Maui’s emergency services director, Herman Andaya, has resigned after receiving heavy criticism about not sounding the sirens to alert residents of the spreading wildfires. According to CBN News, Andaya explained that he deliberately chose not to sound the sirens because he said that doing so would have made residents believe there was a tsunami warning, leading them to flee to higher ground which may have led many right into the fires.
Still, Andaya resigned, but the mayor of Maui, Richard Bissen, Jr. explained that his resignation was due to health reasons. With dire circumstances facing the people of Maui, Bissen shared that he will replace the position with urgency. He stated, “Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible.”
Investigations are ongoing as officials try to uncover the cause of the deadly wildfires. According to CBN News, Hawaiian Electric, the local power utility, is facing lawsuits alleging that the fires started due to energized power lines that were knocked down by strong winds from a hurricane.
Maui is continuing to search for the thousands of people who are still missing and mourning the over one thousand victims who perished in the wildfires. Search and recovery efforts are underway, and humanitarian aid groups have been rushing in support and assistance including Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Blessing. Samaritan’s Purse has sent volunteers on the ground to help search and recovery efforts, and sent 17 tons of critical supplies to Maui. Operation Blessing has provided water filtration units to Maui from Air Mobile Ministries which are going to the hardest hit areas of Lahaina.
Residents of Lahaina shared, “We’re so grateful for even having the opportunity for people like you to bless our families.”