A highly skilled wildland firefighting crew from the National Park of American Samoa departed on a crucial mission Monday night for the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ( HAVO) on the big island of Hawaii.
This deployment marks the first step in their journey to combat raging wildfires in Northern California, where they will join forces with firefighters from across the nation for a 34-day assignment.
Vaki Pentateuch, who leads the crew said, “Our team has been to many wildfires before. We’re pretty good at fighting these fires because we’ve done it a lot. I have confidence that this team can handle any assignment given because of their experience, hard work and their faith in God. When we are asked to help fight fires in the United States, we’re proud to show what American Samoa can do. It makes me feel humbled to know that other firefighters in the U.S. think highly of our Samoan team. They like working with us because we’re dedicated to the work and we share our culture of love and respect with everyone.”
In partnership with Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, the National Park of American Samoa trains staff and local government employees, as well as local villagers, in the skills required to fight fires at home and within other areas of the United States. To become wildland firefighters, this crew had to complete intensive training sessions and pass a demanding written test. They also had to pass a grueling fitness test requiring a three-mile walk wearing a 45-pound pack in under 45-minutes.
