Maui airport firefighters honored for public service, on and off duty

It’s a dirty job and the Maui District Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (Maui ARFF) tackles it enthusiastically – one reason that Maui ARFF has received the No Ka Oi Highway Hui Award from the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, Highways Maui District.

As a volunteer group with Adopt-A-Highway, the airport firefighting team cares for a challenging two-mile stretch of Haleakalā Highway, from mileposts 0 to 2, taking on what program officials describe as one of the dirtiest highway segments on Maui. Their dedication has resulted in the removal of almost 100 bags of trash from the state highway with the help of over 50 volunteers in 2025 alone.

“Even though we’re at the airport and our primary mission and goal is to protect the traveling public in Hawaiʻi, we’re here and are involved, and we serve the community beyond the airport as well,” said Lieutenant Kealoha Kramer of Maui ARFF. “Adopt-A-Highway goes hand in hand with showing the community that we’re present.”

Maui ARFF takes an inclusive approach to their community service. The group regularly invites families, children, and partners from other organizations to join their cleanup efforts, creating collaborative events that strengthen community bonds while protecting the environment.

“The buy-in is outstanding. People buy into the concept that it’s worth giving the time and not get paid, to volunteer out of the goodness of your heart,” Kramer said. “People come with their teenage children and make it a family thing. That’s pretty cool that you can do something very small but can make the biggest difference.”

The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with passing motorists honking their horns in appreciation when they see the team working along the highway.

“We are especially humbled to honor our firefighters for all they do to protect our communities and landscapes, both on and off duty,” said Ty Fukuroku, program manager of Environmental Management, Highways Maui District. “They keep the airport and surrounding areas safe and well-maintained, they work to protect everyone who uses the airport, and they do even more as volunteers in our community.”

Adopt-A-Highway is a public service program that works with volunteers to remove trash from along Hawaiʻi’s state highways and help prevent litter and other pollutants from blowing or flowing into the ocean and other bodies of water. Volunteer groups commit to adopting a two-mile segment of a state highway for a minimum of two years, pick up litter on their section of the highway at least four times per year, and undergo safety training before each cleanup event.

Organizations in Maui County interested in signing up for Adopt-A-Highway can search for available highway segments at Highways Maui District’s stormwater website, www.stormwatermaui.com. Applications, cleanup forms, a safety training video, and program information are also available on the website. Adopt-A-Highway groups receive support from Highways Maui District in the form of cleanup supplies, safety training and the group’s name printed on a highway sign.