LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Fire Department will have a new face and expanded operations by the end of summer. “You’re going to see a lot of changes,” said KFD Deputy Fire Chief John Blalock. “It’s going to look like new
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Fire Department will have a new face and expanded operations by the end of summer.
“You’re going to see a lot of changes,” said KFD Deputy Fire Chief John Blalock. “It’s going to look like new fire department.”
Kaikea Station, located between Kealia Beach and Kapa‘a Town, is scheduled to begin operating Sept. 1.
The new station was originally planned to open next February, but the date has been expedited, which also pushed up the training for 15 recruits.
Starting Sept. 1, KFD will also change its uniforms, including the patch. But the reason is not just looks.
“We’re adding a little more added protection for our firefighters,” Blalock said.
The new grant-funded uniforms will meet National Fire Protection Association standards, he said.
Kaikea Station
Kaikea is the first fire station in the last 60 years to be built on Kaua‘i from the ground up, Blalock said, although some existing stations have gone through renovations.
In the past, the fire department used to operate under the state Civil Defense. There were seven stations on the island, all of them built near gas stations and in proximity to farm worker communities.
“In the past 15 to 20 years, you’ve seen the deterioration of agriculture in the islands,” Blalock said. “Our development here is not so much urban development. It’s a lot of sprawl, where you see single-family dwellings spreading out over the lands.”
The horizontal growth of communities stretches KFD’s ability to respond to calls in a timely fashion, he said.
The Kapa‘a station will not be phased out, although KFD will consider relocating it. The biggest reason to move the existing Kapa‘a station is money, Blalock said, explaining that because it sits in a flood zone, it hampers KFD’s ability to receive federal grant money.
A federal grant will fund the 15 personnel needed in Kaikea. The grant will gradually decrease for five years until it expires.
Hazmat
Kaua‘i is the only county that does not have separate hazardous-materials and rescue response. But this will change when Kaikea Station opens.
“It’ll be a dedicated hazmat station,” Blalock said.
Kaikea will centralize all the hazmat response on the island.
“Since 9/11, everything has gone through the roof,” Blalock said.
The scope of training needed to respond to hazardous-materials situations since Sept. 11, 2001, has been broadened to a point that it’s not conducive for someone to have all the rescue and hazmat skills that are required, Blalock said.
The hazmat-response personnel will also be trained in rescue, but their focus will be on calls involving hazardous materials.
Kaua‘i chopper
Another important change in the department will be the acquisition of a rescue helicopter, already approved by the Kaua‘i County Council. About 40 percent of the cost of the chopper will be picked up by grants, according to Blalock.
“It’ll really increase our ability to respond in a timely fashion,” he said.
The helicopter will probably be centrally located at Lihu‘e Airport, Blalock said. “The coverage will be better for the whole island.”
Currently KFD hires a couple different helicopter companies whenever there’s a need. Blalock said the department has built a good relationship with those companies, but a helicopter exclusively dedicated to KFD will improve training and rescue.
“That was part of our biggest glaring hole that we had in our whole rescue operation,” Blalock said. “You can’t simulate hanging from the bottom of a helicopter on a long line.”
Some of the senior firefighters have had more “on-the-job training” while responding to calls, but training is usually done hanging from a rope attached to a basketball backboard assembly.
“Training is of the utmost importance,” said Blalock, adding that it adds confidence to firefighters when they have to face real situations.
Blalock commended KFD firefighters and lifeguards for being passionate professionals.
“Without them we couldn’t do our job,” he said.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
