During the 2001-2002 year, the Hawaii County Fire Department underwent a great deal of change and went in a new direction. With the establishment and active involvement of a newly formed Fire Commission, a new administration was selected and thrust into service to address the many concerns surrounding the provision of a myriad of public safety services.

With a new administration came a new Mission Statement to establish a direction and platform from which our department proceeds.

The Hawaii County Fire Department is the primary agency responsible for the delivery of a variety of emergency services. In every case, it is the duty of the fire department to protect life and property and to ensure and strive for a quality of life that is focused on safety, health and wellness.

It is the primary goal of the Fire Department to establish measurable standards for levels of service within the community and to identify and acquire the necessary resources to fulfill these service requirements and expectations. Among the numerous secondary goals are:

1. The implementation of a Strategic Plan
2. The adoption of performance standards for all divisions
3. The formulation and projection of an effective budget to address long term planning objectives and goals

• Responded to 15,896 emergency incidents
• Responded to 11,635 Emergency Medical Services incidents
• Provided medical care and treatment for 14,263 incident casualties
• Responded to 623 fire-related incidents
• Responded to 368 rescue-related incidents
• Responded to 77 hazardous materials incidents
• Responded to 2,983 "other" types of incidents
• Acquired two specialty brush trucks through CDBG grant
• Acquired grant funding (USDA) for a fire apparatus for HOVE
• Acquired 17 sets of extrication tools through a DOT grant
• Participated in the establishment of the Big Island Wildfire Coordinating Group
• Participatec in the development of a state Urban Search and Rescue Program
• Development of anthrax response guidelines
• Acquisition of 5 Type I Ambulances
• Provided CPR training for 570 high school students
• Administered 226 Hepatitis B vaccines to county employees of seven departments
• Provided terrorism response training for Hazardous Materials Unit personnel
• Completed training of 10 firefighter recruits
• Provided support and sponsorship of 45 volunteer firefighters to attend and participate in the Fire Wise Community Development workshop
• Conducted final inspections of 19 new commercial and assembly complexes
• Conducted 1,003 occupancy inspections
• Conducted 4,505 fire safety equipment inspections
• Reviewed 1,195 building plans for Fire and Life Safety Code compliance

The Hawaii County Fire Department is comprised of seven divisions or function areas.

The Administration Division, consisting of the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief and administrative staff, provide the direction and coordination of every aspect of the department’s activities and operation. As with any other agency providing emergency services, the administrative division provides critical support for the more highly recognized and visible operations division and is often perceived nonexistent. However, without the critical direction, personnel, financial, and fiscal management, and long- range program planning and development, the frontline service providers could not deliver their essential services.

The Operations Division is responsible for the actual delivery and provision of a variety of emergency services. These include Fire Protection and Suppression, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Hazardous Materials Response, Search and Rescue, and Disaster Response. The delivery and performance of these functions throughout our community is made possible through the establishment and staffing of nineteen 24-hour staffed fire stations. Servicing the entire 4,000 plus square miles and diverse environments of our community has presented us with many unique challenges. Specialized personnel training and the implementation of a formal aviation support program are just two examples of progressive techniques employed by the fire department to overcome these obstacles.

The Hawaii County Fire Department takes great pride in being the only Fire Department in the state to incorporate the Emergency Medical Services Program into its primary mission profile. Having personnel dual-trained and capable of providing a variety of specialized functions makes for operational flexibility and efficiency and has manifested in a direct impact on victim survivability as well as promoting a more consistent and efficient transition of victim care.

The Emergency Medical Services Division is directly aligned with the Operations Division and provides program support and coordination. The scheduling of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Mobile Intensive Care Technician (MICT or Paramedic) Training is one of the essential functions carried out by the EMS Division. In addition, the EMS Division is responsible for the development of program budgets, equipment acquisition, policy and procedure establishment and acts as the department’s liaison with the many health care agencies of our community.

The Volunteer Division represents another unique concept implemented to support the delivery of critical emergency services. The delivery of fire protection and other essential services to the island’s many remote and isolated "pocket" communities would be a financial and logistical impossibility without the support of an active volunteer fire fighter program. Presently, the Hawaii County Fire Department’s Volunteer program consists of 23 Volunteer Companies and over 300 Volunteer Fire Fighters.

The Training Division is without a doubt the most important and fundamental support division of the fire department. Providing and coordinating essential training for new hires and the review and development of recurrent training for all personnel is the most critical function of the Training Division. Partnering with other agencies and soliciting the donated use of facilities and residences are prime examples of alternative considerations made to support the training program. Effective training is the key to providing quality service.

The Fire Prevention, Inspection, and Investigation Division provides a frontline defense for the department and the community in addition to post-incident investigation. The review of building plans, project developments, site inspections and the enforcement of safety and fire codes are the primary duties and responsibilities of the Prevention Division. Meanwhile, the impact of public education services provided by the prevention division is immeasurable. Targeting the youth of the community, the division also promotes fire safety and awareness at the family level. Reducing hazard potentials and preventing fires are paramount aims, to reduce fire losses and save lives. Unfortunately, even with the most proactive prevention program, fires will continue to occur. It is the responsibility of the division to survey the fire scene and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause or origin of the fire and to identify potential crimes, defective equipment or appliances, and accidents. Through their comprehensive investigation, the Prevention Inspectors provide valuable information to property owners, occupants and insurance underwriters and assist in the recovery from the tragic effects of a fire.

The Communications and Auxiliary Services Division is the focal point through which nearly all emergency incidents are originated. Persons calling "9-1-1" are routed through the "9-1-1" center at the police department and depending upon the nature of the emergency or the specific service request, are then transferred to the fire department’s communication center. Professionally trained dispatchers then ascertain the nature of the emergency while simultaneously dispatching appropriate units and providing potentially life-saving instructions over the phone to the distressed caller. The dispatchers also provide interagency and media communication support, data input and incident documentation, and assist with the non-emergency business communication and referrals.

The second component or function of this division is the Auxiliary Services or support services. These services revolve around the overall activities of the entire organization and range from the provision and issuance of personal safety equipment to the purchase and delivery of office supplies and materials. As an agency expected to function independently and effectively 365 days a year 24 hours a day regardless of disasters and other potential operations-hampering events, the establishment of an efficient Auxiliary Services Division is critical to the maintenance of emergency service delivery.