Honolulu Fire Department Chief Manuel Neves is pushing to set up a third specialized emergency rescue company on Oahu over a chorus of objections from fire department personnel, their family members and the firefighters union, who say setting up the command without adequate training will endanger the lives of rescue workers and the public.
An assistant fire chief says the department has no fixed timeline to open the third company, known as Rescue 3, and that the department will make sure new rescue specialists will be adequately trained for the work they’re assigned to do.
But rank and file fire department personnel are voicing strong opposition. Among those speaking out against the chief are all six of Oahu’s rescue captains, who oversee the existing commands.