Amid the devastation in Maui, wildfire and emergency response are being re-examined in ways that are likely to shape how disasters are approached in the future. According to CNN, Hawaii’s 400 alarm siren warning system was not activated, including the 80 outdoor sirens on Maui itself.
“Nobody at the state and nobody at the county attempted to activate those sirens based on our records,” Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Adam Weintraub told CNN. “It was largely a function of how fast the flames were moving…They were trying to coordinate response on the ground, and they had already issued these other alert systems.” Phone, television and radio alerts were activated.
The nature of the island’s geographical layout also poses considerable challenges to emergency responders and relief efforts alike. “Everything about the immediate response to a disaster in places like Hawaii and Puerto Rico is more expensive than on the mainland. That includes food, shelter and transportation,” Ivis García, an urban planner who has researched disaster recovery efforts, told The Conversation.
According to The Washington Post, local residents have stepped up to help with disaster response. “A volunteer relief effort led by Native Hawaiians has emerged to shuttle supplies to the disaster zone,’ reports The Post. “An impromptu flotilla of cruisers and catamarans carrying supplies such as generators, propane tanks, clothing and ready-to-eat meals reached the beach in Kahana, just north of Maui’s hardest-hit areas.”
Source:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/12/us/hawaii-emergency-warning-system-maui-wildfires/index.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/08/12/maui-fire-death-toll-lahaina-hawaii-damage/
