Kaua‘i 200 honors officers

HANAMA‘ULU — Kaua‘i 200, a club of business people who support the Kaua‘i police and fire departments, honored officers from each department Tuesday night during a dinner at Hanama‘ulu Restaurant and Cafe.

William “Butch” Keahiolalo was honored as the club’s Kaua‘i Firefighter of the Year. He was commended for assisting the department with research needed to acquire the department’s first helicopter. Keahiolalo was accompanied by his wife, Toni, at the dinner.

Fire Chief Robert Westerman commended Keahiolalo for going beyond his duties in researching and obtaining the best helicopter suited for Kaua‘i’s environment.

Westerman also commended Keahiolalo for obtaining a special rescue parachute that is used by rescue personnel should the helicopter encounter engine failure while they are outside the craft and attached to a rescue line.

With the special parachute, the pilot is able to release the line that deploys the parachute, and the rescuer can land safely without being crushed by the helicopter’s rotating blades. 

The club’s KPD Officer of the Year is Lt. Mark Scribner, commander of the Traffic Safety Unit of the Patrol Services Bureau.

KPD Chief Darryl Perry said Scribner was exceptional in the area of  traffic enforcement. He said the number of fatalities on Kaua‘i for 2011 remains at six, which is the lowest in the state.

KPD Deputy Chief Michael Contrades praised Scribner for presenting the Shattered Dreams program at Kaua‘i high schools. The program is a re-enactment of a fatal traffic accident involving alcohol and high school drivers.

Scribner, who was accompanied by his wife, Yvette, was also commended for his work in the community addressing traffic safety concerns.

Each honoree was presented with a check for $100 by Kaua‘i 200 President Brian Fujiuchi and a kukui nut lei by Dimples Kano, the club secretary.

Kauai‘i Police Commissioners Alfredo Nebre, Charles Iona, Ernest Kanekoa and Randal Francisco also attended.