Grant will boost PTA’s firefighting ability
The Pohakuloa Training Area’s fire response capability will be enhanced through a $2.48 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources for the construction of a new firefighting and conservation warehouse to improve wildfire response and enable maintenance and repair of firefighting vehicles.
“The community is so important to us here at PTA and this grant is just another manifestation of that,” Lt. Col. Kevin Cronin, PTA commander, said in a press release. “PTA greatly appreciates the support it receives from the community and the robust relationships we have with DLNR. We’re always looking to grow and enhance those relationships.”
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This grant will address priority threats to military training operations, protect life and property, and conserve Hawaii’s watersheds and rare native plants and wildlife.
Rapid wildfire response and suppression is critical to minimizing impacts to training and base operations as well as protecting military personnel and families, civilians, their homes and the native ecosystem, according to a PTA press release.
In addition to keeping the installation safe, the PTA Fire Department has an approximately 500 square-mile response radius to support the surrounding Hawaii Island community. PTA has a long-standing partnership with community fire departments to keep the community safe.
The Department of Defense awarded 19 grants on Sept. 23 totaling approximately $90 million for states and communities to undertake infrastructure enhancements to support military value, installation resiliency, and/or family quality of life that benefits their local installations, according to the press release.
