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flare-ups and outbreaks and so what would happen throughout the day I was either <br />getting communicated messages via Facebook or text, whatever, and I was getting <br />pictures from the community of the whole – I tell you is interesting – from Mauna Kea, <br />Puukapu all the way down to up above Waikoloa Village. People were taking pictures <br />from far and then circling where they saw flare-ups of smoke and would – then I could <br />direct it to – I let the fire department know that they could, you know, we had a flare up <br />in this area – so it was kind of interesting because the community was helping watch the <br />fire while the military and the county and the state and the federal people were actually <br />fighting the fire. So it was kind of a back and forth. It continued on and that reporting <br />back and forth helping each other out making sure things were going on and <br />communication probably was the biggest concern going forward. A little bit forward into <br />the week, as far as fighting fire, one of the problems we ran into – now I was out there <br />with Councilman Sue Leeloy talking story with Puukapu – finding out what their needs <br />were. They didn’t have an ability – they had water tanks but they only had gravity flow <br />to fill the little tanks that they were using – a 2” line gravity flow without much head – it <br />took a long time – again we were able to work with the community putting into this – <br />worked with the Sayre Foundation – got them quickly to get a pump purchased as well <br />as correct pump pipe to hook the pumps to the water tanks out there – we had to fill up <br />the water tanks quickly – and these are the ones that the farmers and ranchers that <br />were out there – those big transport – those big plastic things they use for different <br />chemicals and all that – they were filling those – anything to haul water to put out these <br />hot spots – that worked well. Additionally, another thing came up and again this was all <br />communication coming from the community – we had one road – well, actually a couple <br />of roads – as we were starting to get into the fire and these mounds of grass were <br />smoldering they couldn’t get water to them because the roads – out there was all <br />damaged and because of that damage the water trucks couldn’t get there so with a <br />memorandum of understanding between the county and DHHL the county was able to <br />get in and fix the roads so then the DHHL water trucks could get in and get water on to <br />these mounds of grass. So, again, it was a back and forth communication and lots and <br />lots of communication ongoing from the community and the community really stepping <br />up, especially in that Puukapu region to help each other and help out to make things go <br />forward… <br /> <br />AA: Excuse me, Mr. Richards… <br /> <br />TR: Yes? <br /> <br />AA: Hold on. To the public some of you guys need to put you guys mics on mute – we getting <br />interference in the background so whoever’s not speaking please put your mic on mute. <br />OK, Mr. Richards, continue please, sorry… <br /> <br />TR: OK. No problem. OK, so again it was that communication back and forth and keeping – <br />touching bases with the communities and seeing where they were – that takes care of <br />Puukapu for the time being. As the fire was spreading more and more towards Kona <br />6 <br /> <br /> <br />