Hey Joel,
Sorry it has taken a while to get back to you. everyone says hello from Hondo. We just had the 4th of July Picnic at Station 1. It went well, even though we had several calls during the event. It was ok, you know how everyone loves to see us take off with lights and sirens. Oohhhhs and Ahhhs from the fans.

Keep in touch and be safe!

Charles Becvarik - NM EMS Bureau / Hondo FD

Thanks again Joel!!! Stay safe brother.

Daniel

Sounds like you have to be creative with the equipment to get the job done.

How is everything in Hawaii? Typical spring day here in New York. Mid - 50"s and they are still forecasting snow. Take Care. Do you guys have any unique fire apparatus that helps get the job done in the islands as opposed to in the states?

hi mate its alex from victoria austraila just looking for someone to chat to.. over here on the 7. 3. 09 we had a big fire that took out over 2000 homes and killed 210 still rateld as a vol

hey, my name is josh and interested in becoming a fire fighter in hawaii county. just curious if you got any advice or pointers. i currently live in paridise park.

Hi Joel! I will send it off tomorrow. Remember to stay safe out there buddy!!! If you have any used patches laying around, I prefer them because there is a history behind them! Later dude!!

Daniel

Hey Joel! Would you swap a patch with a Canadian? Aloha buddy!!! Stay safe.

Daniel

well, that explains where all our dispatchers are going.... :)

Hi Joel thanks for stopping by, on behalf of all the members of the Barbados Fire Service I extend Seasons Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year. Lookin forward to corresponding with you.

Hey Joel,
Thanks for the note! Hawaii seems like the other side of the world to me... must be beautiful tho...
Stay safe

rob elliott
8 scobie crescent bellambi nsw 2518
australia

Thanks for correcting my Hoale spelling. Since I am one I should be able to spell it. haha. Does your VFD have an area where only you are due if mutual aid is not needed? If so the career guys should help with clean up out of courtesy. We are all VFDs here so them vs us doesn't exist and we show respect for the dept called first with help, clean up or FFing. God bless you for sticking it out and serving. TCSS

Hi Joel,

Good luck with that. At least you're living in paradise. Hope it's not a Hoali vs native thing. I've been to HI and love it. Guess it's different living there. How the heck did you end up there? Post military or a woman? Both is how I ending up in TX from CA. Billy TCSS

Kurtistown rocks - My uncle lives on "ATE" road out in Hawaiian acres...

I was there this year - wanted to go see Kurtistown Fire, but my wife kept me busy..

Small world -

Hey howsit! Ya this site is pretty good i just discovered it. I'm with Honolulu FD. stay safe on the big isle.

Had the chance to spend time on your beautiful island bro, in fact 14 times... I taught fire code stuff and really enjoyed being the first howlee (spelling?) to teach fire code to the four counties in Hawaii. Sounds like you are on a mission to be better outfitted and prepared. My department does a ton of wildland and my station is on the pacific coast, a couple of miles down the coast from Hollister Ranch (assuming that you surf, this is a pretty well known place). Anyway, dealing with most of the stuff you have in your 1st in has been researched and refined since we started doing wildland in 1926. So tell me what you need, and how can help a brother. Stay safe. Mike

Hi Joel; Question Please; do you know a Patricia Dukes MICTa friend of mine? If so please say hello. Thanks

Leo

Well Joel - your service certainly doesn't look after you does it! There are people with the same attitude over here as well. Luckily for us our own fire service and the State govt know that we are so much less expensive than a wholly career service, the State couldn't afford the same level of fire cover without us. We're not trying to take any career jobs, but some of them would like to be taking our Stations, at least those like mine in the outer suburbs of the state capital. They see that as providing more jobs for them and therefore more chance for promotion - I can understand their view but don't agree with it. (I stress that it's only some people)

My service has around 60,000 volunteers with about 600 career helping us with the busier stations (combined vol and career). Mine is one of the not-so-busy outer suburban stations with around 300 calls a year - all fire/rescue, no EMS. (For us a call is when we are paged out, not related to how many trucks we roll). And I wouldn't want there to be too many more calls than we get now!

Keep working on it mate, get the public on your side. You should be properly equipped!