Hawaiʻi County Fire Commission selects Daniel Volpe as fire chief
Daniel Volpe, who has been serving as acting chief for 10 months since the unexpected death of fire chief Kazuo Todd, was selected from six finalists that included four with ties to the Hawaiʻi Fire Department and two candidates from California.
After the Hawaiʻi County Fire Commission voted 5-1 on Thursday to select Daniel Volpe as the permanent fire chief, finalist Garret Kim shook his hand and finalist Melanie Keolanui, who received the other vote, gave him a hug.
Volpe received the most points in the months-long hiring process. He also has been serving in duel roles as the acting chief and in his own position as deputy chief since shortly after Fire Chief Kazuo Todd died unexpectedly on Dec. 15 at age 45.
“In the last 10 months, I’ve grown to be the chief and the deputy chief and have found that there is no real distinction,” Volpe said after the vote was taken during the Fire Commission’s special meeting on Thursday at the Hilo Lagoon Center in Hilo.
“It has never been about the title, the position, the desk or office,” he added. “It has always been about the work. The badges ultimately don’t belong to me, they belong to the county. I am just the one wearing it now and making the best decisions I can to keep the department moving forward.”
While the six commissioners said they were impressed with all six finalists, with a couple “torn” on who they would vote for, in the end the majority went with the man who they said had been doing a good job in the interim. Commissioner Carlene Wolf, who was one who said she was “torn,” ultimately cast the lone vote for Keolanui, a battalion chief overseeing operations at the Hawaiʻi Fire Department.
“Yesterday, battalion chief Keolanui stated it takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there and come up here and do this and I wholeheartedly agree with that statement,” Commissioner Brian Cushnie said to all six finalists. “To all of you, whether you are selected or not selected, know that you are better for having the guts to come up here and put yourself out there and do this. So, you know, thank you all for that and your continued commitment.”
The finalists included four candidates with ties to the Hawaiʻi Fire Department: Volpe; Keolanui, Kim, a retired captain with the Hawaiʻi Fire Department; and Stacy Domingo, currently overseeing emergency communications as a battalion chief with the Hawaiʻi Fire Department.
The other two candidates are from California: Michael Fine, a retired Ventura County fire captain, and Cole Thompson, a former battalion chief with the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District.
On Wednesday, the final step in the hiring process occurred with the much-anticipated oral interviews, which had been delayed a month due to Tropical Storm Nolo. Each candidate faced the six commissioners to answer six questions with a 5-minute countdown timer for each question, and a closing statement.
The process also included the applicants taking a written assessment that was proctored by the Department of Human Resources and included seven questions to be answered in handwriting.
Both the written assessment and oral interview were rated by each commissioner on a scale from 1 to 5 points each, with 35 points possible from the 7 written answers and 30 points possible from the 6 oral answers. They also rated the applicants between 1 to 5 in regard to their demeanor and professionalism for a highest possible score of 430.
The top 3 vote getters were: Volpe with 347 points, Keolanui with 341 points and Kim with 295 points.
When Volpe was selected by the commission, Keolanui immediately congratulated him.
“Regardless of who takes this position, we will show up when someone calls 9-1-1 with an emergency. Always. None of that will change,” Keolanui said during her interview on Wednesday.
For Volpe, he hopes to make the transition as seamless as possible. Preferably, he would like to empty his whiteboard that is full of projects and fill empty positions that are critical to the job.
“We’ve got a lot of projects and ongoing initiatives and one of my main goals through this process was being able to continue that,” Volpe said. “I want to continue doing the same work that I’ve been doing every day and hopefully now with some more support, like a deputy chief and a few other critical vacancies.”
Nancy Carr Smith, president of the Waimea Community Association, said before the vote Thursday that she was testifying as an individual in support of Volpe.
“I think most of us can agree that Kazuo was an exceptional chief, and even more importantly, an exceptional human being,” she said. “His passing left a tremendous hole in the department and throughout the county. It’s been a long year marked by the lingering grief of losing Kazuo, and during that time, Dan Volpe has carried the responsibility of serving as both deputy chief and acting chief. That’s a tremendous kuleana (responsibility).”
Carr Smith said through this experience, Volpe has gained a deeper understanding of the responsibilities and demands of leading the fire department, and moved forward priorities and projects started by Todd.
“Kazuo mentored Volpe and trusted him to do what was right for the department and for our island,” she said. “I believe that trust and mentorship are meaningful as you consider the future leadership of our fire department.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with comments from Daniel Volpe, commissioners and finalists.
