Such experiences are designed to engender
to assist Ralph with training,” says Tavares.
readiness. “I tell them, ‘I’m not going to be there
“Ladder training, fire hose training, fire stream
when you get the call, so you’ve got to make the
training—we train them in all aspects of fire-
decision about what you’re going to do,’” he says.
fighting,” he says. However, the volunteers are not
He challenges the volunteers to think on their
trained to enter a building and fight an internal
feet, and he tries to help them be safe. “When
fire, he explains, because that requires special-
there’s a fire, I tell you, it just changes things
ized training and gear, including self-contained
inside of you, your mental state. It can cause
breathing apparatuses that the crew do not have.
your heart rate and your blood pressure and your
Tavares was instrumental in bringing the bri-
breathing to go up. Some people may not think
gade’s current fire truck to Hualālai, as well as a
properly. You can only simulate so much.”
prior truck that the county reclaimed before the
Fortunately, the volunteers do think seriously
resort formed its own brigade. The present-day
about their duties because of the expert training
truck came from Dallas and “was a perfect fit
provided by Yawata and his colleague, Gil Tavares.
for our needs,” Tavares says, pointing out that
Tavares—who retired in 1997 as the battalion
the Hualālai community helped raised funds to
chief of training and operations for the Hawai‘i
acquire it. “We had meetings with the commu-
Fire Department’s West Hawai‘i division—came
nity, and they believed that buying a fire truck
to Hualālai in 1999, joining Regidor’s security
was the right thing to do, and to continue to have
team and the brigade. He served as brigade chief
our people trained.”
until he retired from his security post in 2017, and
The community continues to fund the truck’s
now he helps Yawata. “I come in once a month
equipment-related needs, ensuring that the
The women and men of the Hualālai Fire Brigade are employees of Hualālai Resort, but their roles as brigade overseers and crew members are voluntary. Here, several share their thoughts on what it means to have good command of fire safety and to help protect and serve the Hualālai community.
AMY REGIDOR
JOHN PALOS
RALPH YAWATA
GIL TAVARES
“The volunteers know this
“It’s a brotherhood. It’s guys
“It challenges me because
“The people in a volunteer
isn’t playtime. They come
from various departments—
we only train once a month:
fire department normally
back [from training] and
engineering, security, myself
What can I cover in that two-
live in the community they
they’re sweaty, they’re hot,
in landscape—it’s good
hour period that will chal-
volunteer to protect—that’s
they’re sore. It gives them
training, it’s hard work. You
lenge them, not be boring,
not so here. None of our fire
a sense of pride, everybody
feel responsible. And we
but also keep them safe and
brigade personnel live on
on the brigade. And they’re
have a good leader: Ralph
fulfill what we need to do to
this property. They volunteer
recognized: We do an annual
Yawata is a retired assistant
maintain the brigade? I think
to help protect the commu-
mahalo breakfast, and all of
chief, and so he teaches us
they respect what I teach
nity they work for, and I think
our senior managers come
well. He has a lot of patience.
them, and it’s not a guy or
that’s very commendable.
to acknowledge them and
Some of our volunteers have
boys thing. Everybody’s an
The fact that they’re volun-
their commitment—that
moved on with the training
individual. I know most of
teering makes you feel really
they don’t have to do this,
they got here—they’re now
them, what makes them
good about helping them
but they do it.”
firemen.”
tick—I try to figure that out.”
with their training.”
37
