Hawaii Fire Department announces 30th Annual Fire Fishing Tournament to honor Eric 'Buta' Hayashi on July 10

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The 30th Annual Fire Fishing Tournament, in memory of Eric “Buta” Hayashi, is set for Saturday, July 10, and proceeds will go to the Greg Cameron Fire Fund. | Pixabay

The Hawaii Fire Department and The Greg Cameron Fire Fund  announced that the 30th Annual Fire Fishing Tournament, in memory of Greg “Buta” Hayashi, will take place Saturday, July 10.

The event is open to teams that include at least one member who is an active or retired member of the Hawaii Fire Department, Ocean Safety or Volunteer Fire Departments.

“The annual Firefighters Fishing Tournament is a long-standing tradition in the Hawaii Fire Department, focusing on fellowship and camaraderie with some friendly competition. The tournament allows participants to fish from a boat in any part of the Island of Hawaii, targeting deepwater species like marlin, ahi (tuna), ono (wahoo) and mahi-mahi (dorado),” Cole Arrington, a Fire Rescue Specialist with Hawaii Fire Department, told Big Island Times. “It serves as an outlet for these brave and selfless individuals who serve their community, performing an inherently dangerous profession. The goal is to help emergency workers connect with each other on a different level than they would at work.”

The tournament is honoring Eric “Buta” Hayashi, a longtime firefighter for Hawaii Fire Department. Hayashi died in August 2020 while trying to resuscitate a civilian during an emergency call. As a Recruit Training Officer, Hayashi taught the 49th Fire Recruit Class.

“We miss him and his friendship dearly and have renamed the tournament in his (memorial) as the Eric 'Buta' Hayashi Firefighters Fishing Tournament,” Arrington said.

Unlike years past, there will be no banquet after the event, but contestants can still win prizes. Arrington said that in previous years, the proceeds of the event -- which is not a fundraiser -- have been donated to The Greg Cameron Fire Fund, a nonprofit organization created in honor of firefighter/paramedic Greg Cameron, a 17-year veteran of the Hawaii Fire Department. This tradition will continue.

Cameron fought cancer for more than three years, and one of his last wishes was to create an organization to help others in his situation the way he was helped while he battled cancer, according to the organization's website.

Teams can register for the event by visiting the The Greg Cameron Fire Fund. There is a fee of $100.