Maui Fire Department announces 25 recent promotions

Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura announced a list of 25 personnel who were promoted recently, including 18 to the rank of Firefighter III and seven to the rank of Firefighter II. All promotions went into effect no later than Jan. 1, 2026.

Firefighter III promotions include: Terry Gumz, Matthew Paet, James Case, Nathanael Ham, Lee Moyers, Vietnam Nguyen, Eli Ferreira, Peter Kaina IV, Jarron Boswell, Jordan Boswell, Carson Chihara, Nathan Fujimoto, Wangdu Hovey, Dane Rogers, Kona Saramiento, Carter Suzuki, John Van Scoy, and Nathan Wood. Firefighter II promotions include: Avinash Singh, Dennis Walsh, Joseph Bingham, Taylor DeGuerra, Ryan Dickson, Kendrick Komatsu, and Chase Rogers.

Terry Gumz joined the Maui Fire Department in May 2007. He worked at Pāʻia and Lānaʻi fire stations. With his promotion, he is assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Gumz is a 1989 graduate of J.P. Taravella High School, and a 1993 graduate of the University of Florida. He resides in Wailuku.

Matthew Paet joined the department in July 2011. He worked at Nāpili, Lahaina, Wailea, and Kula Fire Stations. With his promotion to Firefighter III, he is assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Paet is a 1995 graduate of St Anthony High School and attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

James Case joined the Maui Fire Department in January 2015. He worked at the Lānaʻi, Kīhei, Kahului, and Wailea fire stations. His promotion has him assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Case is a 1999 graduate of Shasta High School and resides in Kīhei.

Nathanael Ham joined the department in January 2015. He has worked at the Lānaʻi, Nāpili, and Wailuku fire stations. With his promotion, he was assigned to the Pūkoʻo station before his current assignment, returning him to the Wailuku Fire Station. Ham is a 1999 graduate of H.P. Baldwin High School and a 2005 graduate of UH Hilo. He resides in Wailuku.

Lee Moyers joined the Maui Fire Department in January 2015. He has worked at the Kaunakakai, Lānaʻi, Hoʻolehua, Wailuku, and Kahului Fire Stations. Following his promotion, he has been assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Moyers is a 2006 graduate of Maui High School and a 2010 graduate of Pacific University of Oregon. He resides in Waikapū.

Vietnam Nguyen joined the department in January 2015. He has worked at the Kaunakakai, Hoʻolehua, Lahaina, and Kahului fire stations. His promotion will take him to the Wailuku Fire Station. Nguyen is a 1998 graduate of Yerba Buena High School and a 2008 graduate of San Jose State. He resides in Wailuku.

Eli Ferreira joined the Maui Fire Department in September 2016. He has worked at the Hoʻolehua and Kahului fire stations. His promotion will return him to the Kahului Fire Station. Ferreira is a 2010 graduate of Kamehameha School Maui and a 2014 graduate of Pacific University. He resides in Kīhei.

Peter Kaina IV joined the department in April 2017. He has worked at the Hāna, Makawao, Wailea and Wailuku fire stations. With his promotion, he has been assigned to the Training Bureau. Kaina is a 2002 graduate of Maui High School and attended Texas A&M and the University of Hawaiʻi, graduating in 2011. He resides in Wailuku.

Jarron Boswell joined the department in April 2018. He has worked at Hoʻolehua and Wailea fire stations. His promotion will see him working at the Hoʻolehua Fire Station. Boswell is a 2017 graduate of Molokaʻi High School. He resides in Kaunakakai.

Jordan Boswell joined the Maui Fire Department in April 2018. He has worked at the Kaunakakai and Hoʻolehua fire stations. His promotion will return him to Kaunakakai Fire Station. Boswell is a 2016 graduate of Molokaʻi High School. He resides in Hoʻolehua.

Carson Chihara joined the department in April 2018. He has worked at the Lahaina fire station. With his promotion, he will serve as the Battalion Chief Aide in the Second Battalion. Chihara is a 2006 graduate of Lahainaluna High School and a 2010 graduate of Waillamette University. He resides in Kahului.

Nathan Fujimoto joined the Maui Fire Department in April 2018. He has worked at the Lānaʻi, Wailea, and Makawao fire stations. Following his promotion, he has been assigned to the Kaunakakai Fire Station. Fujimoto is a 2006 graduate of Lahainaluna High School. He resides in Pukalani.

Wangdu Hovey joined the department in April 2018. He has worked at the Wailea, Kīhei, Pāʻia, and Kahului fire stations. With his promotion, he is assigned as the Battalion Chief Aide in the second battalion. Hovey is a 1998 graduate of Maui High School and a 2021 graduate of Columbia Southern University. He resides in Hāliʻimaile.

Dane Rogers joined the Maui Fire Department in April 2018. He has worked at the Wailea, Nāpili, and Lahaina fire stations. His promotion sees him assigned as the Battalion Chief Aide in the second battalion. Rogers is a 2004 graduate of Lahainaluna High School and a 2011 graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He resides in Wailuku.

Kona Sarmiento joined the department in April 2018. He has worked at the Nāpili, Lahaina, and Wailuku fire stations. His promotion has taken him to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Sarmiento is a 2011 graduate of H.P. Baldwin High School and a 2014 graduate of UH Maui College. He resides in Kahului.

Carter Suzuki joined the Maui Fire Department in April 2018. He has worked at the Kaunakakai and Wailea fire stations. With his promotion, he has been assigned to the Training Bureau. Suzuki is a 2013 graduate of H.P. Baldwin High School and a 2017 graduate of Pacific University. He resides in Waikapū.

John Van Scoy joined the department in April 2018. He worked at the Kaunakakai and Wailea fire stations. With his promotion, he returned to Kaunakakai Fire Station before transferring to the Health and Safety Bureau. Van Scoy is a 2013 graduate of Seabury Hall and a 2017 graduate of Gonzaga University. He resides in Kahului.

Nathan Wood joined the Maui Fire Department in April 2018. He has worked at the Lānaʻi and Pāʻia fire stations. His promotion will take him to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Wood is a 2006 graduate of Westmont College. He lives in Makawao.

Avinash Singh joined the department in August 2019. He has worked at the Wailea and Lahaina fire stations. His promotion will take him to Kahului on Hazmat 10. Singh is a 2014 graduate of Kamehameha School Maui and a 2018 graduate of Chaminade University. He resides in Wailuku.

Dennis Walsh joined the Maui Fire Department in December 2020. He has worked at the Lānaʻi and Kahului fire stations. His promotion will keep him at Kahului Fire Station on Rescue 10. Walsh is a 2009 graduate of King Kekaulike High School. He resides in Haʻikū.

Joseph Bingham joined the department in July 2021. He has worked at the Hāna, Nāpili, and Lahaina fire stations. With his promotion, he will be stationed at the Kahului Fire Station on Hazmat 10. Bingham is a 2000 graduate of Columbia City Joint High School and a 2025 graduate of UH Maui College. He resides in Lahaina.

Taylor DeGuerra joined the Maui Fire Department in July 2021. He has worked at the Lānaʻi and Kahului fire stations. His promotion keeps him at the Kahului Fire Station aboard Hazmat 10. Deguerra is a 2011 graduate of King Kekaulike High School and a 2015 graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He lives in Pukalani.

Ryan Dickson joined the department in July 2021. He has worked at the Nāpili, Lahaina, and Kahului fire stations. With his promotion, he will remain at the Kahului Fire Station on Hazmat 10. Dickson is a 2006 graduate of King Kekaulike High School. He resides in Haʻikū.

Kendrick Komatsu joined the Maui Fire Department in July 2021. He has worked at the Lānaʻi and Kahului fire stations. His promotion will keep him at the Kahului Fire Station aboard Rescue 10. Komatsu is a 2012 graduate of H.P. Baldwin High School. He resides in Waiehu.

Chase Rogers joined the department in July 2021. He has worked at the Kahului Fire Station. With his promotion, he will remain there aboard Rescue 10. Rogers is a 2011 graduate of Lahainaluna High School and a 2015 graduate of Pacific University. He resides in Wailuku.