The Hawaii Fire Department now has access to four brand-new brushfire trucks that were gifted through donations to the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation.
State and county officials, members of HFD and philanthropists Marc and Lynne Benioff attended a blessing Wednesday for the four new trucks at the Haihai Fire Station in Hilo.
After nearly losing their home to a fire a few years ago, the Benioffs asked the Sayre Foundation what the couple could do to help the fire department. Since then, the couple has purchased three Big Dog fire trucks, two tanker fire trucks and eight brushfire trucks.
“I was told by Battalion Chief William Bergin that these Big Dog trucks were the reason the Mana Fire got put out in 2021. They saved Waikoloa and Waimea,” said foundation co-founder Laura Mallery-Sayre. “We felt very blessed to have those, because they helped save our island from catastrophic fires. We had seven fires on the same day as the Lahaina fire, and the tanker trucks made the difference.”
According to Mallery-Sayre, the Benioffs have purchased the smaller tanker trucks for two volunteer fire stations at Waikii Ranch and in Waimea.
The four trucks that were unveiled Wednesday eventually will be joined by four more. The fleet will be used across the island to put out brushfires as well as fires on roads that are difficult to access.
According to fire Chief Kazuo Todd, the trucks and tires are better equipped for driving over ‘a‘a lava, which is vital when battling fires on the island.
After their initial run-in with a brushfire, the Benioffs experienced two more fire scares and actually saw one of the trucks they purchased when firefighters saved their home during the Kohala Ranch wildfires last year.
“I want to thank our firefighters for putting their lives on the line every single day. We almost lost our home, but the fire department saved it and all the homes in our area as well,” Marc Benioff said. “When one of the trucks we bought showed up, it was amazing to see. It makes it easy for us to make these decisions knowing we’ve benefitted from the service of the folks here.”
The Benioffs also provided half of the funds needed to purchase two new helicopters for the HFD aviation program. The AirBus H125 currently is in use and is equipped to respond to EMS calls across the island, as well as perform firefighting and rescue operations.
According to Mallery-Sayre, the helicopter, named Ka ‘Io, flies out on missions every day. It can be used to pick up patients who cannot make it to a hospital by ambulance, rescue people carried out to sea, and to help put out fires.
“Marc and Lynne have given millions and millions of dollars to the health care and safety our community. They are forward thinking, and thank goodness for that,” Mallery-Sayre said. “With the donations to the hospital and to our first responders saving lives, we are indebted to them.”
Mallory-Sayre also announced that the Benioffs have agreed to purchase two aviation fuel trucks that will be used to refuel the helicopters when needed.
“As a small island in the middle of the Pacific, the most important thing we can focus on is on health and well-being of families and kupuna, and everyone here is making that happen,” Marc Benioff said. “It’s our fire department that we have to keep investing in. They are doing the heavy lifting to save everybody, our homes, our ‘aina, our ‘ohana and kupuna. We are grateful to all of you for what you do to represent Hilo in its true form, which is taking care of other people.”
The Sayre Foundation is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization that has given 100% of its donations, about $3o million, to the Hawaii Island Fire Department for essential equipment, training and funds since its inception in 1997.
While still focused on serving Hawaii Island, the nonprofit recently set up a fund to to support the Maui Fire Department, which will be used to procure equipment needed for long-term support to combat future incidents.
“The connection of the fire department, life support transportation, and the hospital is a full circle of how we can take care of our ‘ohana in this county,” said Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke. “We are so fortunate to have people like the Benioffs, but also people like the Sayres, who have connected all of these individuals and found the deficiencies in our system.
“On behalf of the state, we want to thank everyone in this room for giving so much more than your kuleana.”
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com