Sheldon ‘Kalani’ Hao selected as new Honolulu Fire Department chief

Sheldon “Kalani” Hao, the Hono­lulu Fire Department’s acting deputy fire chief, has been selected to become the department’s new fire chief.

In a 6-0 vote on Tuesday, the seven-member Honolulu Fire Commission voted in Hao, commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nekota confirmed. Commissioner David Matlin, who joined in October, abstained because he was not part of the interview process, but he was supportive of the vote, Nekota said.

Hao and Acting Fire Chief Lionel Camara Jr. were the two finalists of a months-long selection process for HFD’s new fire chief. Around noon on Tuesday, Camara sent a departmentwide email announcing his retirement on Dec. 30 along with Hao’s transition to fire chief on Jan. 1.

“Chief Camara picked Chief Hao to be his deputy, and they’ve worked very well together,” Nekota said. “He’s been a very good mentor for him.”

Former Fire Chief Manuel Neves retired from HFD in February, initiating the selection process for a new chief.

Robert “Bobby” Lee, president of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, said Hao is “full of integrity and character” and the right choice for fire chief.

“His heart is in the right place, he’s trying to do the right thing,” Lee said. “He’s … trying to protect the firefighters, trying to protect the public.”

Lee, who considers Camara a friend, said Camara would be a continuation of the Neves administration, which the HFFA has had problems with over the years when it came to decisions about firefighter and public safety.

One of the more notable issues came when the HFD leadership wanted to add a rescue company, which specializes in rescue operations, to the department.

The two existing rescue companies objected, Lee said, because the lack of qualified personnel would “water down” the companies and lead to a safety hazard.

The problem led to the passage of a Honolulu City Council bill last year meant to ensure the proper training of HFD’s rescue company personnel.