MFD announces promotions of three members to rank of Captain; six to Fire Fighter III

The County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety, and Fire Chief Brad Ventura announced the recent promotions of personnel.

Lieutenant Oliver Vaas, Fire Fighter III’s Troy Tendo, and Kahiwa McVey have been promoted to the rank of Fire Captain. Fire Fighters Keola Nakoa, Kai Evermore, Brent Barbero, Tyler Orikasa, Reyford Stone, and Thomas Heen have been promoted to Fire Fighter III.

Captain Oliver Vaas is a 17-year veteran of the Department and has been in the Fire Prevention Bureau since his promotion to Lieutenant in 2017. Before that, he had been a Fire Fighter assigned to the Kīhei and Wailea stations. With his promotion, he will remain in the Fire Prevention Bureau. Captain Vaas, his wife Chelsea, and his daughter reside in Wailuku.

Captain Troy Tendo has been with the Department since 2007, and most recently was assigned to the Pāʻia Fire Station. He had also worked in Kula, Kīhei, Makawao, Nāpili, and Lānaʻi. With his promotion, he will move to the Pūkoʻo Fire Station on Molokaʻi. A 1998 graduate of St Anthony and a 2004 graduate of UH Mānoa, Captain Tendo, his wife Christine Newsom, and his son live in Kula.

Captain Kahiwa McVey is a 17-year veteran of the Department, his most recent assignment was at the Kaunakakai Fire Station. He had previously worked at the Lānaʻi, Pūkoʻo, and Kahului Fire Stations. With his promotion, he will return to the Pūkoʻo station. A 2000 graduate of Konawaena High School, Captain McVey resides in ʻUalapuʻe with his spouse Kuilani and their child.

Fire Fighter III Keola Nakoa has been with the Department since 2011, most recently working in Kahului on Hazmat 10. Nakoa has also worked in Kaunakakai
and Pāʻia. With his promotion, he will move to the Training Bureau. He is a 2004 graduate of King Kekaulike High School and a 2008 graduate of UH Mānoa. Fire Fighter III Nakoa, his spouse Alisha Yoshitsugu, and their two children reside in Makawao.

Fire Fighter III Kai Evermore is a 12-year veteran of the Department, most recently stationed in Pāʻia. He has also worked in Lahaina, and with his promotion will move to the Health and Safety Bureau. Evermore is a 2005 graduate of Baldwin High School and a 2007 graduate of Johnson and Wales University. Fire Fighter III Evermore, his wife Fawn, and their two children live in Wailuku.

Fire Fighter III Brent Barbero has been with the Department since 2016, most recently working at the Kahului Fire Station. He has also worked in Kaunakakai,
Hāna, and Makawao. With his promotion, he will move to the Health and Safety Bureau. Fire Fighter III Barbero is a 2006 graduate of St Anthony and a 2011 graduate of UH Mānoa. He resides in Pukalani.

Fire Fighter III Tyler Orikasa is an eight-year veteran of the Department, most recently working at the Kahului Fire Station on Hazmat 10. He has also worked in Lahaina and Wailuku. With his promotion, he will move to the Training Bureau. Orikasa is a 1997 graduate of Maui High School and a 2001 graduate of the University of Puget Sound. Fire Fighter III Orikasa, his wife Emi, and their two children live in Kahului.

Fire Fighter III Reyford Stone has been with the Department since 2016, most recently assigned to Hoʻolehua Fire Station. He had previously worked in Kaunakakai and Pūkoʻo on Molokaʻi. With his promotion, he will continue to work at Hoʻolehua Fire Station. Stone is a 2001 graduate of Molokaʻi High School and a 2018 graduate of Honolulu Community College. Fire Fighter III Stone, his wife, and their child live in Kaunakakai.

Fire Fighter III Thomas Heen is a seven-year veteran of the Department, most recently assigned to Hoʻolehua Fire Station. With his promotion, he will move to the Kaunakakai Fire Station. Heen is a 2011 graduate of Kamehameha Schools. Fire Fighter III Heen, his spouse Aleʻa Davis, and their child live in Kaunakakai.