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Maui emergency chief resigns after criticism
The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Herman Andaya, has resigned following intense criticism of his agency’s response to the Lahaina fire, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century. The fire has claimed the lives of at least 111 people.
Maui County officials announced Andaya’s resignation on Thursday, citing “health reasons” as the cause. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen expressed the urgency of filling the position quickly in a statement.
The criticism stems from the decision not to activate warning sirens or evacuate residents when the Maui wildfires broke out on August 8. Andaya defended the decision, stating that the public is trained to seek higher ground when the sirens are sounded, which could have led them into the fire. Instead, the agency relied on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to notify residents, but many reported not receiving any alerts due to power outages.
Andaya’s qualifications have also come under scrutiny, with reports stating that he had no background in disaster response. However, Andaya argued that he had prior experience in emergency operations and had undergone numerous trainings.
The cause of the wildfires is still under investigation, and the Hawaii attorney general’s office has launched an investigation into the local government’s response.
Meanwhile, the search for victims continues, with federal personnel using cadaver dogs to comb through the debris area. The number of people unaccounted for is estimated to be between 1,100 and 1,300. FEMA, Red Cross, Hawaii National Guard, and U.S. Army reservists are all involved in the recovery efforts.
Three of the four fires that broke out on Maui on August 8 are still burning. Maui County officials announced that two of the fires, previously referred to as a single blaze, have been determined to have distinct origins and will now be reported separately as the Olinda and Kula fires. These fires have destroyed 19 homes and are still being battled by firefighters.
The Lahaina fire, which has burned 3.39 square miles, is now 90% contained with no active threats reported. However, it has damaged or destroyed at least 2,200 structures.
Six victims of the Lahaina fire have been publicly identified, all of whom were residents of Lahaina.
The Maui wildfires have caused significant devastation, and the community continues to come together to support those affected.Maui, Hawaii – The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Herman Andaya, has resigned following criticism of his agency’s response to the deadly Lahaina fire. The wildfire, which broke out on August 8, has claimed the lives of at least 111 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.
Maui County officials announced Andaya’s resignation on Thursday, citing “health reasons” as the cause. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen expressed the urgency of filling the position and ensuring a swift response to the ongoing crisis.
Residents have criticized MEMA for not evacuating the area or activating the warning sirens during the wildfire. When asked about this decision, Andaya defended it, stating that the public is trained to seek higher ground when the sirens are sounded, which could have led them into the path of the fire. Instead, MEMA relied on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to notify residents, but many reported not receiving any alerts due to power outages.
Critics have also pointed out that Andaya had no background in disaster response when he was hired as the MEMA Administrator. However, Andaya argued that he had experience working with emergency operations officials during his time as the Maui County mayor’s chief of staff.
The cause of the wildfires is still under investigation, and the Hawaii attorney general’s office has launched an investigation into the local government’s response to the fires.
Meanwhile, the search for victims continues, with federal personnel using cadaver dogs to comb through the debris area. The number of people unaccounted for is estimated to be between 1,100 and 1,300. FEMA, the Red Cross, the Hawaii National Guard, and U.S. Army reservists are all involved in the recovery efforts.
In addition to the Lahaina fire, three other wildfires broke out on Maui on August 8. Two of these fires, previously referred to as a single blaze, have now been determined to have distinct origins and will be reported separately as the Olinda and Kula fires. These fires have destroyed 19 homes and are still being battled by firefighters.
As the recovery efforts continue, the Lahaina fire is now 90% contained, with no active threats reported. However, it has damaged or destroyed at least 2,200 structures.
Six victims of the Lahaina fire have been publicly identified, all of whom were residents of the area. The victims are Robert Dyckman, Buddy Jantoc, Melva Benjamin, Virginia Dofa, Alfredo Galinato, and Donna Gomes.
The Maui wildfires have caused significant devastation and loss of life, prompting investigations into the response and highlighting the importance of effective emergency management in the face of natural disasters.
How has the community in Maui been providing support and assistance to those affected by the wildfires
D the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to notify residents. However, power outages prevented many people from receiving these alerts.
In addition to the response to the wildfires, Andaya’s qualifications have also been called into question. Reports suggest that he had no background in disaster response. However, Andaya argued that he had prior experience in emergency operations and had undergone numerous trainings.
The cause of the wildfires is still under investigation, and the Hawaii attorney general’s office has launched an inquiry into the local government’s response.
Meanwhile, search and recovery efforts continue as federal personnel, including cadaver dogs, comb through the debris area. The number of people unaccounted for is estimated to be between 1,100 and 1,300. FEMA, Red Cross, Hawaii National Guard, and U.S. Army reservists are all involved in these efforts.
Three of the four fires that broke out on Maui on August 8 are still burning. Maui County officials have announced that two of the fires, previously classified as a single blaze, have distinct origins and will now be reported separately as the Olinda and Kula fires. Firefighters are still battling these blazes, which have already destroyed 19 homes.
While the Lahaina fire is now 90% contained with no active threats reported, it has caused significant damage and destruction. At least 2,200 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the fire.
Six victims of the Lahaina fire have been publicly identified, all of whom were residents of Lahaina.
Despite the challenges faced, the community in Maui continues to come together to support and help those affected by the wildfires.
It’s unfortunate when the leadership’s response falls short – hoping for a better and efficient emergency response in the future.