06/09/2026
🎥VC
March 19th. Flash Flood Watch active. River rising. KFD responded.
19 people stranded on the Uluwehi Trail. 14 of them children. A swollen, fast-moving river between them and safety.
Kapa’a Fire Station, Rescue 3, the Battalion Chief, and KFD’s Highwater vehicle were on scene and working. No waiting for the water to drop. No waiting for easier conditions. Crews got in that river, used the kayaks to move all 19 people across, and got them out to Kamokila Village one by one.
That is swift water rescue in real time. The current does not care. The flood does not pause. And these firefighters put their bodies between that danger and 19 people who did not know how bad it was about to get.
Every single person made it out. Not a single injury.
Three hours of dangerous, physical, high-stakes work in flood conditions. That is what your Hawaii Fire Fighters showed up and did that day, and continue to do everyday.
So much more than “fight fire.”
All hazards. All the time.
