• Thanks for the success • Hold off on helicopter Thanks for the success On behalf of the Kaua‘i High School Baseball’s Boosters, Coaches, Players and Parents, we would like to express our heartfelt thank you for making our second
• Thanks for the success • Hold off on helicopter
Thanks for the success
On behalf of the Kaua‘i High School Baseball’s Boosters, Coaches, Players and Parents, we would like to express our heartfelt thank you for making our second annual Grand Slam Breakfast fundraiser a huge success!
We would like to thank all the wonderful donors and vendors who graciously and generously gave to our event. Thank you to those who donated to our bake sale, our breakfast menu, our raffle and/or our lucky number drawing, and our entertainment. Your donations, big or small played a huge part in our success!
Lastly, a big mahalo to our loyal fans and supporters! The overwhelming community support was the key to our success. Thank you to all those who bought a ticket, purchased bake goods, washed your car, helped in the preparations, the set up and the clean up of our event. It was a lot of work and we couldn’t have done it without you! Your time and energy made it all possible! Our Coaches, Players and their families will be forever grateful for the endless support that our community and island have given us!
Craig Koga, Fundraiser Chair, Kaua‘i High School Baseball Booster
Hold off on helicopter
The fire rescue service needs to be rescued from us, the people of Kaua‘i County, and the politicians we elected who have failed to act in a timely manner on the issues of helicopter and worker safety. I find the silence from the fire rescue personnel who risk their lives dangling under the aptly named chopper politically deafening.
Helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft for medical evacuation and rescue operations were the subject of lively public debate the 25 years I lived in Hana, Maui. After living on Kaua‘i for seven years, I am fully aware that the Sunshine light spectrum on Kaua‘i is considerably different than that which shines on the other counties. I categorically reject the idea that using tax money to promote one person or business over their competitors is either pono or legal.
I support creating a community owned nonprofit, an Imua Kaua‘i Fire Rescue idea, to finance equipment and helicopter expenses for air transport and air rescue beyond their present budget. Many American communities have non-profit public fund raising abilities for their fire/rescue and police forces above their local budget constraints. The helicopter purchased today may be all we can afford for a decade or more.
The concept of “Sunshine,” as the means to ensure that Maui County ran on merit and as inexpensively as possible, became integral to all public debate over policy, planning, land use, services, contracts, and expenditures, especially large ones like helicopter service. Merit means county services are not based on who you know, or worse yet, who dislikes you. Merit means the best and the brightest are promoted. Merit means the county holds contracts out to bid, and everyone — politically connected or not — has the same information and same opportunity to provide the best service for the least cost to the county. Every dollar wasted, whether on favoritism or error, is paid for by unnecessary furlough days, neglected facilities, increased taxes, and erosion of public confidence in the rule of law.
The Kaua‘i County Council stated on broadcast that the county faces an “emergency” regarding the Fire Department rescue helicopter contracts. Regarding this “emergency,” we have a “special relationship” with one current contractor, the “go to” pilot versus his competitors.
This rush to purchase without a bidding process raises many questions. Why the policy change from contract to purchase? Why are we buying this small more inherently dangerous helicopter instead of contracting safer machines? On what objective basis does the council measure any pilot’s performance? Won’t the county need more than one pilot if we own a helicopter? Are the details of any ”special relationship“ written and public information? Was this county plan — a no-bid purchase — developed during the previous term or solely by the sitting council? Was training a known or suspected issue when the current contracts were entered into? Are fire rescue operation certificates at risk of expiring because they can not train legally? Are there no suitable safer larger helicopters in the state available to contract or lease in the short or long term? Is the council positive the FAA will continue indefinitely to allow this proposed helicopter to be used as intended? Does the fire department really want this type of vehicle, and will it be a better decision in 10 or 20 years than funding a larger helicopter now?
If a small single engine helicopter for hire conducts training exercises in rappelling it is a civil or criminal FAA Safety violation. If training is too inherently dangerous because of the machine’s limitations, would not real life rescues be equally or more dangerous even if legal? A true medical evacuation helicopter, such as Maui is currently debating the cost of, may be too expensive for Kaua‘i, but we might afford a larger safer helicopter than the one currently being considered.
Some Mainland county and state agencies are selling helicopters they can not afford. There are bankruptcy sales and forced auctions. Will the DEA , Customs or the IRS sell us a suitable seized corporate or criminal asset? This is a buyers market and a rare opportunity.
A larger helicopter provides safer training and rescue, in addition to transporting and treating the rescued or injured inside the helicopter. Surfers, hunters, fishermen, conservationists, campers, the elderly, accident, and disaster victims could be assisted in ways not currently possible. Perhaps these groups and others would endorse community involvement to aid ourselves.
I support a mixed County and community non-profit funded fire rescue service. A Kaua‘i non-profit could fund equipment and finances for a superior service not being considered under the current budget and relationships. Knowing the value of a larger helicopter, I’ll gladly help get this project started. I hope that after whatever is done, your children do not inherit your buyers remorse. I think the current purchase process should be put on hold, and the council and other stake holders be given an opportunity to re-examine what opportunities and what liabilities we face.
Lonnie Sykos, Kapa‘a
