LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency resigned abruptly Thursday, a day after saying he had no regret about not using sirens to warn residents of wildfires that devastated the historic seaside community of Lahaina an
That decision from the agency directed by Administrator Herman Andaya, coupled with water shortages that hampered firefighters and an escape route that became clogged with vehicles, has brought intense criticism from many residents. The lack of sirens has emerged as a potential misstep, and The Associated Press reported that it was part of a series of communication issues that added to the chaos.
“We were afraid that people would have gone mauka,” Andaya said, using a navigational term in Hawaiian that can mean toward the mountains or inland. “If that was the case, then they would have gone into the fire.” “He was trying to be strong and trying to do the job," Arakawa said about the wildfire response."He was very, very heartbroken about all the things that happened.”
At the Wednesday news conference, Gov. Josh Green and Bissen bristled when asked about such criticism. “We will be able to keep folks in hotels for as long as it takes to find housing for them,” Kieserman said at a media briefing. “I am confident we’ll have plenty of rooms.” Since the flames consumed much of Lahaina just over a week ago, locals have feared that a rebuilt town could become even more oriented toward wealthy visitors.
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