KAILUA-KONA — Heroic and harrowing stories of rescues performed by Hawaii County Fire Department personnel will be recounted Saturday at the 22nd annual Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation Awards Ceremony.
Every year, honorees for meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty are nominated by ranking members of the department and recognized at the foundation’s gala at the Fairmont Orchid.
This year, the nominees include personnel involved in perilous rescues from Hurricane Lane flooding, Leilani Estates lava evacuation, Anna Ranch flash-flood, a shark attack and a drowning at Kahaluu Beach.
In addition to honoring the brave rescue personnel, Saturday’s celebration at the Fairmont Orchid will feature a silent and live auction. All proceeds are used to purchase equipment and training for HFD.
Last year, through generous donations from community members and foundations, a 4×4 Bulldog Fire Truck, two Jaws of Life, an ATV, two Rangers, two PA systems, two Billy Pugh rescue nets, a chopper fuel trailer. Rescue boards, cold weather jackets, CMC Ropes and training were donated for a total of $547,373.
Some of the needs requested by the department this year include more Jaws of Life, two water safety craft, firefighting hoses and nozzles, rope rescue equipment, an ATV, rescue boards, EMS laryngoscopes and Certa Dose syringes.
The Sayre Foundation was founded after a tragic accident brought to life the equipment needs not covered by the county budget for our fire department.
According to their website, in 1997, 25-year-old Danny Sayre hiked to the back of Pololu Valley, near Kapaloa Falls, to visit the place he called his “cathedral.” Tragically, that visit was Danny’s last.
His devastated parents, Frank Sayre and Laura Mallery-Sayre, could only watch helplessly, as multiple attempts to recover their son’s body from a 500-foot fall to the valley floor below, failed.
“That’s when three men from the Fire Department volunteered to move forward with the mission, knowing that they were putting their own lives in danger,” recalled Laura.
The recovery occurred in such a narrow and densely forested location that tree limbs were shredded by the helicopter’s rotors as two firefighters courageously plummeted into the canyon to retrieve Daniel’s body, steps from the falls.
“We decided that a memorial fund honoring the Hawaii County Fire Department was the best way to show our gratitude,” said Frank.
Frank and Laura have since organized annual ceremonies that honor heroes within the department, like the men who personified bravery and compassion in one of their darkest hours. The community has valiantly supported their cause with donations which are used exclusively to purchase rescue equipment required by the Fire Department.
In the memory of one lost life, others have been saved.
Registration for the event closed Tuesday. However, to donate, visit https://danielsayrefoundation.org