Daniel R. Sayre Foundation gifts two Big Dog Tanker Trucks to MFD

The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based on the Big Island, will hold a formal blessing to celebrate the delivery and acceptance of two new Howe & Howe Technologies Big Dog 4×4 wildfire tanker trucks into the Maui Fire Department fleet.

The blessing will take place at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 9 at the Maui Fire Department Training Center, located at 685 Kahale St. in Kahului. Maui residents and the general public are invited to join in the celebration.

The Maui County Council unanimously passed a resolution on Friday, March 20, to accept these gifts, which add a new dimension to wildfire prevention and containment.

“We are humbled and very pleased to support our Maui County neighbors with equipment and training opportunities, now and in the future, that will contribute to our foundation’s mission to “save lives,” said Laura Mallery-Sayre, Executive Director of the Sayre Foundation.

“This donation represents a major advancement in our operational readiness and surge capacity,” said Fire Chief Bradford Ventura. “Wildland and remote-area incidents will allow our crews to respond more effectively and safely. We are deeply grateful to the Daniel R. Sayre Foundation and to Jeff and Lauren Sanchez Bezos for their incredible generosity and commitment to the safety of our community. During major fire incidents, tanker trucks are the workhorse apparatus getting water to the fire.”

Each Howe & Howe Technologies Big Dog tanker truck holds up to 1,250 gallons of water and was custom built for Maui with the latest technology, including four-wheel drive capabilities that allow fire crews to traverse almost any terrain. The custom Big Dog models took nearly three years to build and cost an estimated $625,000 each.

Last year, the Sayre Foundation gifted a high-tech Ford 350 brush truck, best known for quick and nimble responses to fire and rescue calls.