A Big Dog Wildland tanker truck has been donated to the Hawaii County Fire Department by the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation and an unnamed benefactor.
Storing up to 1,200 gallons of water, the $453,000 Textron and Howe & Howe 4×4 Big Dog tanker will be stationed at the South Kohala fire station off Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
“We hope that it saves many lives, we hope it saves a lot of property and that it’s always put to good use to help support our Hawaii Island,” Laura Mallery-Sayre told West Hawaii Today.
Laura and her husband, Frank Sayre, formed the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation in 1997 following the death of their son during a hiking trip in Pololu Valley.
The firetruck is one of three that have been donated by the unnamed benefactor. The first truck was donated in 2019, belonging to the Waimea fire station. The other truck was built in Idaho and is scheduled to arrive next month and assigned to the North Kohala station in Kapaau.
Firefighters are grateful, as most only trucks have the capacity to carry only 300 gallons. With the new Wildland trucks, they can carry up to 1,200 gallons, which can make a huge difference in putting out fires.
“This is a very special day for so many different reasons," Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth told West Hawaii Today. "For me it’s very special because four months ago, right over here, I was having a heart attack and this station actually saved my life. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for every one at this station. The job that they did, the professionalism they showed was truly inspiring. This is a gift to me to be able to come and thank you guys for saving my life."
The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting the Hawaii County Fire Department and run by volunteers. The 23rd annual awards dinner and fundraiser was canceled last year due to the pandemic.