New Fire Truck Blessed at KFD Waimea Station

A new fire truck found a home at Kaua‘i Fire Department’s Waimea station.

On Thursday, Oct. 21, Aunty Aletha Kaohi of Waimea blessed the new engine. Representatives from the Kaua‘i Fire Department, Kaua‘i Fire Commission, Hawai‘i Fire Fighters Association, Friends of Kaua‘i Fire Service, the Kaua‘i County Council, the Office of the Mayor, and others attended the blessing.

“With this blessing ceremony, we bring this engine into our family to offer us the protection and the capability to keep everybody in our community safe,” said Chief Steven Goble. “We’re happy for this day and happy to have this for Kaua‘i.”

The new Engine 7, marked at $654,291, replaces the Waimea Fire station’s last truck after it reached its life service of 15 years. The KFD Apparatus Committee and firefighters Nohili Vierra, Sean Kitamura, Corey Sakai, and Dan Hirata have been part of the overall project to bring the fire truck to Kaua‘i since 2019.

“Mahalo to all the hands that came together to bring this fire truck to our island,” said Mayor Derek SK Kawakami. “This is an essential tool that belongs to the people of Kaua‘i. Our firefighters with the Waimea fire station will use this truck for the benefit, safety, and well-being of our community.”