The Hawaiʻi Fire Commission voted 5-1 on Thursday to select Daniel Volpe to lead the Hawaiʻi Fire Department. Volpe will succeed Fire Chief Kazuo Todd, 45, who died in December 2025.
Volpe joined Hawaiʻi Fire Department in 2005 and has served as a firefighter, fire medical specialist, battalion chief and deputy fire chief before becoming the interim fire chief in January, according to the county. HFD is responsible for fire protection and suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, land and sea search and rescue and public education in Hawaiʻi County.
He attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, before moving to Hawaiʻi Island in 2003.
The fire chief earns $201,204 per year, according to an announcement in the Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald in March. The fire chief must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Hawaiʻi for more than one year, have a minimum of five years of training and experience in fire control, including three years of experience in an administrative role, a Hawaiʻi driver’s license and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
Volpe must pass a medical examination and drug screening, and provide proof of a valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license, before he is formally appointed by the fire commission on Nov. 12.
The Hawaiʻi Fire Commission interviewed six candidates for the position on Wednesday. Candidates fielded questions about the fire service’s strengths and challenges, their operational and administrative experience, their experience working with unions and developing budgets and their plan to build relationships with the commission.
“I owe a debt to this island, it’s a debt of service,” Volpe said during his interview. “This fire department has given me a place, a position, a profession, a place to raise my children, a place to build a home, and the community has taken me under its wing. It’s made me a part of this community and for that I owe a debt of service.”
Volpe said that the mission of the fire service on the island is to safeguard life and property, safeguard the community and serve the public with aloha, adding that the department is a reflection of the community it serves.
“This badge doesn’t represent power, it represents purpose,” he said, adding that he asks himself daily “are we doing everything in our power today to do our mission?” and “what are we doing so we can set ourselves up tomorrow?”
He outlined challenges facing the department in the coming years. The department will face a wave of retirements between 2028-2034, rising costs have decreased the department’s purchasing power, and frequent hurricanes, wildfires and flooding remain challenge across the western states, according to Volpe.
When asked about his operational and administrative experiences, Volpe told commissioners that his background has primarily been in operations. As an administrator, he said his focus is to ensure the department staff has the training, equipment, Personal Protective Equipment, apparatus and facilities they need to do the job.
Volpe said he sees himself as a steward of Hawaiʻi Fire Department.
“My job is not to tie the knot,” he said. "My job is to make sure there’s rope in the warehouse.”
Volpe is the president of the Big Island Wildfire Coordinating Group and serves on the Big Island Junior Golf Association board.
Volpe, HFD Battalion Chief of Operations Melanie Keolanui and Retired HFD Captain Garrett Kim were the top three rated candidates with 347 points, 341 points and 295 points respectively after oral interviews and written assessments.
Commissioners said Thursday morning that the choice for fire chief was difficult decision. The commission voted 5-1 to select Volpe, with Commissioner Carlene Wolf voting for Keolanui.
Fire Commission Chair Gerald Kosaki, who previously worked at HFD for 29 years, said during Thursday's meeting that he looked for a candidate that had knowledge, experience and could take the department in a positive direction, and saw that Volpe was rapidly gaining administrative experience.
Commissioner Brian Cushnie said that he was very torn, but ultimately decided to vote for Volpe for his “in-depth knowledge.”
Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda stated in a news release Thursday, “Selecting our next Fire Chief is an important responsibility, and I want to thank the commissioners for following an open and transparent process. I wish to congratulate Daniel Volpe on his selection, and I look forward to continuing to work in collaboration with our public safety partners to support our firefighters, strengthen emergency response, and keep our communities safe.”
Haley Lehman can be reached at haley@alohastatedaily.com.
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