting Animals on Department Property for more than 20
years. Part of the reason that this Policy was adopted was for the safety of the animals, given onsite activities that
routinely involve large apparatus and machinery operating under emergency conditions. In compliance with the
findings, the reason for removing the cat from the facility is two-fold. First and foremost, the Department’s primary
responsibility and priority is public health and safety. Secondly, the cat must no longer remain on the premises for
the animal’s own safety and well-being. We are happy to report that a member of the Ambulance Deployment
Facility has volunteered to adopt the cat as a pet at home, where she will be well cared for.
The Department has been a staunch supporter and advocate for providing emotional support to its members. A
Peer Support Unit and a Stress Committee have been active for many years, and have provided critical self-help
services, including counseling and stress management opportunities to members of the Department. The
Department recently trained 80 members through a Peer Support program to enable our members to better
support one another. Critical Incident Stress Debriefings are also conducted immediately following tragic or
traumatic incidents.
In addition, the Department recognizes that animals can provide a great source of comfort to some individuals,
especially for First Responders who work in stressful environments. To that end, the Chief of Department has
personally reached out to the Executive Directors of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (ACC), San
Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and Muttville, a non-profit rescue service for
senior pets to coordinate a pet adoption day specifically for First Responders. San Francisco SPCA has also
highlighted the availability of their shelter animals as sources of comfort through their “Cuddle Me” program. More
information about these partner agencies can be found below:
San Francisco Animal Care and Control: San Francisco Animal Care & Control
 
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RajaNMizu

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After reading this, I felt there was some misinformation by the media but....how did this go on for four years without anyone having a problem with a policy that their agency has held for 20 years and only became a safety hazard after a complaint?
 

Willowy

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medical supplies, equipment
and pharmaceuticals used by ambulance staff to provide crucial lifesaving emergency health care are housed. In
response to the complaint, an independent investigation was conducted and concluded that having the cat in the
facility compromised the sterility of supplies,
This makes sense. . .BUT, don't they have separate living quarters? I can't imagine having food and street clothes and recreational items around would be any better for the sterility of the supplies. If they required that the cat be kept in the living quarters, that would make sense.

I've heard that sometimes the firehouse Dalmatians got run over by the fire trucks, so they really shouldn't be around the equipment anyway.
 

Mamanyt1953

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I believe that an upper-eschelon official has gotten involved on her behalf, as other stations have animals, including a rooster.
 
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