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Hawaii County Council unanimously honors late Fire Chief Kazuo Todd
Summary
The Hawaii County Council on Jan. 7 passed a unanimous resolution expressing condolences for the death of Fire Chief Kazuo Todd, drawing emotional testimony from department staff, family and community members and recognition of Todd’s leadership in wildfire response and departmental reforms.
The Hawaii County Council unanimously approved Resolution 4‑29‑25 on Jan. 7 to honor the life and public service of Fire Chief Kazuo Todd and to extend condolences to his family and the county fire department. The motion to approve the resolution was made by Councilmember Kimball and seconded by Councilmember Kerkowitz; the vote carried 9‑0.
Family, fire department colleagues and members of the public delivered testimony before the vote. Renee Godoy, a police and fire chaplain and founder of Friends of First Responders, described Chief Todd as “a priceless treasure to our community” and recalled his warmth and commitment to service. Lauren Williamson, who identified herself as Chief Todd’s secretary, said his ‘‘go‑to solution to any problem was to throw everyone in a room until a solution was found’’ and credited him with organizing a wildfire safety summit that convened hundreds of participants.
Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Volpe told the council that Chief Todd measured every decision against a simple mission: ‘‘Will this save life? Will this save property? Is this how we serve our community with aloha?’’ Multiple council members echoed those themes in remarks on the dais, describing Todd as a data‑driven leader who prioritized preparedness and community partnerships.
Council comments also emphasized the operational legacy Todd left behind, including recent projects such as staffing and equipment changes that enabled expanded emergency response in West Hawaii. After the public remarks the council voted to approve the condolence resolution; council and attendees paused for a photo with the family following the unanimous vote.
The resolution notes the county’s appreciation for Todd’s leadership and extends condolences to his ohana. The council did not take additional personnel or budget actions tied to the resolution during the meeting; several members urged continued support for the fire department during upcoming budget work.
The council recessed briefly after the vote and resumed other agenda items, including grant approvals and land‑use debates.
