Informative Interview

Monday August 27th

I went to the Wailea Fire Station like I said I would and talked to Lance Yokoyama and Nick Reuss.

What got you interested in this field of work?

Wanting to be able to help people. It's a rare job that gives back to the community. Physicality of the job.

What are the requirements to become a fire fighter? (education provided)

High school diploma.
You have to take a Civil Service exam and if you pass that you move onto the agility test and if you pass that then you go onto an interview to present your resume and start training for about 4-5 months.

What do you think it takes to become a good firefighter?

You have to have personal drive.

You have to want to do your best.

Be open to new things and willing to learn.

Think on your feet and adapt to changing environments and situations.

What's the best skill you've gained from working here?

Dealing with people in a time of crisis. Being calm and in control in a situation that isn't.

What's the living situation at the department/shifts? & What do fire fighters do when they aren't out helping people?

24 hour shifts.
Dorms in the station.

They do home chores and train to help be more efficient.

Other than putting out fires, what do fire fighters respond to?

90% is medical AMP

car accidents

back up for police in certain situations

ocean rescue

mountain rescue

hazmat situations 

flooding, being called to see what we can do.

Tell me about the different causes of fire. How to put it out...

Class A is paper and wood, a combustible  fire.

Class B is liquids and fuels
Class C electrical
Class D special cases
Class K cooking and kitchen

There's a triangle they follow:

Basic fires started by paper or wood you'd put out with the hose.
For liquid fires or fuel fires or ones started in the kitchen you'd smother it with extinguishing foam or baking soda.

Electrical fires you'd need to shut off the power and then treat it as a basic fire.
In those special cases like chemical fires, you use a special chemical extinguisher.

*something to know, magnesium reacts to water, but you can overwhelm the fire with water and it will eventually go out.

Do you have any advice to give to those who are interested in this field?

Stay in school.

If you excel in math and reading you'll get a higher score on the Civil Service Exam. 

Get in shape because you could have all the brains in the world and pass the Civil Service Exam but the physical exam is just as important. 

Now days it's really competitive  and hard to get in because about 2,000 people try for the job and there's only 5-10 openings and you're up against people from out of state too.

So do your best in school.

**Fun fact: I asked why some fire trucks were yellow and some were red, it's because of the contrasting color, visibility.

The only reason the Wailea Fire Station has the red fire truck is because they couldn't afford a yellow one.

Between the red and the yellow there were also bright green trucks as well.