Behind Maui’s Silent Sirens: Officials Clarify Wildfire Decision

In response to concerns over whether blowing sirens during last week’s devastating wildfire might have saved lives, Maui’s emergency management director defended his agency’s choice on Wednesday.

The Maui County Emergency Management Agency’s head, Herman Andaya, stated that sirens are utilized in Hawaii to warn residents of tsunamis. He informed reporters that if it had been in use during the fire, people might have fled in the direction of the danger.

Over 2,200 structures were destroyed or damaged as a grassland fire on August 8 swept down the slope of a volcano and into the tourist resort town of Lahaina. At least 110 people were killed.

 Instead, Andaya added, Maui used two distinct alert systems that delivered texts to phones and broadcast emergency alerts on television and radio.

The sirens would have been worthless to residents on higher ground, he claimed, as they are mostly situated around the waterfront.

Josh Green, the governor of Hawaii, similarly justified the choice not to activate the sirens. Green stated on Wednesday that the assessment is “in no way” a criminal inquiry and that the state attorney general must carry out a thorough examination of the emergency response that includes outside investigators and experts.

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President Biden and First Lady to Visit Hawaii

The White House announced in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit Hawaii on Monday to see the damage and meet with first responders, survivors, and federal, state, and local officials.

 There are still hundreds of individuals missing. On Wednesday, crews searching block by block had covered 38% of the disaster area under the direction of 20 cadaver dogs. At the press conference on Wednesday, Green also revealed that the number of fatalities had increased to 110 and that the number of dogs would shortly treble to 40.

The severity of the fire has contributed to the slow identification of the bodies. On Tuesday, Maui County announced the first two names: Lahaina residents Buddy Jantoc, 79, and Robert Dyckman, 74. Three additional people have been named, but until their families are notified, their identities are being protected. Maui County stated that the other remains are awaiting identification.

 Stories from loved ones of those hurt or killed in the flames have surfaced as authorities try to identify the dead. According to a GoFundMe post by Laurie Allen’s family, she had to flee across a flaming field after the car she was trying to escape in was stopped by a downed tree, causing her to sustain burns over 70% of her body.

 Some locals are upset by the bizarre image of vacationers enjoying Maui’s beautiful beaches while search and rescue crews comb building rubble and the ocean for victims of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

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Source: Reuters