In June 2016 a routine exercise off Diamond Head goes terribly wrong. Veteran firefighter Clifford Rigsbee sustains blunt force injuries while being towed at the back of a watercraft.
The incident kills Rigsbee, a seasoned triathlete.
Union president Bobby Lee says Rigsbee's death shook up fellow firefighters. A number expressing fear because they felt they weren't getting enough training in the water.
"We found out that there was actually more incidents, more accidents prior to Cliff's death that were similar in nature," Bobby Lee, President of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association said. According to the Department, firefighters are required to undergo ten hours of training every three months. However, Lee says most of it isn't spent in the water.
"It can be jet ski maintenance it can be classroom time just reviewing policy procedures," Lee said. "You could have individuals that don't even hit the water within that quarter or only a couple of hours."