Hawaii Trip 2013

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Just got back from two weeks out on the islands.  I went with the plan of photographing as many fire apparatus as possible (since Hawai'i isn't too well documented in the firepics world), without making the wife and kids mad...

 

First stop was on the island of Kauai.  This island is 105 miles northwest of O'ahu (where Honolulu is), and is called the Garden Isle, as it's really green and wet.

 

Kauai has about 65,000 permanent residents as well as about 1.2 million annual visitors, covering an area of 560 square miles.  There are eight fire stations covering the island, not including the airport or military fire services, which have their own stations.

 

Almost all Kauai stations are equipped the same, with a couple of exceptions.  Most of the stations have a single Type 1 engine with a Type 6 brush truck/light rescue. Also, most of the stations have a personal watercraft (ie. JetSki) available for water rescues, towed by the brush truck.

 

Station 1 is at Hanalei, on the far north coast.  This engine is a little different than the other ones on the island, as it looks like a Type 2 IHC/Pierce engine.  I couldn't get any specs but it seems as if it's probably a 500 or a 750gpm with a 300 gallon tank.  I figure it's that size because of the very narrow roads and single-lane bridges on the north part of the island.  Also housed there is a Ford F-550 brush/light rescue with a skid mount pump, which all the stations have one of.

 

Kauai Engine 1 - Hanalei Station

IHC/Pierce (500/300?)

   

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The working end of Kauai Engine 1

   

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Kauai Station 1 (the brush truck was gone when I was there)

   

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Kauai Station 2 is in the town of Kapaa (cap-ah-ah), which is on the east coast of Kauai.  This is a pretty typical station, with one Pierce Quantum (early 2000's) Type 1 and a Ford F-550 Type 3 brush/rescue.

 

Typical of Hawai'i stations, the ramp is very short and there's not much out back either, so I had to settle for a quick drive-by shot; no time to stop.

   

[hank]

Good photos!

 

tHANKs

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Next up is the major town on Kauai, Lihue, on the east-southeast side of the island.  This is the primary government center and the headquarters of the Kauai FD.  I was going to catch a plane, so I didn't have time to stop.  But, I did manage to get some front and rear photos, plus the Kauai FD "shops", which I'll share later.

 

This station has Engine 3 (Pierce Quantum), Brush 3 (Ford F-550), Boat 3 (towed by ?) and an apparatus labelled "T-3",which (in the second photo) looks like a City-service type ladder, which would make some sense, since there are no other truck companies on the island. 

 

   

   

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Station 4 is located in the community of Koloa, on the south-southeast side of the island.  I have a photo of the station that I'll put over on the stations forum later.  Again, standard Pierce pumper and Ford brush.

Station 5 is located in the community of Kalaheo, northwest of Koloa.  That station is on the major east-west highway (Hawaii 50) in the middle of town, has no ramp to speak of and is in a really crowded area.  So, I didn't bother.  It runs another Pierce (can't remember if it was a Velocity or Dash) and a brush truck.

 

BTW - I do actually have apparatus photos; those are coming up.

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Kauai Station 6 is in the community of Hanapepe, on the south-central coast of Kauai.  It runs a Pierce Velocity and Ford F-550 brush. 

 

Kauai Engine 6 - Pierce Velocity PUC 1500/1000 (maybe 750), unknown S/N.

   

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Kauai Station 7 is in Waimea, west of Hanapepe.  It is the farthest west station on the south side of the island.

 

Kauai Engine 7 - Pierce Dash 1500/1000, S/N 19513 (Pierce folks, please help me with the year on this).

   

 

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Ooops, I forgot Truck 6 from Hanapepe.

 

Kauai Truck 6 - Ford F-550/ABC

   

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Kauai Station 8 is the Kaiakea station, just north of Kapaa on the eastern coast.

 

It runs an Engine, Brush and the Island's Hazmat rig.

 

Kauai Engine 8 - Pierce Velocity 1500/1000, S/N 22635 (again, please help with the year)

   

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Kauai Truck 8 - Ford F-550/ABC

   

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Kauai Hazmat 8 - 2006 Pierce Lance.  I'm also thinking it probably doesn't go out much, either.  It was facing out a rear bay with lots of "stuff" around.

   

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When I was driving around Lihue, I came across the Kauai FD "shops", behind Station 3.  The shop building was a rather large fabric quonset-style building which looked large enough for several rigs.  It was closed up and nobody was around (it was Sunday), so I took some photos of the rigs that were in the yard.

 

Kauai was obviously a Seagrave fan before going to Pierce, as I found no less than four (4) Seagrave rigs on the island.  Three derelict and this one, which looks still operable and probably a reserve:

 

Seagrave pumper (x-Engine 6), unknown year or specs.  Note:  All of the Seagraves have a nameplate above the Seagrave logo on the front, which says:  "O'Neill".  Any idea what that means?  Dealer, maybe?

   

 

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Kauai x-Engine 7 Seagrave.  Unknown year or specs.  Appears to be out of service.

   

 

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1989 IHC/Marion - ex-Maui Rescue 10.  Not sure if it ever ran on Kauai or if it's sitting there, rusting away.

   

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Some of you may recognize this rig - I sure did.  x-Honolulu Tanker 26. Peterbilt chassis with Firehorse bodywork.  Looks like Kauai bought it from Honolulu and looks to put it into service.

   

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Last but not least, these old gals were sitting in some guy's yard on Kauai.  One is x-Engine 5, the other I have no idea about.  It didn't look like somewhere to just go knocking on the door, so I took them from the highway...

   

 

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Coming up - the Big Island, Maui and O'ahu...

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The International rig in the weeds looks identical to the same ones run by Maui. I forget who makes the bodies but they are used by the Rescue Co.'s there.