Like the old saying goes, you can always tell a fireman, but you can't tell him much. The same goes for firehouses. It's not just the central location, or the utilitarian look, or the big garage doors, it's the tower for drying hoses that gives them away. Getting physical
at old firehouse
So this building at 840 Iwilei has "firehouse" written all over it. But it's locked up tight, and the only sign on it says Health Department.
The State Department of Health said it wasn't theirs (and the lady on the phone sounded like she was coughing up a lung) and to check with the city.
That did the trick. The building indeed used to be a fire station, but now it's used by the Health Services Division of the Department of Human Resources, or "What we used to call Personnel," deadpanned Carol Costa of the Mayor's Office of Information & Complaint.
What do they do there?
"It's where city employees have their physicals," said Costa.
So, next time you drive by, try to imagine city officials standing around naked inside the building, or even turning their heads and coughing. See? Kind of ruins your whole day, doesn't it?
Like the old saying goes, a little information is a dangerous thing.
Burl Burlingame, Star-Bulletin
Send WatDat? questions, stories
or any other story ideas or comments to:
Features, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080,
Honolulu, HI 96802 or send a fax to 523-8509
or E-mail to features@starbulletin.com.
Please include your phone number.
