Regardless of what happened on the fireground / dispatch center / EOC a couple weeks ago, I fervently hope that the catastrophic losses in Lahaina will result in more effective use of similar resources in the future.
Siren quick facts
Hawaii has the largest single integrated public safety outdoor siren warning system in the world.
The all-hazard siren system can be used for a variety of both natural and human-caused events; including tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more.
The sirens output is 121 decibels and propagate with a manufacture radius of 3400ft. This range may vary due to environmental and surrounding physical conditions. The sirens are battery-powered and use a photovoltaic charging system.
The sirens are one part of the larger Hawaii Statewide Alert and Warning System (SAWS) which includes FEMAās Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) which used both the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to alert the public.
When a siren tone is heard other than a scheduled test, tune into local Radio/TV/Cable stations for emergency information and instructions by official authorities. If you are in a low laying area near the coastline; evacuate to high grounds, inland, or vertically to the 4th floor and higher of a concrete building. Alerts may also come in form of a Wireless Emergency Alert
Unfortunately there was no power, cable or cell services on the NW side. Those systems were activated, Unfortunately it never got to those in the west side of the island due to the above reasons. The citizens of the area were completely taken by surprise. They are very frustrated that the stateās proclaimed āall emergency sirensā were not activated. The above comments are from several people that went through this terrible event.
Started scrolling, couldnāt find, but can someone post the fire(s) perimeter link or maps? Curious what the acreages were prior to the fire front crossing into Lahaina, thank you.
Current Situation: FEMA and federal partners continue to support the state of Hawaii in response and recovery efforts from Hawaii Wildfires. Mission priorities remain focused on Search & Rescue, fire containment, and damage assessments in the impacted area (Maui County). The second Disaster Recovery Center (DRC #2) is scheduled to soft open on today) and fully open on Fri. (8/25). Cellular service continues to improve in West Maui.
Lifelines Impacts
Safety and Security
USAR continue to conduct secondary low searches and secondary high searches
More than 600 displaced students have re-enrolled in other public schools
159 FLEOs from various agencies supporting Maui PD
Kula Hospital water shut off and using back up water supply for 9 days
Water Systems
Final generator installed 8/22 at water system booster pump site
Awaiting water resampling for contaminants at West Maui sites
Energy
1,869 (-31) customers remain without power in Maui
Power restoration: West Maui (areas that can be accessed) āAug 20-26; central Maui (Alaluana above Olinda) ā8/ 27
USACE: Temporary Power team and contractor will be conducting a site assessment for installation of generators to power EPA staging area in Central Maui
Communications
(Maui County)
Telecommunications provider has begun working to restore services in Kaanapali area, north of Lahaina
4 of 21 cell sites have been restored to permanent fiber service in West Maui
Transportation
3 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in effect for Maui County
Access limited for Honoapiāilani and Lahaina Bypass Roads: open to the public during the day and evening; limited to residents and first responders overnight
FEMA contractors providing universal communication and prior permission required (PPR) services at Kapalua Airport until 8/30
---------Response/Recovery Footprint-----------
State / Local Response
HI state EOC at Full Activation / Gov declared a SOE
FEMA / Federal Response
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
Region VII IMAT deployed to HI
US&R: Blue IST, 4 NIMS Type 1 task forces, 1 NIMS Type 3 task force, 2 Mission Ready Packages -Canine Search, and 35 single resource Canine Search Teams
MERS personnel deployed to HI
Staging Management Team (SMT) and Incident Support Base (ISB) team deployed to Maui
Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) open
NWC continues to monitor in coordination with Region IX; the next update will be in the 5:00 p.m. ET FEMA National Situation Report
Not sure why someone would take issue with the appointment of an FCO in this situation. The appointment is not a sign of mismanagement or mistrust, but a normal operational move made by FEMA to ensure everything goes like it should under the NDRF. A Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO), is appointed by the secretary of homeland security on behalf of the president and coordinates federal support activities.
For emergencies and major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act, a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) is appointed. The FCO has primary responsibility for coordinating Federal response and recovery support to the whole community in accordance with the National Response Framework and NDRF.
The FCO is responsible for the overall management of the Federal response to the incident. They are not the IC, but are responsible to ensure that the Federal response is coordinated with the state(s) and localsā need.
Lahaina may be out of the ālimelight,ā but for the residents it is a bad dream that isnāt going away. Thousands still in shelters. Getting the Community Lifelines to all āgreenā (stabilized) may take months if not years. Lahaina is a good example of where FEMA may ask for assistance from Type 3 AHIMTs to provide some positions to assist their IMATs (thatās called the Supplemental Response Team program) or SRT.
Current Situation
FEMA and federal partners continue to support the state of Hawaii in response and recovery efforts from Hawaii Wildfires. Mission priorities remain focused on Search & Rescue, fire containment, and damage assessments in the impacted area (Maui County). Cellular service continues to improve in West Maui.
Lifelines Impacts (FEMA-DR-4724-HI-SLB#17, as of Aug 26)
Safety and Security
65 (-91) FLEOs from various agencies supporting Maui PD
HHS BH personnel assisting mobile clinic providing behavioral health services with primary care providers at shelters
Energy
1,061 (-323)customers remain without power in Maui
USACE is beginning to coordinate de-installation of generators as requested by the state
Transportation
3 (+1)Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in effect for Maui County
Access limited for Honoapiāilani and Lahaina Bypass Roads: open to the public during the day and evening; limited to residents and first responders overnight
FEMA contractors providing universal communication and prior permission required (PPR) services at Kapalua Airport until 8/30
Hazardous Waste
EPA providing technical assistance to State DOH and Maui County regarding design of community air monitoring effort
Barring any significant updates, this will be the final report in FEMAās National Watch Center Daily Operations Briefing. Still a very long road ahead.
Current Situation
FEMA and federal partners continue to support the state of Hawaii in response and recovery efforts from Hawaii Wildfires. Mission priorities remain focused on Search & Rescue, fire containment, and damage assessments in the impacted area (Maui County). Cellular service continues to improve in West Maui.
Lifelines Impacts *(FEMA-DR-4724-HI-SLB#18, as of Aug 27)*
HHS BH personnel assisting mobile clinic providing behavioral health services with primary care providers at shelters
Energy
1,051 (-10) customers remain without power in Maui
USACE is beginning to coordinate de-installation of generators as requested by the state
Transportation
3 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in effect for Maui County
Access limited for Honoapiāilaniand Lahaina Bypass Roads: open to the public during the day and evening; limited to residents and first responders overnight
FEMA contractors providing universal communication and prior permission required (PPR) services at Kapalua Airport until 8/30
Hazardous Waste
EPA providing technical assistance to State DOH and Maui County regarding design of community air monitoring effort
Region IX RWC continues to monitoroIMAT-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
NRCC is Activated 24/7 (Tropical Storm Idalia)
Region VII & IX-2 IMATs deployed to HI
MERS personnel deployed to HI
All US&R resources have been demobilized except a small contingent of IST and cache personnel that will demobilize as their cache retrograde work is completed
SMT/ISB team deployed to Maui
NWC continues to monitor in coordination with Region IX
HawaiŹ»i Attorney General Lopez selected the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of UL Research Institutes, to assess the performance of state and county agencies in preparing for and responding to the Maui wildfires in August 2023.
HONOLULU ā As wildfires ripped across Maui last August, the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts, according to a report released Wednesday.
Communications problems were also encountered by the Hawaiian Electric Company, with officials unable to confirm that power lines were de-energized until well after flames had caused widespread damage, the report from the Hawaii Attorney General said.
It was the second of two major assessments out this week about the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century. A report released Tuesday by the Western Fire Chiefs Association detailed the challenges facing the Maui Fire Department during an unprecedented series of blazes, including one that killed 101 people in the historic town of Lahaina.
