The Hawaiʻi Fire Department graduation brought 18 new firefighters into service last week, as the 54th Firefighter Recruit Class received badges during a July 17 ceremony in Hilo.
Family members, friends, fire personnel and Hawaiʻi County leaders gathered to mark the completion of recruit training and the start of the graduates’ careers.
Hawaiʻi Fire Department graduation ceremony and remarks
Mayor Kimo Alameda noted he first shook the recruits’ hands a year ago at Haihai Fire Station as their journey began, and said he was honored to greet them again as firefighters at the ceremony.
Alameda also commended what he called a textbook-perfect response to the recent Waikōloa brush fire, crediting the department’s Training Division for its preparation.
Chief Martinez Jacobs of the department’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit echoed that praise, citing feedback from Committee of Accreditation Chairman Brian Bower, who described Battalion Chief Patrick Springer and his training team as among the best he has seen in his career.
Interim Fire Chief Daniel Volpe reflected on guidance shared with the class before training by the late Fire Chief Kazuo Todd, emphasizing the badge as a symbol of duty and commitment to serve.
“The badge you receive today is not a reward or a trophy. It is a symbol of the purpose carried by generations of Hawaiʻi firefighters that is now entrusted to you,” Volpe said, adding that each time they put it on, it should remind them of their promise to protect life and property and serve the public with aloha.
Fifteen of the 18 graduates were assigned to their first rotations within the Hawaiʻi Fire Department, while three will serve in Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting.
The department congratulated the 54th Firefighter Recruit Class and thanked instructors, the training cadre, families and supporters for their roles in the new firefighters’ success.
Those interested in future opportunities can sign up for notifications through the Hawaiʻi County Department of Human Resources. The county anticipates two recruitment cycles over the next 12 months.
Hawaiʻi Fire Department graduation: minimum qualifications
Current minimum qualifications include:
- Satisfactory completion, by the time of hire, of English 100 and Health 125 with a grade of C or better, or equivalent coursework as determined by Kapiʻolani Community College.
- Qualifying Kapiʻolani Community College emergency medical technician or paramedic credentials. A current Hawaiʻi emergency medical technician-transport or emergency medical technician-paramedic license in good standing may be substituted for those course requirements.
The department offers career pathways in emergency operations, special operations, fire prevention, training, emergency communications, auxiliary services and emergency medical services.
On Hawaiʻi Island, community-focused efforts such as the Coffee with a Cop coming to Waikōloa on Wednesday morning event also highlight opportunities for residents to engage with first responders.
