It’s promotion season at the Maui Fire Department. Vacancies in the department are not an everyday event, according to Deputy Fire Chief Robert Shimada. “They only happen upon retirements and building new stations,” he said.
Firefighter (and Lahainaluna grad) Roger Agdeppa is being promoted to captain in a station on Molokai. He has been with the department for 18 years and was previously assigned to the Lahaina station. He is also the department’s Program Director/Instructor for Fire Ground Survival and RIT (Rapid Intervention Team). For Agdeppa the promotion means that his “hard work, dedication, experience, and training has paid off and prepared me for the position.” For now he commutes to Molokai.
Jim Knutson has been promoted from FF2 to FF3. Jim has been with department for 11 years and was previously assigned to the Paia and Kahului stations as a FF2 for the past six years. Knutson will be stationed at Hoolehua Fire Station on Molokai.
(Confused by the jargon? You have to make it one year to be eligible for FF1 (or firefighter 1). Then you work four years as an FF1 to be able to test for FF2. Then there’s six years there before becoming eligible to test into FF3, driver. Then you have to be FF3 for 10 years before you can test to become captain.)
The following firefighters have been promoted to FF2:
Danny Laferriere has been with the department for eight years and was previously assigned to the Kihei and Lahaina station. He will be assigned to the Hazmat 10 in Kahului.
Kaleo Kealoha has been with the department for nine years and was previously assigned to the Wailea station. Kealoha will be assigned to Hazmat 10 in Kahului.
Ray Watanabe has been with the department for nine years and was previously assigned to the Wailea and Kahului station. Watanabe will be assigned to Hazmat 10 in Kahului.
Richard “Alika” Apana has been with the department for six years and was previously assigned to the Wailea and Kahului station. Apana will be assigned to Hazmat 10 in Kahului.
Modesto Jacinto, Jr. been with the department for six years and was previously assigned to the Makawao, Wailea and most recently the Kahului station. He will be assigned to Hazmat 10 in Kahului.
Shimada said the department has doubled in size since he was appointed the job in May 1989. “There was a need, its based on population growth,” he said. Maui Fire Department is currently 300 strong. There are two females on the team, one at the Wailea Station and one is a Fire Inspector.
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