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Aiona commends first responders, firefighters

Lt. Gov. James 'Duke' Aiona thanked firefighters and first responders at the 31st Annual Hawaii Fire Chiefs Association Conference. (Photo courtesy of Jesse Acosta)

Lt. Gov. James 'Duke' Aiona thanked firefighters and first responders at the 31st Annual Hawaii Fire Chiefs Association Conference. (Photo courtesy of Jesse Acosta)

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Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona on Friday praised the efforts of our first responder and fire response community in Hawaii at the 31st Annual Hawaii Fire Chiefs Association Conference on the Big Island.

“You are real heroes,” Aiona said. “I know you may not think of yourselves as such, but others look to you for strength – not only in your jobs, but also your family and community.”

Aiona said he has had the pleasure to help support the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation over the last few years.

The Sayre Foundation was started 10 years ago by Dr. Frank Sayre and Laura Mallery-Sayre, who experienced first-hand the heroism of the Hawaii County Fire Department, when they lost their son in a hiking accident in Polulu Valley.

The Hawaii County Fire Department did not have rappelling ropes long enough to reach the bottom of the valley, so firefighters took a helicopter at great personal risk.

Since then, Frank and Laura Sayre, motivated by the bravery and heroism of the firefighters, began a foundation to raise money to buy equipment for the Hawaii Fire Department.

They have raised more than $400,000 to provide essential life-saving equipment and training needed by the department.

“Frank’s and Laura’s story is inspiring, and the source of that inspiration is our firefighters,” Aiona said.

He also presented a commendation to Big Island firefighter Chris Honda, who recently was named Paramedic of the Year by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.

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