The Kaua’i Fire Department’s top brass are film buffs.
Because of their love of the cinema, Kaua’i Fire Chief David Sproat and the County’s Economic Development Director Gini Kapali were asked to explain to the council Thursday why fire personnel and fire equipment have been used on island movie shoots.
“Judy (Grosd – of the Kaua’i Film Commission) has received the support of the KFD when she needs to do remote scouting. She has been escorted by KFD personnel (and equipment). It’s minimal, but it has happened,” Kapali told the council.
Fire Chief Sproat said the personnel used are “generally off-duty personnel.”
Council Member Ron Kouchi then wanted to know if the off-duty personnel utilized to watch over the safety of film crews on the island were covered by the county’s insurance.
“I’m not sure if it’s covered,” Sproat answered.
“There (also) seems to have been a monetary contribution made to a non-profit affiliated with the Fire Department,” Kouchi added.
“Funds should have been coming to the county. It was through the taxpayer’s money that equipment was purchased. (Even) If they (firefighters) are off-duty (they could be) viewed as employees of the county,” Kouchi said.
Kouchi explained that he hoped the Fire department would work with the county to come up with a program similar to the Kaua’i Police Department.
“We have off-duty police paid by an outside source controlled by the police department and liability issues are covered,” Kouchi said.
Kouchi also said the contributions to the Fire Department have exceeded $100,000.
Sproat detailed $88,000 in expenditures for fire equipment, most of which came from film company donations to two non profit organizations.
Sproat said all the money was used to purchase fire equipment including jet skis, jet boats, trailers and rescue sleds.
Battalion Chief Bob Kaden said the films on which the department has helped out, providing security and other safety efforts included: Jurassic Park, Six Days, Seven Nights, Dragonfly and Baywatch (Hawai’i).
Kouchi assured Sproat that there was absolutely no suggestion that money was misused but only that a process and guidelines should be developed similar to the Police Department’s.
