New Hawaiʻi County fire chief to be selected today following oral interviews Wednesday from six finalists

Today, after any final deliberations, the Hawaiʻi County Fire Commission is expected to choose the next fire chief from the final six candidates.

The meeting will be at 9 a.m. at the Hawaiʻi County Liquor Control office at the Hilo Lagoon Center in Hilo. It will be shown live on the Hawaiʻi County YouTube page.

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.

Four finalists have ties to the Hawaiʻi Fire Department: Stacy Domingo, Garrett Kim, Melanie Keolanui and Daniel Volpe, who currently is serving as acting chief.

The other two candidates, Michael Fine and Cole Thompson, are from California.

The leadership position has been vacant for more than 10 months since Fire Chief Kazuo Todd died unexpectedly on Dec. 15 at age 45.

The applicants entered individually and answered the same six questions that involved all aspects of the job, including budgeting, working with the Fire Commission, overseeing specialty units, dealing with unions and recognizing challenges. They also were asked why the Fire Commission should select them.

Thompson, a former battalion chief with the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District in California, said: “The fire service is my passion, it always has been. From sleeping in the dirt in the mountains of California, to ocean rescues, to starting an IV upside down in a smashed car, I’m passionate about this job.

“When I’m passionate about something, I put 120% into everything I do. I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I think that’s important for every leadership position. It means there is an opportunity for growth.”

Despite potential challenges, Thompson stated he should be chosen because he is honest, hardworking and committed to fulfilling his responsibilities effectively in the eyes of the public, commission and department.

Domingo, currently overseeing emergency communications as a battalion chief with the Hawaiʻi Fire Department, said she would leverage her experience to revitalize the department through effective communication and collaboration.

“In my career of 22 years, I have had so many mentors who have poured into me and helped me grow professionally,” Domingo said. “This position offers me the opportunity to pay forward the support that I was given in my career.

“The Hawaiʻi Fire Department is a team of good people rich in knowledge and culture. I think we can do better in reaching deeper into the fire service and bringing out the best in the people we have.”

During the interview, Kim, a retired captain with the Hawaiʻi Fire Department, said he would use the servant model as his leadership philosophy. This means that once the Hawaiʻi Fire Department sets its vision and strategic plan, it is his job to provide everything his members need.

“My mission every single day would be to make sure they have the training, equipment and apparatus that they need, so they can do their job and provide services to the community,” Kim said. “I would never say that I am the best at everything, but I can guarantee I would use my power to provide the best for the department and the community.”

Fine, a retired Ventura County fire captain, noted that his background in multi-agency mutual aid would be advantageous for the role of Hawaiʻi County Fire Chief, particularly with weather events like wildfires and hurricanes.

“I think I bring a fresh, new perspective and experience that could be translated to Hawaiʻi County, especially with things like Hurricane Lala and Tropical Storm Nolo that require all these agencies to come together to solve problems for the citizens of Hawaiʻi County,” Fine said. “I maintain an emphasis on communication, integrity and follow-through, and have a deep commitment to excellence through training as well as supporting and empowering the team around me.”

If chosen as fire chief, Keolanui, a battalion chief overseeing operations at the Hawaiʻi Fire Department, said that she can create a different type of team through her deep roots in Hawaiʻi County and the genuine connections she has made throughout her life.

“From starting the department from a recruit and moving up the ranks from paramedic, to operator, to captain to battalion chief has allowed me to see the service we provide firsthand from different lenses,” Keolanui said. “It’s such a risk putting yourself in the spotlight, so I’m not doing this for myself. I’m doing it for the department and the community.”

Keolanui continued: “I’m doing it because I think I can provide the inspiration and a sense of change that would be used to serve the community in a better way.”

Since Volpe has served as the temporary fire chief for the Hawaiʻi Fire Department for 10 months, he has realized that the job requires two things –– that every member of the department has everything they need to be successful and come home to their families, and that the every decision will create a better future for the department and community.

“Before serving in an executive position, I thought that there was this unknown ʻtheyʻ in the department, but I have since realized that there is only us,” Volpe said. “Only our people can make the department better,.

“Not only is it my job to fix the garage door when it won’t open, it is also my job to make sure everyone has equipment they need and the drive to keep going. It is my job to make sure we are meeting our mission while thinking about the future and making sure the next chief can take on the same mission.”

Volpe hopes to continue serving in the position of fire chief, so he can help guide the department as it faces the biggest challenges that will be coming from massive retirements on the horizon, the volatile geopolitical climate and the climate changes that will increase the intense weather patterns.

“I’ve learned the badge is heavy with purpose,” Volpe said. “It is the job of the fire chief to meet the mission of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department every day while thinking about the future, so the next chief can serve the same mission.”

As part of the process, the applicants have already taken 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 written answers and 30 points possible from the oral answers.

They also rated the applicants between 1 to 5 in regard to their demeanor and professionalism.

The salary for the fire chief is set by the Salary Commission and is currently $201,204 per year.

The questions were asked in the following order:

Why do you want to serve as fire chief, and what do you see as the greatest strengths of fire service and the most significant challenges it faces today?

The fire chief must be effective both operationally and administratively. The Hawaiʻi Fire Department is unique in providing fire-based emergency medical services (EMS) and includes volunteer firefighters. Describe your operational and administrative experience across fire operations, EMS, hazardous material response, ocean rescue and safety, and search and rescue. How would you utilize that experience to advance the department?

The Hawaiʻi Fire Department is represented by several bargaining units, which in turn are represented by different unions. Describe your experience working with unions and collective bargaining in a management or leadership capacity. How would you approach labor relations as fire chief?

Budgeting is a core responsibility of the fire chief, who prepares the department’s annual budget. Describe your experience in developing and managing budgets, and how you would prioritize funding when resources are limited.

The fire commission evaluates the fire chief’s performance annually and reviews department operations to recommend improvements while leaving day-to-day operations to the chief. How would you build an effective working relationship with the commission within that framework?

Why should the commission select you as the next Hawaiʻi County Fire Chief?