FAQ

Read frequently asked questions about the Honolulu Fire Department.

General

Please complete and submit the online request form.
Office of the Fire Chief Honolulu Fire Department 636 South Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-5007
Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Honolulu Fire Department Fire Explorers Program exposes 14 to 20 year old students to fire fighters’ duties. These experiences help to prepare applicants to be matured, responsible, caring young adults. For more information, contact 808-478-8532, hfdexplorers@honolulu.gov, or read our brochure.
No. There are no volunteer fire fighters on Oahu.
Please visit the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Human Resources’ Job Opportunities page for step-by-step instructions on how to apply online and a list of available jobs. Complete the online Job Interest Card to receive an e-mail notification for selected job categories. Select “Fire & EMS” for the Honolulu Fire Department fire fighter recruitment.

Fire Code

Contact the Honolulu Board of Water Supply’s Dispatch Center at 808-748-5010.
To apply for an agricultural burn permit, contact: Clean Air Branch Environmental Management Division Department of Health State of Hawaii P.O. Box 3378 Honolulu, Hawaii 96801
Reputable fire extinguisher agencies can be found in the phone book or online.
The required type of fire extinguisher varies. Call the Honolulu Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-723-7161 and ask to speak to a Fire Inspector.
Call the Honolulu Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-723-7161. A Fire Inspector will contact you to make the necessary arrangements.
Contact the Honolulu Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-723-7161 or call 9-1-1 for emergency services.
There is no language in the 2012 National Fire Protection Association 1 Fire Code Chapter 50 Commercial Cooking Equipment that requires a fire watch for an impaired kitchen hood fire suppression system. A fire watch is required where a required fire alarm system, fire sprinkler system, or standpipe system is out of service for more than 4 hours in a 24-hour period. Submit a letter to the Office of the Fire Chief outlining a fire watch plan. Approval of this plan is required.

Fire Operations

The Honolulu Fire Department has an agreement with the City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu Emergency Services Department’s Emergency Medical Services Division to dispatch an apparatus to life-threatening calls, such as heart attacks, difficulty breathing, possible strokes, vehicle crashes, significant trauma, etc. The Honolulu Fire Department will dispatch its closest apparatus, which may be a rapid response vehicle, an engine, a ladder, or a rescue or hazardous materials company. With fire stations located strategically throughout Oahu and ambulances often busy with other medical calls, Honolulu Fire Department apparatuses often arrive prior to ambulances; fire fighters then begin life-saving techniques. Since we are unable to predict when or where the next fire call will be, the Honolulu Fire Department believes it is prudent to dispatch a ladder company if it is equally close and available.
The Honolulu Fire Department treats every call for assistance as an emergency call and dispatches its apparatus as an emergency vehicle. The Honolulu Fire Department is required by the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii traffic codes to use emergency warning devices while responding as an emergency vehicle. The use of lights and sirens allows fire fighters to respond safely, efficiently, and expeditiously to each emergency. People who call for help expect a quick, professional, and effective response. Those not involved in the emergency might understandably be surprised, annoyed, and angry at the sound of sirens. The Honolulu Fire Department takes both perspectives into consideration and recognizes that the most important expectation is that we respond as safely and expeditiously as possible. The Honolulu Fire Department meets this expectation through professional call-taking and effective emergency vehicle response.
Access boxes are small, wall-mounted safes that secure keys to access points, such as a building or gated community. Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) personnel use a universal key to access the box, which enables entry for emergencies and minimizes forcible entry tools use. The HFD prefers a Knox Box. Visit https://www.knoxbox.com/ for information.
  • Property owners must use zip code 96813 when purchasing the product, as Oahu-based products are keyed similarly.
  • An authorized signature is not required if the 96813 zip code is referenced.
  • Property owners are responsible for the box installation. If requested, Honolulu Fire Department personnel may suggest a proper location for the box.
  • Once installation is complete, the property owner must call the HFD’s Fire Operations division at 808-723-7113 to schedule the administrative area’s fire station to lock the box.
To schedule a station visit, call 808-723-7184.

Fire Safety

Call the Fire Communication Center at 808-723-3473.
Please complete and submit the online request form at least four weeks prior to your event. Should you have questions, please call our Community Relations/Education section at 808-723-7168.
Please complete and submit the online request form at least four weeks prior to your event. Should you have questions, please call our Community Relations/Education section at 808-723-7168.

Firecrackers

A firecracker permit and a valid identification is required to purchase and use firecrackers on Oahu. Please visit the Honolulu Fire Department Firecracker E-Permit System to view the rules and regulations and submit your request. The paper permit application process was discontinued.
Contact the Honolulu Police Department for fireworks disposal.
The permit allows the use of firecrackers from:
  • 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day
  • 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Chinese New Year’s Day
  • 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Independence Day (Fourth of July)
A permit for cultural use allows the use of firecrackers from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the day of the requested use.
Each firecracker permit authorizes the purchase of up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. The tau conversion chart below provides an approximation and can vary by manufacturer.
  • 25,000 tau = 5,000 individual firecrackers
  • 20,000 tau = 4,388 individual firecrackers
  • 10,000 tau = 2,492 individual firecrackers
  • 5,000 tau = 1,388 individual firecrackers
The cost for each firecracker permit is $25 plus a $.59 service fee. Multiple permits may be purchased at one time.
Firecrackers may be purchased no more than five calendar days before the applicable time period designated on the permit and up to one hour before the end of the designated firing time.
An application for a firecracker permit may be completed at any time; however, the permit application shall be submitted no less than ten days prior to the date of the use of the firecrackers.
Any person aged 18 or older with a valid photo identification may purchase a firecracker permit.
It is unlawful for any person to possess, use, explode, or cause to explode any aerial device, articles pyrotechnic, display fireworks, or any of the following on Oahu: Snakes, sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, illuminating torches, bamboo cannons, whistles, toy smoke devices, wheels, ground spinners, novelty or trick items, combination items, paperless firecrackers, and other fireworks of like construction that are designed to produce the same or similar effects. The use of firecrackers is prohibited without a permit.