The Maui News

The Maui Fire Department has announced several recent promotions, including Richard Kawasaki to assistant chief of operations and William Barut to battalion chief.

Kawasaki, a 27-year veteran, started his career as a firefighter at a Napili engine company. Over the years, he served at several fire stations, including Makawao, Hana, Lahaina and Kula. Most recently, he had been battalion chief of Battalion 1, 3rd Watch. He has served as director of the department’s Wildland Training Program and is a member of the Maui Incident Management Team.

As assistant chief of operations, Kawasaki oversees the overall response capabilities and daily emergency operations of the fire department.

Kawasaki, whose wife is Desiree, is a 1985 graduate of Maui High School and a 1990 graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Barut, a 24-year veteran, started his career as a firefighter in Makawao. He was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to Napili and Wailuku engine companies. In 2011, he was promoted to captain and assigned to Kaunakakai and Kahului engine companies. Most recently, he was assigned to Hazmat 10 in Kahului.

Barut has been a Community Emergency Response Team instructor, Critical Incident Stress Management Team member and Maui Incident Management Team member. As battalion chief, he heads Battalion 2, 2nd Watch.

Barut is a 1982 graduate of Maui High School. His wife is Rhonda and he has a son, Stephen.

Other recent promotions include:

• Thomas Gann, who was promoted to captain and assigned to a Kaunakakai engine company. The 16-year veteran previously worked as a firefighter III on a Kahului engine company. He is an instructor for the Fire Department’s Rope Rescue, Rescue Systems and Blue Card Command training programs. He is married to Kassia and has a daughter, Kiandra.

• Lani Gomes, who was promoted to captain of the Training Bureau. The 17-year veteran previously was assigned to a Wailea engine company. She is a 1989 graduate of St. Anthony High School and 1993 graduate of Loyola Marymount University. She has been an instructor for department emergency medical responders and CPR programs.

• Matt Akiona, a 12-year veteran, who was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to the Training Bureau. He previously worked on a Kahului rescue company. He is a 1998 graduate of Baldwin High School and is married to Jamie. He has three children — Isaiah, Mattison and Isaac.

• Isaiah Bicoy, who was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to a Pukoo, Molokai, engine company. The 13-year veteran previously worked on a Hoolehua, Molokai, engine company. He is an instructor for the department’s Rescue Watercraft Program. Bicoy is a 2002 graduate of Molokai High School and is married to Kabbie. He has five children — Kelsey-Lee, Keeya, Kailani, Khloe and Immanuel.

• Hans DuBach, a 16-year veteran who was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to a Hoolehua, Molokai, engine company. DuBach previously worked on a Hana engine company. He is a 1988 graduate of Baldwin High School and 1996 graduate of Hawaii Pacific University. DuBach is married to Kimberly and has three children — Olivia, Noa and Kobi.

• Kamuela Guth, a 10-year veteran who was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to the Training Bureau. He previously worked on a Lahaina ladder company. Guth is an instructor in several training programs, including fire ground operations, rescue water craft and fire apparatus driver operator program aerial. He is a 2003 graduate of Lahainaluna High School and 2009 graduate of Portland Community College. Guth is married to Brooke and has children Emalia and Keahi.

• Dane Pacheco, an 11-year veteran who was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to the Prevention Bureau. He had been assigned to a Kahului engine company. Pacheco is an instructor for fire apparatus driver operators and wildland training programs. He is a 2001 graduate of Baldwin High School and a 2004 graduate of Maui Community College. Pacheco is married to Curstyn and has children Gauge and Current.

• Nohea Williams, a 10-year veteran who was promoted to firefighter III and assigned to the Prevention Bureau. He had been assigned to a Kihei engine company. He is an instructor in the rescue water craft program and member of the Critical Incident Stress Management team. Williams is a 2001 graduate of Kamehameha School. He has two children — Caleb and Dylan.

The Fire Department announced the promotions last month.