Maui County Fire Department outlines recruit classes, equipment needs after $15M earmark loss

The Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety told the Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee on Tuesday that it is moving forward with staffing and equipment plans for fiscal 2026 despite losing a $15 million federal earmark for the proposed Haiku fire station.

Chief Brad Ventura said the department began a recruit class of 22 on April 1 that is scheduled to graduate Oct. 3, 2025, and that a second recruit class will start June 16 to meet staffing needs. Ventura told the committee the department currently has 19 firefighting vacancies and zero civilian vacancies on record; ocean-safety reported about 16.5 vacancies, with about 8.5 of those tied to the Pu'uke Kaa tower project.

The department asked the committee to approve several adjustments and projects in FY26, including funding to repave the training center asphalt (estimated $143,000) after weather damage; replacement and expansion of communications and assets; and continued links to recommendations from post‑incident after-action reports. Ventura said the FY26 budget contains at least 31 line items tied to recommendations from departmental reviews.

Ventura told members that on March 15 the department learned the $15 million earmark for Haiku Fire Station had been removed from federal appropriations, a decision he called a significant loss for the county. He said department staff and administration pursued the matter in Washington, D.C., and that the mayor’s office intends to resubmit the request as a FY26 earmark and pursue alternative grant sources, but that no promises were made by congressional staffers.

On staffing, Ventura said the April recruit class and the June class together should eliminate current firefighting vacancies, but that timing dictated some FY26 position funding be reduced to partial-year (four- to six-month) levels in order to capture savings while honoring the recruit schedule. Ventura and staff described other cost reductions they proposed, including trimming professional services and reducing expansion positions to partial-year funding to save roughly $76,936.

Union and ocean-safety testimony reached the committee during public comment. Jay Fujita, representing the Hawaii Firefighters Association and a 25-year Maui fire captain, urged parity with Maui Police Department travel reimbursements for firefighters who must ship vehicles, pay rental housing or cover transportation to work on Molokai and Lanai. Fujita also asked the county to continue funding annual physicals that follow NFPA 1582 medical screening standards and to support state legislation bolstering presumptive cancer protections for firefighters (bills referenced in testimony: HB827 / SB828).

Jonah Romero, a training captain for Ocean Safety (Hawaii Carpenters Alliance Unit 15 referenced in testimony), asked the council to fund improved storage and dedicated facilities for ocean-safety apparatus and training space; Romero said equipment and classrooms are currently scattered across locations and that growth in the bureau requires a permanent facility.

Ventura said the department is negotiating an MOU with the union on travel and housing supports and that existing budget language already covers ferry tickets and some reimbursements; Lanai has a company vehicle at the harbor for shore transport, he said. On Molokai, Ventura said the department supports measures to reduce the burden on entry-level firefighters who face housing and travel costs and that talks with the union are ongoing.

Chief Ventura also told the committee the department lost earmark funding that had been intended for Haiku but has already ordered a fire truck that takes several years to manufacture. He said the department will prioritize seeking alternative grants and, if necessary, consider budget amendments or bond funding depending on federal outcomes. The chief asked the council for continued support while acknowledging uncertainty in federal appropriations.

Quotes: "Our priorities for this year are the health and safety of our community and our employees," Chief Brad Ventura told the committee. "We will keep you posted as we move along."

"A lot of our young firefighters that make the lowest amount of pay have to travel, rent a house, get a car," Ventura said. "We understand that. So we're working with the union on an MOA for that. We support that."

"We do need more fire stations," Jay Fujita said in public comment. "...We are asking for the same [travel reimbursement] to be covered for our employees, which I think is fair to be asked."

Ending: The committee did not take an immediate vote on new or amended appropriations for Fire & Public Safety during the session; members asked departments to provide written follow-up on permit timelines, grant match questions, equipment procurement schedules and funding alternatives. The department remains scheduled for follow-up as the FY26 deliberations continue.