VIDEO: The Hawaii County Fire Department, led by Chief Darren Rosario, went before the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee for an annual review as the council considers approving a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
In public testimony before the council, Robert Becker, the chair of the Hawaii County Fire Commission, summarized the challenges and needs of the fire department.
“During the period from 2010 to 2017, the county population increased by 8.3% percent,” Becker said. “The department’s emergency call volume increased 20.6% percent. During this time, salary increases mandated by collective bargaining agreements have been included in available funding, although the related associated costs for contract-required over time has not been matched, resulting in an overall lowering of actual funds available for salary. Funding for non-salary cost has also decreased significantly over this 2010 to 2017 period.”