Latest / The One Oʻahu Podcast with Mayor Rick Blangiardi / HFD Captain Kevin Calleon is the 2025 City Employee of the Year

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HFD Captain Kevin Calleon is the 2025 City Employee of the Year · The One Oʻahu Podcast with Mayor Rick Blangiardi

• 0:14
  Welcome to The One Oahu podcast.
• 0:16
  I'm your host, Brandi Higa, and today is Thursday, December 4th, 2025.
• 0:21
  And we're joined this week by Honolulu Fire Department Captain Kevin
• 0:25
  Calleon on this year's City and County of Honolulu Employee of the year.
• 0:30
  First of all, tell us a little about yourself.
• 0:32
  Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school?
• 0:34
  What made you want to join the department? All of that? Yeah.
• 0:37
  My name is Kevin Calleon.
• 0:39
  I'm born and raised in Honolulu, on the west side of Oahu.
• 0:42
  I graduated Nanakuli high school in 1999.
• 0:45
  So Hawks, Baby! I’m very proud.
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  Have a beautiful other half Anela.
• 0:49
  and I have four sons.
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  Noah, Rome, Eli and Isaiah.
• 0:54
  And what made you want to become a firefighter?
• 0:57
  Well, I joined the department.
• 0:58
  To join the department.
• 0:59
  It was a, I guess, to me, the greatest honor
• 1:01
  is to be a servant to society or to people.
• 1:04
  So I wanted to just give back to the community, and I don't know.
• 1:08
  Seeing firefighters gearing up for the honors.
• 1:09
  High honor and high.
• 1:10
  So I was very honored to be a part of it.
• 1:13
  And so stationed in locally.
• 1:15
  Yeah, I'm stationed not actually on the engine.
• 1:17
  I'm the captain on second watch.
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  So, Nanakuli’s Number 28, station 28.
• 1:22
  And what does that look like day to day is that
• 1:24
  I feel like I always hear the sirens going on.
• 1:26
  That's how we run pretty well day and night.
• 1:29
  It can be pretty restless, but, in the mornings, we come in,
• 1:32
  we check in with the crew, see if anything significant.
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  I think with a truck or station,
• 1:36
  my guys would go ahead, check the truck, checks the station.
• 1:38
  I'll take care of my administrative stuff.
• 1:40
  We'll have our meeting, and then we'll have our drill and would be, got it.
• 1:44
  Ready to serve the community.
• 1:46
  And like I mentioned in
• 1:47
  your introduction, employee of the year, not just for the fire department.
• 1:51
  Yes. The fire is work for the entire city and county of Honolulu.
• 1:54
  When you found that out. What?
• 1:55
  What does that mean to you?
• 1:57
  I was very shocked.
• 2:00
  I appreciate the recognition.
• 2:02
  I'm very honored.
• 2:03
  Humbled and, very privileged to work.
• 2:07
  And when it comes to, the department, it.
• 2:10
  You know, your bio contained a long list of accomplishments,
• 2:15
  but on there, the department's occupational health and safety programs.
• 2:18
  What is that? What's been your role there?
• 2:20
  So when I got promoted, about three years ago, to the captain's position,
• 2:25
  I was in the office of Occupational Safety and Health.
• 2:29
  And in their overviews, all of the department safety stuff.
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  So regards with,
• 2:35
  station upkeep,
• 2:37
  inspections and then our peer support and health and wellness program itself.
• 2:41
  And then my role with that was I assisted or facilitated
• 2:44
  and helped lead, health and wellness and their support team.
• 2:48
  And right.
• 2:49
  Taking care also means taking care of of their health and wellness.
• 2:53
  And when it comes to your workouts, what does what does workout
• 2:57
  look like for you these days?
• 2:59
  For me, For you personally.
• 3:01
  For me personally. I show up to not actually.
• 3:03
  What's our workout other day workout?
• 3:05
  It is something function of fitness. Some kind of work hardening.
• 3:08
  Something that gets us ready, as I've gotten older is definitely changed.
• 3:11
  When you're younger, you're a little bit easier to recover and lift heavier.
• 3:15
  So now it's more functional fitness.
• 3:17
  And, just so I be able to do my job and play on my kids.
• 3:21
  Can you explain a little bit about what the peer support group does?
• 3:24
  Yeah.
• 3:24
  So the peer support group, it's a group of incumbents, both incumbent
• 3:28
  and civilian, that have some additional training in regards to peer support
• 3:32
  and the biggest skill set.
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  And the foundation is active listening confidentiality and empathy.
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  And so these members, provide a one on one support to our, to our incumbents
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  and civilians, both on the professional and personal side.
• 3:45
  And when you look at that, I mean, personal, I've never worked shift work.
• 3:50
  So I know that that's got to be hard on families.
• 3:53
  But then professionally, this year in particular,
• 3:55
  has been trying for this department a line of duty death,
• 3:58
  an injury that's changed a firefighter's life forever.
• 4:01
  And how does that affect your work now with this peer support group?
• 4:06
  With our work, I would say we're very blessed that we've had,
• 4:10
  a good support from our executive staff and top to bottom,
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  regards to being proactive with our mental health and,
• 4:16
  the overall wellness of our department and members of our members
• 4:19
  are our greatest asset.
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  So we very proactively set things up in advance.
• 4:24
  But, with the recent things that happen and the events it's been,
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  I'm glad we have our brothers and sisters support each other.
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  And the big message of peer support is what? Love?
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  That we're there for each other despite what's going on.
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  And you're not alone.
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  And to get it to this position, what kind of training
• 4:40
  did you have to undergo? Because it is active listening.
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  I mean, that seems like common sense,
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  but I feel like there's a little bit more to that.
• 4:46
  Definitely.
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  Definitely a difference between passive and active listening,
• 4:49
  to get into this role.
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  So requirements that we do for our peer support team, there is a two day iaff,
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  which is our national union provider, two day training.
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  Which regards goes in-depth about active listening, confidentially,
• 5:03
  action planning and how to intervene with crises.
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  In addition to that, we do, continue education stuff throughout the year.
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  We're renown classes. Oh, anything that's going on.
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  Some of the latest ones we brought down was in assists was,
• 5:14
  applied intervention for suicide training.
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  And then we had one called Talk Taking Care of our own.
• 5:21
  Yeah.
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  And this advice, I feel like this could be transferred
• 5:24
  beyond the fire service for those listening right now,
• 5:27
  what's your advice or what would you say to them
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  if they're dealing with something like loss, depression,
• 5:32
  you know, trouble at home, anything like that?
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  One thing I'd like to share is that a lot of times
• 5:37
  when we're going through trauma, pain or anger,
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  two things we tell ourselves is that we're alone and no one understand.
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  And those are two things we try to break with our peer support team.
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  We talk stories that you are not alone.
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  And most of the time, you're not the first or last person
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  to go through that kind of stuff.
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  So there'll be somebody that can be understanding,
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  put you in the right direction.
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  Kat, do you have any mentors?
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  Do I man, I have a bunch.
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  Who are. They for? You.
• 6:00
  Okay, as a firefighter, one, I guess growing up,
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  my first senior firefighter was Brandon Phoenix.
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  He's a captain.
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  All that, engine, tower. Sorry. Ladder 34.
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  He was my first
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  senior firefighter, and he really guided me in, when I went to
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  not including my two senior firefighters, there was Darren Higa and all those,
• 6:20
  when I came to the OSHA office, Cat Brett delivered me, then got promoted together.
• 6:24
  And. Chief. Thank you. Really.
• 6:26
  Let me be proactive with them
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  at the outside that really guided me and consulted me.
• 6:31
  And then currently, another colleague, my two captains, the watches
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  I served under them, Cap Scotty Oshiro and Cap Gerald Pacheco.
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  So I really get to still lean on them for advice and consulting.
• 6:41
  Being a young captain,
• 6:44
  first of all, sorry,
• 6:46
  my pastor, Luigi Figura, he's always been that silent, humble leader.
• 6:51
  And then of course, my my other half, Adela.
• 6:53
  She teaches me patience, love, unconditional love.
• 6:57
  And then my biggest mentors have been my kids every day.
• 7:00
  They gave me purpose. They teach me patience.
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  Just genuineness, happiness and just,
• 7:07
  Yeah, fulfillment.
• 7:10
  That's interesting. Yeah.
• 7:11
  If you could sit down and have a meal with anyone that are alive,
• 7:16
  who would it be and why?
• 7:18
  Well, that's a tough question.
• 7:21
  I guess for me right now, at this moment,
• 7:23
  probably my dad, he passed away a few years ago.
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  So I would just like to thank you for him, my mom,
• 7:30
  for giving me life and and, just
• 7:34
  I appreciate everything they've done for me, but they're always the best.
• 7:37
  But people make do with what they have, and I appreciate their love and sacrifice.
• 7:42
  Feel sitting here today.
• 7:43
  What do you think he would say to find out
• 7:44
  that you are the City and County of Honolulu Employee of the year?
• 7:48
  Yeah, I think he'd be very happy.
• 7:51
  Very proud.
• 7:52
  I, yeah, I just think happy and proud.
• 7:56
  And you mentioned your kids.
• 7:58
  You know, when they found out the news, kids are pure in their reaction.
• 8:01
  So that's kind of how I like to gauge, things.
• 8:04
  But what was what was the reaction from your kids?
• 8:06
  I and my kids, I guess they don't really understand the whole gravity of it.
• 8:11
  Yeah.
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  They're like, cool.
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  I'm sorry.
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  So, I take it as that.
• 8:18
  Yeah.
• 8:19
  It was definitely genuine.
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  They said congratulations and awesome job, but, they do them.
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  It really goes to them.
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  And while they have
• 8:29
  all their sacrifice, I know it's been a lot of time and stuff away from them.
• 8:33
  I asked this to to fall, but,
• 8:35
  you know, when you talk about, like, getting out of when you're in a space
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  maybe of anger or, just of darkness,
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  music kind of has a way of healing.
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  And so for you, what's that one song that can put you in a better place
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  immediately, like snap and clear and make things better?
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  I think the author is Brandon Lee.
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  Hallelujah.
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  I'll break my heart for heartfelt.
• 9:00
  It is.
• 9:00
  Well, Hallelujah.
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  It kind of talks about.
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  I think I got the author name right,
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  but it kind of talks about even though things are hard,
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  you can still muster up that effort and give praise.
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  So, there's always a higher power or something else going on.
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  So try to look for those things that the gratitude and praise within.
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  How does it go?
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  And I had a lot.
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  Of I gotta ruin the song.
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  Get out of the guys in the department describe you.
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  Depends who you ask.
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  I use
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  some guy, say, gentle giant.
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  I try to leave it that
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  I think it's easier to be angry, but it's.
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  I think it's better and harder to,
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  be nice and kind to everyone and kind of put that foot forward.
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  I try to be positive, engaging.
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  Hopefully someone that people would like to talk to and interact with.
• 9:53
  Yeah.
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  So I know that you're, you know, you talk about your faith.
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  It seems like you really you know, you have you have it all together.
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  You've kind of never made a mistake.
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  But what's the silliest thing you've gotten in trouble for?
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  The silliest thing I got in trouble for,
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  Well, first I, I with the faith and stuff, and that was like,
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  I made many mistakes in my life.
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  And maybe just being here is very purposeful.
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  And I feel blessed to be here.
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  The silliest mistake is probably something
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  silly, like not locking the door when we go to a car or something.
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  And I was a one something, something ridiculous, like the idea.
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  Or the danger in not locking the door.
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  For those who aren't familiar. Yeah.
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  So when we leave the station, everybody goes, I go call this stuff, but,
• 10:34
  you leave the door open, somebody can come in. Sneaky.
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  I got to break it to the station and stuff, so
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  we definitely don't want that to happen.
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  You ever came back and there's somebody there waiting for you? No.
• 10:44
  Thankfully not. Yes.
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  We're very lucky.
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  You know, we just had a Halloween episode and some of your mentors
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  that you mentioned, we actually talked to them.
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  And when you talk about the West Side stations,
• 10:56
  we asked them if they're, you know, if they believe in ghosts,
• 10:58
  if they've ever experienced anything, you know, supernatural or anything like that.
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  Do you believe in ghosts and have you experienced anything super not.
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  Say yes, but skeptical, but at the same time, I've been pressed.
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  So I first is like, when you can't move, when you sleep, you wake up.
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  But I don't know if it's just because I was super tired
• 11:16
  from that day and my body wasn't reacting well.
• 11:18
  I'm not sure. So I'm not I'm.
• 11:20
  Yes. But skeptical. I was at.
• 11:22
  I see that you you're inked up a little bit.
• 11:25
  If you could go and get a tattoo right now, I'm paying for it.
• 11:27
  Oh, okay.
• 11:28
  So no price. Too big, no timetable too long.
• 11:30
  You can get anything on you right now.
• 11:32
  What would it be?
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  That's a good question.
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  There's so many things I want.
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  I guess I would try to finish up
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  my front half, like my chest and stomach, with some kind of,
• 11:44
  family portrait kind of stuff, but maybe with more of my kids and stuff.
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  I have my kids portrait ID, but I'll get more
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  more ink, I guess.
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  Dedicated to my family.
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  And telling on that.
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  I ask you what you you know what you wanted, but
• 11:58
  what do you want for Christmas?
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  It's right around the corner.
• 12:01
  I'm pretty simple.
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  Seeing my kids, my my my better half happy and giving them what they want.
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  That's really all I want.
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  It's it's very
• 12:11
  cliche, but, I don't really want that anything for Christmas material wise.
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  I think just spending time with family, saying I love you
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  and just seeing their genuine happiness, that's all I really want.
• 12:22
  Oh, captain, is there anything that we missed?
• 12:26
  I don't think so.
• 12:27
  I mean, thank you for the recognition.
• 12:28
  I greatly appreciate it.
• 12:29
  Thank you, mayor and the city.
• 12:31
  Thank you to my, my chiefs and the whole department, from top to bottom.
• 12:35
  It was really a team effort.
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  So really, having the whole peer team and each of you here
• 12:40
  would be in recognition of everybody.
• 12:42
  I humbly accept this award and the recognition.
• 12:46
  But just thank you.
• 12:48
  Do you know anything about the panel, the committee that selected,
• 12:51
  you know, our panel of three business women, all three women?
• 12:56
  Oh, really?
• 12:57
  Yeah. Why do you think why do you think they chose you?
• 13:00
  I don't know at all,
• 13:01
  but, my my, my thinking possibly is, I appreciate that
• 13:05
  the recognition and the award was given for something on the human factor side.
• 13:10
  Honolulu Fire Department, along with other first responders
• 13:12
  in the state, do a great job at protecting our our city.
• 13:16
  But, to see an award given, I think, within for the human factors
• 13:20
  I that we're there on the emotional, spiritual and metaphysical level.
• 13:24
  But I really appreciate that and the emphasis on that side.
• 13:27
  Yeah, that's the selection committee.
• 13:28
  But, the person that nominated you, can you talk a little bit about that.
• 13:33
  But HIV.
• 13:33
  Yeah. Oh, James Duggins yeah.
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  He's a good brother.
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  Being and actually, I recruit classmates.
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  He is a firefighter through an engineer at, Pearl city.
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  The third watch on their engine, he's part of the peer support team, also
• 13:46
  the health and wellness team.
• 13:48
  And throughout the years, we definitely work together
• 13:50
  in trying to provide service to our department members.
• 13:53
  And, both incumbent and civilian and,
• 13:57
  James is, a bundle of energy.
• 14:00
  How should I describe him?
• 14:02
  He's pure heart.
• 14:03
  He definitely wears his emotions on his sleeve,
• 14:05
  and he's a beautiful human being.
• 14:07
  You really, if you get to know him well, you're going to get the first time. You.
• 14:11
  You can't help but smile.
• 14:13
  He really is that energetic and contagious.
• 14:16
  And so your reaction when he's like, hey, look,
• 14:17
  I'm going to nominate you this year.
• 14:20
  I didn't even know you nominated me.
• 14:23
  I was very honored to it's
• 14:26
  very to me, it's very humbling and appreciative when it's
• 14:29
  someone within your own community recognizes you are puts you on that.
• 14:34
  Yeah. That level.
• 14:36
  So I really appreciated that.
• 14:37
  And it meant a lot that it's someone that I knew that I guess recognize that.
• 14:42
  Yeah.
• 14:43
  Well, thank you so much for your time.
• 14:44
  Any final thoughts?
• 14:47
  No. That's it.
• 14:48
  Thank you so much for your time.
• 14:50
  Kevin Kelly on captain for the Home and Fire Department, city and County
• 14:53
  of Honolulu employee of the year. Congratulations.
• 14:56
  And thank you for your time. Thank you so much.
• 14:58
  And mahalo to all of you for listening.
• 14:59
  And until next time, Aloha.