Big Island nonprofit gifts two Big Dog Tanker Trucks to Maui Fire Department

After nearly 30 years of raising money to fund equipment, trucks and training for the Hawai‘i Fire Department, the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation is sharing its support with Maui in their efforts to save lives.

On April 9, Frank Sayre and his wife, Laura Mallery-Sayre, founders of the Big Island nonprofit, were in Kahului at the Maui Fire Department Training Center, where the custom-built Howe & Howe “Big Dog” 4×4 wildland fire trucks were blessed.

These trucks join Maui’s fleet after the department lost four trucks in the Lahaina and Kula fires of August 2023. The apparatuses were donated to the Maui department in partnership with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s “Maui Strong” fund and the Bezos Family Foundation, according to a news release from the Daniel R. Sayre Foundation.

The trucks, which can each hold up to 1,250 gallons of water, took nearly three years to build and cost an estimated $625,000 each.

“Our mission has always been to save lives and homes, and to protect the people of Hawaii by ensuring our first responders have the tools they need to accomplish this as safely as possible”, said Mallery-Sayre, who is executive director of the foundation. “We are honored to now be able to support the Maui Fire Department with equipment that can make a real difference in emergency situations.”

The foundation has received funding for five other smaller tanker trucks that are being built for the Maui department.

The Sayres established the foundation following the tragic loss of their 25-year-old son, Danny, who was killed in August 1997 in a fall while hiking near Pololu Valley.

In the nearly three decades since then, the organization has raised over $41 million to provide critical equipment, training and resources, including 27 fire trucks to the Hawai‘i Fire Department and now the Maui County Fire Department as well.

Mallery-Sayre said the new trucks continue the foundation’s mission to “save lives.”

“This donation represents a major advancement in our operational readiness and surge capacity,” said Fire Chief Bradford Ventura. “Wildland and remote-area incidents will allow our crews to respond more effectively and safely. During major fire incidents, tanker trucks are the workhorse apparatus getting water to the fire.”

Ventura went on to express his deep gratitude to the Sayre Foundation as well as Jeff and Lauren Sanchez Bezos for their generosity and commitment to the safety of the Maui community.

Beyond the ground vehicles, the Sayre Foundation, with the help of donors, has also donated an Airbus H-125 multi-mission helicopter, two rescue boats, numerous jet skis, “Jaws of Life”, and other lifesaving equipment to the Hawai‘i Fire Department.

The ceremony last week was also attended by members of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, representatives of both the Mayor’s Office and the Maui County Council, representatives of Howe and Howe, and Maui County Firefighters.