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Comment by Joel C Kelley on September 25, 2011 at 4:23pm

Aloha all,

Kalamai for not being on more regularly, I will try to fix that in the future! Some encouraging news over the last year or so, in that HFD has put the volunteer division through a FF1 class, and found grant money for new bunker gear for all. Hooray! Baby steps are some of the most important. Still looking for ways to improve our relationship with the career sector of the dept. Hoping to institute a ride time program ion the next year or two, allowing volunteers to ride sifts with paid staff, a win-win for both.  But we'll see. We have a new Chief, and time will tell how he chooses to support the volunteer division.

Comment by Matt Nesius on March 5, 2010 at 9:05pm

Aloha all, I wanted to invite you to check out a brand new site I just started called www.BrotherhoodFirst.com its a site where FFs can buy sell and trade with other FFs. Its completely free and a good way to connect with our fellow brothers and sisters, landlocked or island bound. If you put something on from your area then others are bound to follow. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks. Stay safe.

Comment by Clayton R. Howe on July 28, 2009 at 1:33pm

Been following the conversation on Model 61 engines on wildlandfire.com, figured it's you. Great information coming out of that.

Comment by Joel C Kelley on July 2, 2009 at 7:47pm

Aloha, e komo mai o ka Hui! We are now up to four members! Like all good things in the fire service, they take time. Just by way of a short introduction, I am a firefighter for company 5-B in Puna. We run one type 4 forestry engine, still green, but primed for touch up or change to yellow. Its a good rig for forestry, but we have nothing for structural applications currently. Due to a small tax base and low taxes, our FD budget for the county is very tight, our company budget is $2000/ yr. Historically we have been dependent on the county for essentially the scraps from the table of the paid companies, used up bunker gear, worn hose poor tools, etc. I am looking for ideas on how to change this, and still work within the county system, if possible. There seems to be a mindset from the old timers that everything is OK, and we should just be happy with what we have, but what we have basically renders us ineffective, No SCBA, so no entry or interior ops, no medical training, so no EMS calls, No appropriate tools for ventilation. If you all have strategies for moving forward I would love to hear them.

I have started talking to folks about the possibility of incorporating as a 501c3 nonprofit and working for the county in that capacity, but thus far, support has been less than committed. I really want to work with the current command structure in Hawaii county, as I think the current Chief is committed to positive change, but I suspect the IAFF is very much opposed to the idea of Volunteers in their department.

Any thoughts?

Comment by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on June 30, 2009 at 3:30pm

I guess I should qualify my membership with the Big Island Smoke Eater's group as someone who fell in love with the islands several years ago. I met a Fire Captain from Honolulu FD and through that friendship ended up being the first haole to teach fire prevention in the history of the islands. Visiting is one thing, but giving back is another and after several visits to teach the four counties in Hawaii, I know I made a difference toward protecting your paradise on the fire prevention / hazmat storage, use and handling part of your job. My fire station is a wildland station so if your on the dry side of the island, maybe I can share some cool stuff on this site with you. I would enjoy very much hearing about what's going on with the fire service on the bid island. Mahalo for the starting this group. TCSS, CB

Comment by Clayton R. Howe on June 30, 2009 at 2:33pm

Hi guys,
My wife and I "live" 2 weeks a year in Keauhou. Bought T-shirts for my crew from the Kona Station on Palani Road. Impressed with Hawaii County having a Volunteer Program. Hope someone special could keep the paid and volunteers together in brotherhood.

Saw a couple of former Forest Service Model 60's in Hawaii Co. Yellow, and a Former Los Padres Patrol still in FS Green. All very capable rigs.

We like it so much that we have considered moving there (To a Volunteer Community) Dry side. But that's just whimsy.


Take care, I'll follow the site. Clay

Comment by Joel C Kelley on August 14, 2008 at 6:48pm

Aloha Ricster,

E komo Mai! Welcome to da group. So fa its jus' you and I brah! Hopefully we'll begin to grow over the next few months. We have been watching the volcano closely over the last few months, since things have been changing both at the summit and out at the ocean entry. Elevated levels of backgroupnd harmonic seismic activity, a new stem and ash eruption at the summit of Kilauea, and nearly constant ocean entry flow activity have been the norm since early February.

Comment by Ric Smith on July 9, 2008 at 9:35pm

Aloha Bro, Just wanted to stop by and say "HI!".
TCSS, Ric