7 Maui Firefighters Promoted: Two to Captain, Five to Firefighter III

Promotions for Fire Captains Kaulana Kino, Sean Simon, and Firefighter III, Wayne Tashiro, took effect May 16, 2015. Promotions for Firefighter III’s Maroe Smith, Parrish Purdy, Greg Shinyama, and Garren Oura was effective May 1, 2015. Courtesy photos.

By Maui Now Staff

Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray today announced the promotions of two Firefighter III’s to the rank of Captain, three Firefighter II’s to Firefighter III, and two Firefighter I’s to Firefighter III.

Promotions for Fire Captains Kaulana Kino and Sean Simon took effect on May 15, 2015.  Also promoted on May 15 was Wayne Tashiro to the rank of Firefighter III.

Promotions for Firefighter III’s Maroe Smith, Parrish Purdy, Greg Shinyama, and Garren Oura took effect on May 1, 2015.

The Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety released the following background information on each of the newly promoted employees.

Kaulana Kino: a 13 year veteran, joined the department in July 2002 with the 21st recruit class. After recruit training, Kino was assigned to Hoʻolehua fire station in Molokaʻi. In 2003, as a National Guardsman, he was activated and served a tour in the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon his return, he was assigned to Engine 10 in Kahului. In 2006, he transferred to the Lahaina station where he served for three years. In May 2009, Kino was promoted to Firefighter II, hazardous materials technician in Kahului. In July 2011, he was promoted to Firefighter III, and served assignments in the Training Bureau, Hāna, and most recently in Lahaina, where he operated the engine and ladder truck. Kino is an instructor for the incident command system, the community emergency response team, emergency medical responder, and hazardous materials awareness. Since 2011, he has also trained Maui Police Department recruits in hazardous material operations. He is also a critical incident management team peer counselor and has served on the department’s fire apparatus driver/operator program, radio communication team, honor guard, master strategic plan committee, research and development committee, fire suppression committee, and in various positions on the Maui incident management team. In 2010, he was among the first people in Hawaiʻi to be certified as a master exercise practitioner by FEMA, and is also certified as a basic instructor by both of FEMA’s emergency responder schools. Kino’s newest promotion to Captain, began on A-Watch at the Hoʻolehua Fire Station on Molokaʻi. He is a 1999 graduate of Baldwin High School and lives in Waiehu with his wife Ashley and their two sons, Hamilton, 8, Boston, 3 and daughter Celine, 6 months.

Sean Simon: a 16 year veteran, joined the department in May 1999. After recruit training, Simon was assigned to the Hoʻolehua fire station on Molokaʻi. He transferred to the Kaunakakai station in 2006 and in September 2009, he was promoted Firefighter I to Firefighter III, fire apparatus operator on the water tanker in Kaunakakai. Since 2012, and until his latest promotion to Captain, he’s served at the Pūkoʻo Fire Station on the east end of Molokaʻi. He is a retired member of the Armed Services, having served in the US Army and the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard. Simon began his new assignment on A-Watch, at the Kaunakakai fire station on Molokaʻi. He was born in Wailuku, Maui, but is a 1990 graduate of Glenbrook South High School in Illinois. He lives in Kaunakakai with his wife Kim and their daughters Alexandria, 16, and Barbara, 11. Their eldest daughter Chelsea is a junior at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

Wayne Tashiro: a 13 year veteran, joined the department in July 2002 with the 21st recruit class. After recruit class, he spent three years at the Hāna fire station. He then transferred to the Makawao fire station in 2005, and in September 2009, was promoted to Firefighter II, hazardous materials technician. Tashiro worked on Hazmat 10 in Kahului, until his recent promotion to Firefighter III, Fire Apparatus Operator. He began his new assignment on B-Watch, at the Pūkoʻo Fire Station on Molokaʻi. He is a 1981 graduate of Maui High School and lives in Kahului with his wife LeeAnn, daughter Tamlyn, 10 and son Acen, 7.

Maroe Smith: a 14 year veteran, joined the department in March 2001. After recruit class he was assigned to the Kaunakakai Fire Station on Molokaʻi. He transferred back to Maui in 2002, and has served at Nāpili, Wailuku, Makawao, and a 6 year service at the Pāʻia Fire Station. In January 2011, Smith was promoted to Firefighter II, hazmat technician at the Kahului Fire Station. In 2013, he transferred to Rescue 10 as a rescue specialist, also at the Kahului Station. Smith’s latest promotion to Firefighter III, will be as Fire Inspector at the Fire Prevention Bureau in Waikapū. He is a 2002 graduate of Seabury Hall, and lives in Kula with his wife Stephani and their children Louie, Sydney, and Juliette, aged 12, 10, and 8.

Parrish Purdy: a 13 year veteran, joined the department with the 21st recruit class in July 2002. After recruit training he was assigned to the Kaunakakai station on Molokaʻi. Returning to Maui in 2003, Purdy served the last 12 years at the Makawao Fire Station. He’s part of the video team tasked with documenting training exercises for department training and research. His recent promotion from Firefighter I to Firefighter III takes him to the Fire Prevention Bureau where he will serve as Fire Inspector. Purdy is a 1991 Maui High School graduate. He lives in Pukalani with his wife Maria and their sons Jordan, 6 and Parrish Jr., 3.

Greg Shinyama: a 10 year veteran, joined the department in April 2005. After recruit class he was assigned to the Hāna fire station. In 2007 he transferred to the Wailea station and in 2010, to Kahului Fire Station. Shinyama was promoted in 2014 to Firefighter II, hazmat technician in Kahului, where he served until his latest promotion to Firefighter III. He is an instructor for wildland firefighting tactics and rapid intervention rescues. He is part of the research and development committee evaluating new personal protective equipment, and serves as safety officer on the department’s incident management team. Shinyama began his new assignment as Fire Inspector in the Fire Prevention Bureau. He graduated from Maui High School in 1999, and lives in Makawao with his wife Sadie and their four children, Kaehakoni, Kamaehu, Keahi, and Lilinoe.

Garren Oura: a 13 year veteran, joined the department in January 2002. After recruit school Oura served briefly at the Kaunakakai Fire Station on Molokaʻi, before transferring to Ladder 3, at Lahaina station. In 2003 he moved to the Wailuku station, before returning back to Lahaina in 2014. Oura is a peer counselor on the critical incident stress management team. Oura’s promotion from Firefighter I to Firefighter III, Fire Apparatus Operator, began on B-Watch, at the Hoʻolehua Fire Station on Molokaʻi. He is a 1993 Maui High School graduate and lives in Waikapū with his wife Allison and their son Mace, 3 and daughter Miyani, 2.