SPA’s Charles Scawthorn spoke on November 30, 2020 to the Port of San Francisco. More than 60 people attended. He provided an overview of San Francisco’s risk from fire following earthquake with a focus on the port and the role it could play in reducing this risk. The port plays a crucial role in San Francisco’s economy. Fire risk for the port is very significant. For most of its history, the port has sustained a major pier fire about once a decade. Most recently, a five-alarm fire at Pier 45 destroyed the crab fishing fleet’s fishing gear, crippling this year’s catch. Scawthorn suggested two key ways the port could help to lower fire following earthquake risk: (1) As part of the port’s multi-billion dollar seawall renovation, it could include a utilidor (utility corridor), which could provide a low-impact reliable utility service for waterfront development, including reliable fire protection; and (2) Develop a distributed series of solar-powered fire protection pumps. The pumps could serve port facility sprinklers (surprisingly, a significant portion of the port’s facilities are not sprinkled) and contribute significantly to the city’s emergency firefighting water supply. Find the full presentation here.