Nope. The team is a support only. This is not a typical CF IMT activation. I was on the CF “short team” of then ICT 10 to Katrina. The local OES/OEM and/or FEMA has authority depending on statute or Disaster Declaration. Good luck to IMT 1, they will have their hands full on many levels.
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As documented here and elsewhere, there are Washington and Oregon USAR TF resources on the ground as well. Lots of canines and support personnel.
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Well said sir.
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Just curious, were the power companies in any way asked to shut down local grids in front of the forecasted winds. Do they know for a fact that powerlines in fact started the fires in question. just seems a little early for the blame game.
Speaking from experience, in 2003 during the so cal siege, the Old Fire started under a very strong Santa Anna event, that fire quickly overwhelmed a massive response and destroyed countless structures in our community, it was devastating. Once the fire leaves the wildland and become established in the interface it just has to run it’s course…ain’t nothing you can do but just get out of the way …seems like a good bit of Monday morning quarterbacking taking place, there is nothing on earth that will prepare a community to deal with such a disaster. This is nearly like a Pompei event…There is a tremendous amount of real trauma that has to be processed…I truly hope the best for all involved…soon the media will be gone, and people will begin to move to the next big story… Recovery will be measured not in a few years but rather decades. Peace
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Yes, currently there are 6-8 USAR TF on scene or enroute. I believe only 2 are full teams, and the rest are Canine search teams.
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A resident videod the first fire and stated that the powerline started the fire further up lahainaluna road and shows multiple small fires In the sidewalk grass area across from him under the line and the same line on the ground. This fire was contained but flared up later
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Yeah, it seems like, “can’t they do something?” But there is really no clear air anywhere when the smoke and heat is blowing over sideways to breathe, let alone change scba bottles. It sucks for everybody. Lotsa sleep to be lost playing it over and over in their heads, but really nothing to be done. Take care all.
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I am glad that California is sending an IMT. Team 1 is professional and well practiced. They will bring their process and commitment to service to the incident and help the community begin to get moving towards their new normal. These types of incidents are actually icebergs…the worst part is the portion that you cannot see yet. The easiest day was the day the fire swept through the hardest days to are to come with the recovery and rebuilding. Good luck to Team 1 and thank you for your service.
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Awesome opportunity for CAL FIRE TEAM 1
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So far no indication that they have any sort of PSPS program on the Islands for fire. Overall minimal to no wildfire pre plans.
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USAR has about 25% of search area complete. Lahaina Fire 85% contained. Upcountry Fire 65% contained. Updates and information, including military deployments, from The Morning Call:
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Remember, this is not really a wildland fire assignment. The wildfire part of the response is over. The team is stepping into a transition from response to recovery and recovery missions. I really don’t think anyone should be expecting to see significant overhead requests and items that are expected in a wildfire response, because it is not. The CA team is in a unique position that most of the Federal teams are not.
This assignment will center on FEMA methods of recovery operations. They speak the language of “Community Lifelines” and their stabilization. Their mission probably includes assisting the local, state, and Federal response structure implementing the National Disaster Recovery Framework. That would include significant involvement in Family Assistance Centers (FACs), Family Reunification Centers (FRCs), Shelters, Commodity Distribution, Volunteer Management, Donation Management, working with the Military, interfacing and significant coordination with the EOC, any DOCs, AHJs, and FEMA IMATs and the SRT program. It also includes working to help the AHJ implement Debris Management, Commodity Distribution, and Evacuation and Re-population management if those plans have been developed. If not, they may be developing the framework for them on the fly in real time. Almost all of those are foreign terms and missions to the wildland fire discipline teams - this is the world of All-Hazards teams. Based on the overwhelming destruction of the infrastructure this will be a long term assignment of teams - if they work well in the recovery structure. Be careful what you ask for – the initiating cause (the fire) is pretty much no longer a factor, it is all about recovery.
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Lifelines Impacts (From SLB #5 as of 5:00 a.m. ET Aug 15)
Safety and Security:
- West Maui schools closed indefinitely
- Central Maui schools: Most opened yesterday for staff, will open this week for students; King Kekaulike HS will remain closed due to damages; repairs in progress
Food, Hydration, and Shelter:
- Shelters: Maui County –5 (-1) shelters open with 571 (-136) occupants (3 ARC, 3 independent)
- Central Maui: Free shuttle service for evacuees from central Maui shelters to central Maui shopping area and medical locations
Water Systems
- Unsafe water advisory still in effect in West Maui
- 4 water wells with intermittent interruptions to power impacting 300 households; USACE scheduled to install 2 generators later this week to provide temporary power
Health and Medical:
- 99 (+6) confirmed fatalities
Energy:
4,604 customers remain without power in Maui (SLB #5)
Communications:
Maui County:
- 19 (-1) cell towers offline
- Local cell providers deployed 14 assets to improve cellular service in West Maui, improving service to first responders and survivors
- AT&T deployed 1 cellular asset last night, expected to be online today, to strengthen communications capabilities for responders
--------------- Response Footprint---------
State / Local Response:
HI state EOC at Full Activation / Gov declared a SOE
FEMA / Federal Response:
- Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-4724-DR-HI approved Aug 10
- Region IX RWC continues to monitor
- IMAT-2 with ESFs 1 through 15 and DCE deployed to HI
- 1 LNO deployed to HI EOC (Oahu), 1 LNO in Maui
- 1 FCO in Maui, 1 in Oahu
FEMA HQ Activities:
- Region VII IMAT deployed to HI
- US&R: Blue IST, one NIMS Type 1 task force (WA-TF1), 1 NIMS Type 3 task force (NV-TF1), and 2 Mission Ready Canine Packages Canine Search and 15 additional single resource Canine Search Teams operational in Maui
- MERS personnel deployed to HI
- Staging Management Team (SMT) and Incident Support Base (ISB) team deployed to Maui
- First Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to open today in Maui
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Just to be clear, CAL FIRE IMTs are “all hazard” teams and have handled multiple “non-wildand” responses for many years (decades even). The CF IMTs go through CIMC, AAIM, etc and are quite familiar with the national response framework
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That is exactly why I stated that.
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Copy that sir
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Not really sure I have been on a team deployment for a wildland fire in the last 10 years that did not morph into an “all hazards” incident. Pretty much every fire has had a huge component of recovery, infrastructure and risk mitigation. The issue does not exist with the teams( fed, local or state) but with the AHJ( EOC) being able to deal with the complexities of the incident.
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Anti govt sentiment is growing quickly on the island. Stories are erupting online about how locals are the only ones taking care of locals and “no uniforms” are around to help. People feel they’ve been failed. Couple that with nearby beaches still having some tourists doing their thing, this is going to be a very, very sensitive operation moving forward. I know the IMT folks will deliver 5 star service, but this event is dynamic still in many other ways than the fire. I just reread a quote that I’ve heard before online that stated, “It sure is tough to be a Hawaiian in Hawaii.”
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Please don’t hear what I didn’t say. I spent 20 plus years on a Fed team and would never say that. However, what I did say is
Please reread the list of subjects I listed. Are all the Fed teams well educated in those areas? Many of those documents, plans, structures, and processes are not in the wildland fire vernacular, because they are not commonly seen or needed on wildland fire deployments. Like another poster stated, “It is different.” I never said they didn’t know what they were doing, but it definitely isn’t a wildland fire and there can be a very steep learning curve when faced with those areas and little time to learn. They need IMTs that have that training and experience. Could they work? When I was on a Fed IMT we made it work. Granted, it wasn’t always pretty and it would have been a lot easier had we had the training in the subject area. Nowadays there are significantly higher expectations of IMTs on All-Hazards deployments, hence the AH training in those areas. The Local and regional Type-3 AHIMTs are making significant inroads but even they have to have additional training in those areas to effectively work within the recovery framework.
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The deployment of CF IMT 1 was ordered and filled STATE TO STATE. In other words, HI asked Ca at the level of Governor to Governor and California filled the order. A total of 60+ members are going.
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