SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – Across the Bay Area, people and businesses were ready to help each other during the lockdown, but a plumbing company that delivered pharmacy medications was likely a first.

Discount Plumbers has been in business for more than 30 years and has a fleet of nearly 50 trucks.

“This is a crazy time for all of us!” says CEO Kevin Griffin.

Even though business is down 40 percent, Griffin says he is still grateful and giving back.

“If you don't want to go out, go to the pharmacy, which not many people are doing right now. We pick up your prescriptions and leave them at your door,” he says.

Griffin first made the unusual announcement to his customer list and then expanded it to everyone.

You get a call or email, and if a truck is available, it goes to the right pharmacy.

Inside, the medication is handed over to the customer after an exchange of signatures and identification.

Alyssa Broduer stayed safe at home. She asked the sanitation service to pick up and deliver her medication.

“I have that. I have that,” says Broduer. “It will be a service that will actually be used. It’s aimed at people who could really use the help.”

“If we have a unit in your area, we just assign it at the end of the day or in the middle of the day, depending on how busy we are,” Griffin explains.

The idea that despite the downturn in business, Griffin is helping those in need.

More from CBS News

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SAN FRANCISCO (KPPIX) — The KPIX 5 Weather Team has declared Tuesday a “First Alert Weather Day,” with several different threats potentially impacting the Bay Area.

A storm system in the Pacific Northwest will bring off-and-on rain showers into the Bay Area Monday night, continuing throughout the day on Tuesday. While the rain is welcome after over six weeks of dry weather, some of the showers could produce cloud-to-ground lightning and small hail.

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“There’s going to be a lot of cold air in the upper levels of the atmosphere. That increases how unstable the atmosphere is, which increases the threat of cloud-to-ground lightning,” explained First Alert Chief Meteorologist Paul Heggen. “The unstable environment, coupled with the cold air, will also allow some small hail to fall out of any showers that manage to become thunderstorms.”

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Rainfall amounts will be light overall, with only a few hundredths of an inch of rain for most areas and just a 50% chance of measurable rain for any one spot in the Bay Area.

Once the rain showers wind down Tuesday evening, cold temperatures will take over for the rest of the week. Most of the North Bay is under a Freeze Watch for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. That’s likely to be upgraded to Freeze Warning, as temperatures will drop to the mid to upper 20s in the early mornings.

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Other inland parts of the Bay Area will drop to near freezing, which will prompt a Frost Advisory. Bay Area residents are advised to take care to protect sensitive vegetation and outdoor plumbing, and make sure outdoor pets have a warm place to shelter.

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When a building’s HVAC system fails, timing is everything.

The sooner a system is up and running again, the better, and every minute with a system down is a minute where a building’s occupants are uncomfortable, office appointments may need to be canceled, and, in some cases, landlords may have to offer rent Abatements to make up for the inconvenience.

One way building owners can ensure they don’t experience the long-term ramifications of an HVAC outage is to partner with the right HVAC team that can not only quickly diagnose and fix the problem, but can implement solutions to keep it from happening again.

“When you’re facing an HVAC outage, every second counts,” said Brendan Dowd, service team leader at Boland, a Washington, DC-based provider of commercial HVAC systems, services and building energy solutions. “It’s important to work with a knowledgeable team that knows how to work fast.”

Dowd shared a story about a medical office building in Chevy Chase, Maryland, that experienced an outage to both of its chillers — shutting down cooling to the entire facility. The building had gone through a repositioning a few years earlier, and while some of the air handling systems had been replaced, the old chillers had remained untouched. At this point, he said, these chillers had reached the end of their life expectancy and as a result, when one failed, they both shut down, creating a serious issue for the facility.

Boland was able to install a rental chiller within hours to resume medical services and keep the building’s occupants comfortable. Later on, the team replaced the failed chillers with high-efficiency water-cooled Trane chillers.

“Luckily, we had two brand-new machines, which were in stock in our factory,” Dowd said. “So the owner executed a contract and 30 days later, the old machines were out of the building, the new machines were operating and the temporary rental chiller was removed.”

The Boland team went even further than just replacing the failed chillers; it also upgraded the facility’s building automation system, implementing new controls and technology that allow for optimized heating, cooling, lighting schedules and sequencing. It also upgraded the lighting system by replacing 660 T8 fixtures with LED fixtures throughout the building and the garage.

“Now we have a connected building, where we’re monitoring the energy usage and utility usage in real time, with 24/7/365 monitoring,” said Mechelle Munn, an energy performance engineer at Boland. “We’re watching that building every minute of every day to ensure it is operating optimally.”

Munn and her colleagues on Boland’s Applied Building Insights team work to provide clients with data-backed insights for continuous building energy and sustainability improvements.

As a result of these upgrades, the client not only has a reliable HVAC system that fosters a safe, comfortable and healthy indoor environment, it saw a 34% reduction in electric consumption, which led to $168K in electricity bill savings. As for the cost to the client, Dowd said the lighting system paid for itself within 10 months, while the building automation system paid for itself in just six months.

To ensure that things continue to run smoothly, Dowd said, the Boland team is not content with simply monitoring the building automation system and waiting for a problem to present itself. Instead, it meets with the client on an annual basis to discuss the client’s long-term plans for the asset and develop strategies to keep the building and its equipment operational and efficient for years to come.

“It’s all about having an experienced team by your side who can work fast,” Dowd said. “When a catastrophic failure occurs, you don’t want to waste time searching for the right people. You need a reliable team you can count on who can provide an immediate solution, and then work with you on a long-term basis to ensure this never happens again.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Boland. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house branded content studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.

The post When An HVAC System Fails, Buildings Want A Companion Who Can Ship An Rapid Answer And A Lengthy-Time period Repair appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The pace and hustle and bustle of the Glide Memorial kitchens, deep in the heart of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District, accelerated Thursday morning as hundreds of hot meals were prepared for their annual Thanksgiving celebration for those in need.

In recent years, the lines have grown longer, only slowed down by the restrictions put in place during the 2020 COVID outbreak.

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This year, Glide put up huge tents to protect everyone from COVID and to be socially distant.

“Right now there are more people living on the streets, there are more people who are hungry, and Glide is providing services every day,” said Glide official George Gundry. “The volunteers are big this year. We made it through much of the pandemic without a group of volunteers. This year they will crave turkey, ham … They will serve meals in the tents. “

The Salvation Army also made changes to their annual Thanksgiving meal present this year. In the second year, the organization’s food delivery program will use socially distant precautions. Hundreds of volunteers will help deliver meals to homes on Thanksgiving morning.

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“We are hypersensitive to the way COVID has isolated us all. So when this senior, this house-cuffed person, is welcomed by someone today, someone becomes a family, a friend, “said Salvation Army major David Pierce as he stood in the middle of delivery boxes piled to the ceiling. “To convey a feeling of love, gratitude, gratitude, appreciation and give them a feeling of hope today.”

For volunteer Kalani Isabel, it’s about giving something back – knowing only too well what it means to eat something on Thanksgiving.

“When I was young, my family was in need and the Salvation Army was always there for us,” says Isabel. “We didn’t have a lot of Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving was tough for my mother.”

That year the Salvation Army was supposed to deliver about 4,000 meals.

Mark Hopper brought his daughter with him this morning to volunteer, a reminder to be thankful and give back on Thanksgiving.
“If you’re showing that you want to be compassionate and empathetic towards people, you have to actually do it instead of just telling your kids,” said Hopper.

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2021 / PRNewswire / – The San Francisco Health Network posted a comment on the NEJM CATALYST April 6, 2021 entitled “Concentration of Vaccines in Neighborhoods with High Levels of Covid-19.” SFHP has teamed up with the SFHN network by providing a multilingual call center to help the community navigate the web-based planning systems and launching successful interventions to reach different communities via social media, text messaging, robo-calling Vaccination calls, letters and direct vendors to ensure that all members of our community have free and fair access to the COVID-19 vaccinations in San Francisco County.

“Public health systems have played an important role in the vaccine response for low-income, diverse communities. The state of CA has relied on high-tech methods to attract the public to vaccination, which may be a barrier to access to care for low-income communities.” said Fiona Donald, MD, chief medical officer of the San Francisco Health Plan. “We believe that SFHP can help remove these barriers and provide alternative ways of accessing vaccines through our multilingual call center and direct contact with low-income, diverse communities in the UK San Francisco. “

The mission of the San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP) is to improve the health outcomes of different people San Francisco Communities through successful partnerships. Supporting the needs of our supplier network is central to our mission. SFHP has partnered with a Bay Area provider, Tactical Telesolutions, Inc. (TTS) to provide a multilingual call center. SFHP and TTS were able to hire and train the call center staff in less than three weeks to provide urgent support to the SFHN network for COVID-19 vaccinations.

“We were excited to do our part to support the dedicated staff at the city’s vaccination centers and clinics with their vaccination efforts. Our focus was on helping the key In-Home Support Service staff and vulnerable populations who do may not do anything to help with scheduling. ” Our staff and the call center have heard from our SFHP members and IHSS staff how much they appreciate their help with the vaccination. Our partners in town were impressive and we were proud to be part of the effort, “said John F. Grgurina, Jr., CEO of the San Francisco Health Plan.

Via San Francisco Health Plan
The San Francisco Health Plan is an NCQA accredited, licensed community health plan that provides affordable health coverage to more than 157,000 low and middle income families San Francisco. SFHP is designed for and by the residents it serves – many of whom otherwise could not receive health care for themselves or their families. Through SFHP, members have access to a full range of medical services, including screening, hospitalization, prescription drugs, family planning, and substance abuse programs. SFHP’s mission is to improve the health outcomes of the various San Francisco Communities through successful partnerships. The San Francisco Health Plan is also the third party administrator for the nationally recognized Healthy San Francisco program. More information about SFHP can be found at www.sfhp.org,

About NCQA
NCQA is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health organizations and recognizes clinicians in key clinical areas. NCQA’s HEDIS® is the most widely used tool for measuring performance in healthcare. The NCQA website (www.ncqa.org) contains information designed to help consumers, employers, and others make informed healthcare decisions.

SOURCE San Francisco Health Plan

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D’Arcy Drollinger’s livelihood is about bringing people together. When the coronavirus pandemic forced the actor, writer, and director to shut down Oasis – his San Francisco cabaret and nightclub that has been home to more than 100 drag queens and kings since it opened in 2015 – he had to get creative.

Drollinger has launched a YouTube channel and produced a weekly drag parody show that turns his club into a soundstage. And he’s been crowdfunding to support some of his part-time workers.

But perhaps its greatest success story from a strenuous stretch is “Meals on Heels”, where customers are offered dinner and drinks for delivery or pickup with a lip-synchronous performance of a drag queen or a king.

“Some days I feel like the biggest idiot and other days I feel like the last person standing and holding this space open for the community when it’s the last thing I do,” Drollinger said in one Telephone interview. “It was intense, but every day feels exciting and rewarding when you feel like you are influencing other people’s lives.”

Meals on Heels was supposed to be a one-time deal, a fun way to give some of the club’s regular artists who have been out of work since March a chance to make money. When the drag-on-demand service became popular, so many people called to request a performance that Meals on Heel became a weekly offer.

Drollinger contacted his good friend and fellow actress and director Cindy Goldfield. Goldfield felt useless after the shows she had planned for the summer were canceled. After buying far too much groceries on a frenzied trip to Costco, Goldfield started a grocery prep and cooked meal service in April with her partner, Chef Willi Nordby, Martha Avenue Home.

“I’m a person who needs a sense of use and this has given me a real sense of connectedness with our community and a sense of purpose,” said Goldfield, who also works as an event planner.

The special menu “Meals on Heels”, which Nordby and Goldfield created for Drollinger on Fridays, offers everything from Mediterranean barbecues and Provencal cuisine to Mediterranean and Pan-Asian products.

“It’s about eating … something that feels comfortable and grounded,” Nordby said during this chaotic time, referring to the wildfires that struck northern California this month. “I think fresh pasta and ragu give people a little hope gives me hope to make it anyway.”

While meals are almost always secondary for customers paying around $ 100 for the experience, Drollinger says the quality of the food contributed to the service’s regular customers. Every Friday since Meals on Heels started in June, around four or five artists have made more than a dozen stops in town to deliver meals and give three- or four-minute performances.

Actor and dance instructor Paul Renolis, whose drag name is Juhnay Arabesque, met Drollinger shortly after the Oasis opened and has played drag there ever since. Renolis auditioned for various roles through Zoom and recently booked a commercial, but said drag was its biggest source of income prior to the pandemic. He has delivered twice for “Meals on Heels”.

“It felt exhilarating,” said Renolis of his first socially aloof performance. “You could tell from the faces of the guests like, ‘Oh my god, I haven’t seen a drag queen in a long time. ‘It was great to share that energy with each of them. We have a lot of regulars at Oasis so I saw some familiar faces which was great. “

Renolis, who lip-synced Janet Jackson’s “Made for Now” and Beyoncé’s “Love on Top,” said the performance was “an interesting design challenge” on some of San Francisco’s particularly hilly sidewalks.

The delivery service tends to draw a crowd, Drollinger said.

“Often the neighbors stick their heads out the window to watch,” he said. “Once a driver stopped in the street, got out, tipped the queen, and then got back in the car.”

Oasis opened its roof of limited capacity for socially distant food and drink this month. Drollinger said it will likely take a while for the club’s entertainment schedule to return to its pre-pandemic shape. In the meantime, he plans to continue Meals on Heels for the foreseeable future and is even considering increasing service to two days a week.

“It’s not a gigantic moneymaker,” said Drollinger. “If I can only pay the rent and my employees now, I’ll be happy to weather the storm. … The joy for people to see live performances, even far away and on the street, really moved them. “

Drag performer Renolis added, “People know that artists are resilient. Oasis really blew it out of the park and I’m really glad they are trying to support the artists. “

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SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – Across the Bay Area, people and businesses have stepped up to help each other with home orders, but a plumbing company that ships drugs from the pharmacy was likely a first.

Discount Plumbers has been in business for more than 30 years and has a fleet of nearly 50 trucks.

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“This is a crazy time for all of us!” says CEO Kevin Griffin.

While business is down 40 percent, Griffin says he’s still grateful and giving back.

“If you don’t want to go out, go to the pharmacy, which not a lot of people do right now. We’ll pick up your prescriptions and drop them on your door,” he says.

Griffin first made the unusual announcement on his client list and then expanded it to include everyone.

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You will receive a call or email and if a truck is available it will go to the correct pharmacy.

Inside, the drug is delivered to the customer after an exchange of signatures and ID.

Alyssa Broduer stayed safe at home. She asked the sanitation service to collect and deliver her medicines.

“I did. I did it,” says Broduer. “It will be such a service that is really used. It is for people who could really use the help.”

“When we have a unit near you, we only assign it at the end of the day or in the middle of the day, depending on how busy we are,” explains Griffin.

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The idea that despite the downturn in business, Griffin is helping those in need.

The post Good Samaritan Plumbing Firm Will Additionally Choose Up, Ship Drugs Throughout Coronavirus Shelter In Place – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.