Maui firefighter Tanner Mosher credits fallen friend for helping with his choices during the Lahaina wildfire

Maui Firefighter Tanner Mosher was honored with a ceremonial resolution on Friday for his heroism during the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfire in Lahaina.

The wildfires in Lahaina claimed the lives of at least 100 people, and destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and historical sites.

In a segment of the CBS News program, 60 Minutes, which aired on Nov. 19, 2023, entitled, “The Stand,” Sharyn Alfonsi shared the accounts of a few Maui firefighters who fought the Lahaina wildfires, namely: Fire Captain Jay Fujita with the Wailuku Station, Firefighters Keahi Ho and ‘Aina Kohler with the Lahaina Fire Station, and Tanner Mosher with the Kīhei Station.

According to the resolution, Firefighter Mosher was one of nine firefighters from Engines 1 and 6 trapped by the inferno, abandoned cars, and downed power lines and were forced to seek shelter inside the engines, while sharing and conserving oxygen from air tanks.

Mosher, who grew up on Molokai, said visibility as a result of the fires was reduced to about 5-10 feet, and Captain Fujita said the heat was “like a blow torch.”

“As the group sat helplessly trapped, Firefighter Mosher’s instinct compelled him to break out and jump into Engine I’s Skeeter Mini nearby in an attempt to clear a path for their escape and survival,” according to the resolution.

The resolution further states:

“Mosher launched the Skeeter over a barricade, a rock wall, and downed power lines as he drove and dodged obstacles through the dense smoke… Eyeing a police car, Firefighter Mosher abandoned the wrecked truck, and after pleading for help from the officer, somehow miraculously maneuvered back to Engines 1 and 6 and rescued his colleagues, who by this time, found shelter behind a melting fire engine, including one of whom was suffering from severe smoke inhalation.”

Captain Fujita said Firefighter Mosher “saved all of our lives. .. You can’t teach that kind of heroism.”

“Firefighter Mosher’s remarkable act of courage resulted in his ability and those of the remaining firefighters to return to work that same evening, incredulously continuing their dangerous and exhausting work with assisting a community in need and fighting the fires until the next morning, even as some of their own homes perished.”

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“While Firefighter Mosher’s actions were exceptional, there are many other individuals who displayed extraordinary bravery and saved countless lives that fateful day, and the people of the County of Maui are eternally grateful to allofthe men and women ofthe Maui County Fire Department.”

Council member Tamara Paltin, who introduced the resolution and represents the West Maui community, called Mosher, “the most humble guy.” After seeing some of the captains after the wildfire, Paltin said she tried to express her gratitude, but she said one of them told her, ʻFor what? The whole town burned down.ʻ “It just hurt my heart that someone would feel that way, when I hope they would know how grateful we are for the work that they did and that we know that they did their best,” said Paltin.

Maui Fire Chief Bradford Ventura said, “Every time we have an opportunity, we want to express our continued condolences to the families out there who are still fighting and struggling. Weʻve lost lots of people, as well as pets, homes, communities and so on, and we still hurt with you as well.”

“His name is on the resolution and we honor him for the actions that he took that day, but he represented in that moment, all of the first responders on Maui, as well as all of the community members that were doing the same thing—fighting the same fight that we were fighting, trying to help their neighbors, tryin to get their own families and people that they didn’t even know out of that area,” said Chief Ventura.

Mosher extended his gratitude to the community and apologies to the people of Lahaina saying he felt like it wasn’t enough. “I don’t feel like I would have made the choices I made if it wasn’t for my friend and coworker Tre’ Evans-Dumaran,” said Mosher.

Evans-Dumaran, a 24-year-old firefighter, was with the department for more than three years when he was tragically killed in the line of duty in January 2023 while responding to a flooding incident in Kīhei.

Also honored on Friday was  Michael Shiffler, whose nonprofit Red Lightning worked to establish satellite communications in West Maui during the emergency. The organization, founded in 2010, provides international disaster relief to under-served communities.

According to the resolution, “Red Lightning not only restored communications to thousands of West Maui residents who were technologically isolated, they also established connectivity to areas of immediate need, including to pharmacies that could distribute medications, to the courthouse, and to emergency responders, which enabled them to operate at a greater level of efficiency with a more reliable method of communication.”

Shiffler and his team strategically installed 122 Starlink satellite dishes in residential homes and complexes; as well as the Kapalua Airport, the fire department, pharmacies, health centers and emergency distribution hubs.

“He didn’t just give us the Starlink. He got it up and running and provided that continued support. Not only did this help to reopen vital services such as pharmacies, it made it possible for Lahaina people to keep in touch with family members, contact emergency services, file for unemployment, pay bills and do other tasks related to adjusting to life after the fire,” said Council member Paltin. “They really made a difference in turning that corner from being victims to being survivors.”