Booth Events

,

Waimea Non-Partisan Candidate Forum

,

Election season is right around the corner and their is much buzz about who will be the next mayor, state representatives, and county council members. With the purpose of informing the general public about where each of the local candidates stand, Waimea Community Association held a non-partisan informational Candidate Forum at the HPA Taylor Commons on the evening of July 7th. 

A view of the event from the HWMO informational booth.

HWMO Community Outreach Coordinator, Pablo Beimler, set-up a booth to share with the nearly 100 attendees and candidates information on wildfire readiness. Many took home Native Firewise Plant bookmarks and Ready, Set, Go! Guides. 

Candidate for State House of Reps, David Tarnas, addresses questions posed by community members during speed-dating.

Along with having an informational booth, HWMO was a co-sponsor of the forum with North Hawaii Rotary, Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Waimea Middle School, Friends of the Future, Malaai School Garden, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, and Blue Zones Project - North Hawaii.

Most of the event consisted of a “speed-dating” session where people broke into small groups and asked questions one on one with each candidate. The candidates were:

* Hawai’i County mayoral race: Pete Hoffman, Harry Kim, Wally Lau, and Shannon McCandless

* Hawai’i County Council District 9: Tim Richards and Margaret Wille 

* State House District 7: Jeffery Coakley, Cindy Evans, and David Tarnas

Pablo sat in at one of the tables as each candidate visited, eager to hear their take on emergency management issues and have wildfire be a topic of discussion. 

We were excited to see democracy in action and we hope you will be, too, this election cycle. 

Important election dates

July 14th - voter registration deadline
August 6th - application for absentee ballot deadline
August 13th - primary election

Waimea Candidate Forum 7/7/16

Puako Boat Ramp Cleanup

Cynthia Ho (top right) leads the charge to clean and sort debris at Puako Boat Ramp to prevent coral reef pollution and wildfires.

What starts mauka, must come makai. Wildfires not only impact native forests, they also have severe impacts on our coastal resources. Keep Puako Beautiful and Coral Reef Alliance’s Cythia Ho rallied several organizations including HWMO and community volunteers to join in a morning trash clean-up of Puako Boat Ramp. A popular boat launch and diving area, Puako Boat Ramp plays host to a variety of different users and is known to be a point source for pollution, runoff, and the occasional wildfire. During the cleanup, volunteers picked-up close to 1,000 cigarette butts along with other waste items including fishing line and styrofoam which are harmful to sea life. We strongly urge all of our island ‘ohana to dispose trash properly and responsibly to keep our coastlines beautiful and fire-free.

HWMO also made a connection with Hawaii State Parks representative, Dena Sedar, who plans to share Kaleo the Pueo coloring sheets with keiki visitors to Lapakahi State Park. 

Puako Boat Ramp Cleanup 6/28/16

Governor Ige Community Connect in Kona

Melissa Kunz (HWMO/PFX) talks to community members at the outreach table.

The Governor of Hawaii, David Ige, who took office in 2014, paid a visit to Kailua-Kona along with his cabinet members to hold a town hall meeting with West Hawaii community members. Pablo Beimler, HWMO Community Outreach Coordinator, and Melissa Kunz, HWMO/PFX Coordination Assistant, set-up an outreach booth next to the registration tables to get people informed about wildfire readiness. Many of the over 100 attendees of the event stopped by the table to pick up a copy of the Ready, Set, Go! Wildland Fire Action Guide or to share their research needs with Melissa. Even David Smith, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Administrator, stopped by to offer his input. Various community members shared previous close-calls with wildfires in their neighborhoods. The mix of people and stakeholders made the event a worthwhile one for HWMO and PFX to be a part of.   

Governor Ige Community Connect in Kona 6/24/16
, ,

Waimea Community Association June Meeting

, ,

Although recent rains have helped alleviate some of the drought stress on our islands, the longer drought outlook is still uncertain and there is still some alarm about a dry summer and thus higher wildfire activity.

Pablo Beimler speaks with community member about wildfire preparedness.

To keep the buzz going about wildfire and drought, HWMO’s Pablo Beimler and Melissa Kunz set-up an information booth at the June 2nd Waimea Community Association monthly meeting at the Waimea Elementary School cafeteria. They primarily shared information with Waimea residents about the Wildfire & Drought Look Out! campaign, Ready Set Go!, and the newest PFX fact sheet on grazing for fuels management. Over 30 residents and political officials and candidates stopped by - the meeting began with updates from County Councilwoman Margaret Wille, Senator Lorraine Inouye, and Representative Cindy Evans (State House of Rep. candidate David Tarnus was also in attendance). 

Pablo speaks to dozens of Waimea residents about wildfire preparedness in these times of drought.

Pablo followed with a presentation about the Wildfire & Drought Look Out! campaign, sharing quick tips on fire prevention and home preparedness. On the preparedness side, homeowners or renters could focus on three aspects: Hardening the Home, Lightening the Landscape, and Planning Ahead. Pablo also had the special opportunity to thank Senator Inouye and Representative Evans on behalf of HWMO for their push to successfully have our State Grant-In-Aid request approved by the legislature. We are very grateful for their support and excited about the possibilities for ramping up our outreach efforts as a result of the new grant.

HFD firefighters from Waimea’s volunteer station were also in attendance and were congratulated for their Grant-In-Aid reward. They will now have the funds to build up their station in the Kanehoa area.

New Civil Defense Administrator Ed Teixeira gives a 2016 Hurricane Outlook update.

The final presenter was the new interim administrator of Hawaii County Civil Defense, Ed Teixeira. Formerly the Hawaii State Civil Defense vice director, Mr. Teixeira has an incredible amount of experience in emergency management under his belt - we are excited to work with him over the next few months (and hopefully further into the future). We mahalo newly retired administrator Chief Darryl Oliveira for his service with Civil Defense over the past few years. And of course, we’ll miss the great Civil Defense updates he gave. Mr. Teixeira has some big shoes to fill, but he is already doing a great job in his new position. He kept residents engaged at the tail-end of the meeting with an update on the 2016 hurricane season projections (in a nutshell: we are expecting a few more hurricanes than originally predicted). As with any emergency, prepare early! 

, ,

Waimea Middle School - Mālama Honua Event

, ,

Pablo Beimler shares information about Ready, Set, Go! program with Waimea Middle School ʻohana.

According to the Polynesian Voyaging Society: “Mālama Honua is simply translated as ‘to care for our Island Earth’, but the Hawaiian language is beautiful and complex. Mālama Honua means to take care of and protect everything that makes up our world: land, oceans, living beings, our cultures, and our communities. It means learning from the lessons of islanders to take care of your limited resources, as though you were living on a canoe in the open ocean or an island in the middle of the sea. On a canoe, water, food, plants, and other basic needs are in limited supply and are tended to with great care; so too we must tend to our resources on islands, and for all of Island Earth.”

Waimea Middle School student gets dressed in wildland fire gear.

HWMO joined a number of other organizations aligned with these values at the Waimea Middle School’s end-of-the-school-year event to celebrate Mālama Honua. Each organization was able to host a booth on May 18th at the WMS gymnasium and give a brief presentation to visiting ʻohana and WMS kumu. HWMO’s Pablo Beimler shared about the new Wildfire & Drought Look Out! campaign and background on the Ready, Set, Go! program. 

Students and their families stopped by the HWMO booth to learn more about wildfire readiness and take home free giveaways and Ready, Set, Go! Action Guides. Pablo even worked to spark some of the students’ memories by quizzing them on the components of the fire triangle (and all of them remembered from their classes with Pablo a couple months ago!) Teachers and students also took part in the Wildland Firefighter Photo Shoot, dressing up in wildland fire gear and taking home a Polaroid to post on their fridge. 

Fire prevention signs made by students at Waimea Middle School.

During the wildfire lessons a few months ago that Pablo held at the school, students were asked to make fire prevention posters as part of a mock social media campaign. Some of the incredible posters were displayed for all to see at the event, which was definitely a highlight for HWMO to see!

Mahalo to Waimea Middle School for such a great partnership this school year.

Waimea Middle School Malama Honua Event 5/18/16
,

Wildland-Urban Interface Conference and RSG Award Ceremony 2016

,

Every year, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) holds the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Conference at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. 

The conference was a great space for sharing lessons learned with people from all over the world.

Pablo Beimler, HWMO's Community Outreach Coordinator, ventured out to Reno for the week of March 6th, to attend the conference. Hundreds of people from various U.S. states and countries, representing every level of private and public sectors joined together for the exciting and valuable event. 

For the first two days of the conference, Mr. Beimler attended the Hazard Ignition Zone Training hosted by NFPA and taught by long-time HIZ expert Pat Durland. The training gave an in-depth look at how fire interacts with landscapes and structures at the individual home level. A number of great discussions emerged during the training that gave fresh new ways to look at fire issues around the home. Trainees worked in groups towards the end of the training to conduct mock home assessments, sharing lessons learned from back home.

During the rest of the conference, which occurred on March 8th through March 10th, Mr. Beimler networked with a number of people to discuss lessons learned and to promote HWMO's work. Most notably, Mr. Beimler worked with Crystal Beckman, a Fire Information and Education specialist from Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, to build on a working group they had helped start at the 2015 event. They were able to pull in a number of other outreach specialists from around the states to create a group that would continue to share resources throughout the year and into the future. 

Pablo Beimler shares HWMO's Ready Set Go! Leadership Award with Hawaii FD's (from left to right) Chief Gantry Andrade, Chief Darren Rosario, Captain Bill Bergin, and BC Jerry Lum.

Pablo Beimler (left) representing HWMO poses with other winners of the RSG! Awards: Aubrey FD, Flower Mound FD, and Austin FD.

The highlight of the conference for HWMO was the Fire Adapted Communities Reception and Ready, Set, Go! Award Ceremony on the eve of March 9th. HWMO was a proud recipient of this year's RSG! Leadership Award for Career Departments. Mr. Beimler graciously accepted the award from the IAFC President and shared the honors with Hawaii Fire Department representatives who were in attendance: Chief Darren Rosario, Assistant Chief Gantry Andrade, Captain Bill Bergin, and BC Jerry Lum. We could not be happier to be a recipient of the award and what better way to share it than with our long-time partners who have been so supportive of our RSG! outreach effort

,

Puuwaawaa Habitat Conservation Plan Community Meeting

,

HWMO teamed with DLNR DOFAW to host an informational booth regarding wildfire history and management in Puuwaawaa.

Puuwaawaa has long been an area of interest for wildfire protection not only for HWMO, but for the state. Over the years, countless wildfires have threatened the native preserves on the mauka and makai stretches of the ahupuaa, prompting numerous efforts to create buffers within and around them. Much time and effort has been spent by DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and its partnering organizations to restore the native dryland forest throughout Puuwaawaa. 

DOFAW representatives and community members gathered for the input portion of the meeting.

As part of the long-awaited Habitat Conservation Plan that will soon be established, DLNR DOFAW representatives held a community input meeting on March 1st at Auntie Sally's Hale in Hilo (another meeting will be held on March 7th in Kona). HWMO's Pablo Beimler drove to the meeting to hold court during an information session during the first half of the meeting. Pablo shared information regarding fire history in the area and prevention/preparedness tips for residents. DOFAW's Jupiter sat next to Pablo and shared great information on wildfire mitigation efforts that have taken place to protect the native forests of Puuwaawaa. 

To conclude the meeting, comments on the plan were opened up to the public - a great opportunity for community members to share their perspectives and thoughts on how Puuwaawaa should be managed.

HCC Palamanui Grand Opening and Open House

The new campus in Kailua-Kona, HCC Palamanui, put on an exciting event on February 27th to showcase the campus and all it has to offer.

HWMO's Sam Patten (left) and Pablo Beimler (right) hold down the booth for the day.

Keiki Wildland Firefighter Photo Shoot

HWMO's Pablo Beimler and Sam Patten held an informational booth for visitors interested in wildfire prevention and preparedness. We had a number of great conversations with residents and visitors of the island, especially regarding El Niño and the drought and increase in wildfires that will come with it. HCC Palamanui's landscape designer, Calley O'Neill hosted a booth next to ours that showcased the landscape plans for the campus. Only a week or so earlier, HWMO representatives had met with her and other HCC Palamanui officials, to discuss integrating Firewise landscaping into the plan. 

A few keiki visitors also stopped by the booth, including some future wildland firefighters. 

Fairmont Orchid Health & Safety Fair

Pablo Beimler shares details about the Ready, Set, Go! program with Fairmont Orchid employees.

This past August, Fairmont Orchid, along with numerous other businesses and communities, was threatened by a 4,000-plus-acre wildfire in Kawaihae. The close call was a stark reminder of the power of wildfires and the importance of preparing and planning for them. 

On November 12th, HWMO's Pablo Beimler traveled to the South Kohala coastline to set up an outreach booth at this year's Fairmont Orchid Health and Safety Fair. Over a hundred employees of the hotel partook in the event's festivities including a delicious complimentary meal served by the excellent chefs of the Orchid. Each employee also could had the chance to win a free overnight package deal and other prizes, the one requirement being a visit to at least fifteen of the information booths at the event. The HWMO booth stayed busy throughout the event. We shared Ready, Set, Go! Action Guides and new Firewise native plant bookmarks, among other giveaways. Two lucky drawing winners walked away with a Kaleo the Pueo hat or T-shirt. 

We thank all of the employees who stopped by and will hopefully share what they've learned with their family and community. Big mahalo to Fairmont Orchid for inviting us!

Kohala Mountain Pumpkin Patch Festival

October is not only Fire Prevention Month but also pumpkin season. Why not combine the two?

Staying busy at the HWMO tent.

HWMO traveled up Kohala Mountain, which looms over our office in Waimea, to set-up an outreach booth at the Kohala Mountain Pumpkin Patch Festival. The fair was organized and hosted by our friends from Kohala Mountain Educational Farm on their beautiful property as part of a month-long festival open to the public every Saturday and Sunday. Hayrides, pony rides, petting zoos, and a huge corn maze were just some of the many attractions. Visitors were also able to pick fresh pumpkins from the lush pumpkin patch.

Rocking the wildland fire gear.

HWMO's booth created an exciting opportunity for keiki to don real wildland firefighter gear and to take home Polaroid photos of them in the gear. Some even admitted that they wanted to become firefighters themselves! We also gave away a number of Kaleo the Pueo and Smokey the Bear merchandise, which was a big hit for the youngsters. 


“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of protection.””
— Chief Eric Moller, USAG-P, FES