On Tuesday, March 30, 2021,  the U.S. Army at Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) Fire and Rescue, and the Hawaiʻi County Fire Department (HFD) responded to a single motor vehicle accident  on Daniel K. Inouye Highway that caused a shutdown during rush hour traffic.

The combined teams used the jaws-of-life to extract a lone motorist following a rollover into the brush along the interisland highway. HFD’s Chopper 2 then airlifted the injured driver to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital.

“Once again this was a seamless response between the two fire departments and is testimony to all the first responders here on Hawaii Island,” said Eric Moller, PTA Fire Chief in a U.S. Army press release.

HFD and PTA Fire routinely assist motorists along Highway 200 from the upper road Highway 190 to Mile Marker 17 on the Hilo side and all calls within the saddle region of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Photo Courtesy of The U.S. Army