SF's Station 49 employees hit with cease and desist order related to Edna the cat

Employees at San Francisco's Station 49 received a cease and desist order instructing them not to discuss the anonymous complainant that led to Edna the cat's removal from the facility. Employees at San Francisco's Station 49 received a cease and desist order instructing them not to discuss the anonymous complainant that led to Edna the cat's removal from the facility. Photo: SFGATE Photo: SFGATE Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close SF's Station 49 employees hit with cease and desist order related to Edna the cat 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Employees at San Francisco's Station 49 received a cease and desist order Thursday instructing them not to discuss the identity of the person who filed the anonymous complaint that led to the removal of the station's pet cat, Edna, on Monday.

The order, obtained by SFGATE, was sent by Mark Gonzales, the San Francisco Fire Department deputy chief of operations, It ordered employees to cease any communication regarding the complainant.

"The San Francisco Fire Department received a report alleging that Station 49 Personnel are openly speculating while on duty about the possible identity of the anonymous complainant that resulted in the removal of the cat from the workplace," the order reads.

"Effective immediately, I hereby order all Station 49 Personnel to cease and desist from any communication regarding the identity of the anonymous complainant while at work or using SFFD-issued devices or email accounts on or off-duty, or from engaging in any on or off-duty conduct that may violate any of the CCSF's laws and policies regarding anonymous complaints. Conduct of this nature includes, but is not limited to, rumor-mongering and mistreatment of co-workers."

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In response, Gonzales told SFGATE that the order was designed to protect employees.

"I know it's an emotional thing; we understand that," Gonzales said of Edna's removal from the facility. "We're not inhumane, but we have rules, and if we knew about the cat ahead of time, this maybe could have been taken care of better. We don't want [employees] doing anything on- or off-duty that will get them in trouble."

Employees were warned that failure to sign the cease-and-desist order "may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment."

Gonzales added that discussing the complainant off duty, including on social media, is also prohibited.

"We wanted to reiterate that conduct applies while off duty," Gonzales said. "We don't want anyone to put anything too inflammatory online."

You can read the full order cease and desist order here.

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A source at Station 49 said that employees are "angry and very upset" with the order.

"People are terrified about getting terminated," the source said, on condition of anonymity. "It's crazy that all of this stems from a cat getting taken away."

Employees said goodbye to Edna on Monday after launching an unsuccessful social media campaign to keep the cat.

The SFFD said that "public health and safety concerns counseled removal of the cat from the premises."

"To clarify what has been reported in the media, the workplace in question is not a Fire Station," the Fire Department said in a statement. "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."

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Irene Ybarra, a former employee at Station 49, told SFGATE on Monday that she did not agree with the statement.

"When I was at Station 49, I developed the medical supply in such a way that Edna was not able to get into the clean room," she said. "The items are usually boxed up, and it's not something [Edna] is usually in the habit of getting on top of. She had her own specific spot, a box with blanket in it. Edna has never been a issue."

Edna is currently living with another Station 49 employee, but does not have a permanent home yet.

"Nobody adopted Edna, the person who took her home [Monday] has two dogs and two cats at home already, so this is not the ideal situation," Ybarra said. "She is still working to try to figure out [where Edna will go]."

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

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