The PTA Fire Department recently provided two sessions of basic wildfire training for volunteer firefighters, using the standard national curriculum which is the same requirement for many municipal full-time firefighters, as well as the fire team from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). During the two-day training course, the volunteers receive schooling in all the basics of wildfire. Classroom topics include fire weather, operations, and the incident command system. In the field they get hands on experience with equipment, tools, and wildfire control techniques
The training included volunteer firefighters from Waiki‘i Ranch, who were among the firefighters who helped bring the 2021 Mana Road fire under control.
Roughly 90 west Hawai‘i volunteer firefighters serve under the watch of Hawai‘i Fire Department (HFD) Capt. Chas Taketa.
Photo credit: DLNR