Residents and travelers in Hawai‘i may notice increased smoke and emergency activity near two major airports next week, but there is no cause for alarm—it is part of a routine training exercise for firefighting personnel. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) announced that annual live fire training exercises will take place at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) and Hilo International Airport (ITO) from tomorrow through Wednesday, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
This essential training is a mandatory event orchestrated to fulfill Federal Aviation Administration requirements, as live emergency scenarios will be enacted for the recertification of fire and rescue staff who specialize in aircraft rescue firefighting (ARFF) units who will be doing their maneuvers for the public’s eventual safety despite the potentially alarming visual of billowing smoke and hustle of emergency vehicles that may ensue. The HDOT ensures that all appropriate safety measures will be in place during these drills. According to the HDOT blog post, the maneuvers will involve “testing response protocol to a live emergency scenario involving burning fuel.”…