KOHALA RANCH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

                                  www.KohalaRanchHawaii.com

                                                                                      August 6, 2007

Aloha Friends,

Hawaii is experiencing drought conditions like many other areas of the country. As a result, brush fires have become a serious threat to personal safety and property. Recently, on July 5^th, 2007, a brush fire started just north of the Ranch on Akoni Puli Highway, and spread to the northern border of the Ranch Heathers area. The fire companies worked for many hours to contain the fire. Through their efforts, no one was injured, and property was spared from damage. We were all very fortunate, this time. The winds blew towards the ocean, and our dedicated firefighters worked long and hard to protect us.

It was with great dismay and embarrassment that I learned after the fact how under- equipped our Volunteer Fire Company was during this fire. The North Kohala Coast Volunteer Fire Company-14A, works out of a fire house situated on Kohala Ranch. None of the working firefighters are Kohala Ranch owners; volunteers come from our neighbor communities. The County of Hawaii provides maintenance for all vehicles, insurance, shovels, pics, hoses, outer coats, helmets, pants, goggles and one Walkie-Talkie. They do not provide the vehicles.

The Volunteers need special fire-resistant boots, full face masks, non-fog goggles, strap-on head lights, a second Walkie-Talkie and a hands-free headset for the driver.

This list is only a partial list of the most urgently- needed equipment, and would cost approximately $8000 for 12 members. During the course of the fire, the tanker truck broke down and the off-road vehicle broke down. Both are in Hilo undergoing repair. These vehicles are old and not well-suited to the Ranch. An off-road 2000 gallon tanker is desperately needed by the Company. A used vehicle would cost approximately $100,000. 

We as a community should open our wallets for these hard-working Volunteers who risk their lives every time they are called out to a fire. We should not expect them to work without boots, masks or communications. They cannot reach many homes on the Ranch without an off-road vehicle. We were fortunate this time, but next time may be an entirely different scenario with loss of life and property. Scorched earth and burned out shells where homes once stood are not the images of the Ranch you want to see.

North Kohala Coast Volunteer Fire Company-14A is a non-profit organization. Your donations may be tax-deductible. Please give generously. Write your checks to the Company and mail in the enclosed envelope. We will publish the donor list in our next Ranch Review.

Mahalo Nui Loa

Marcia Wishnick, President