The cause of the August 2023 wildfire that destroyed Lahaina, Maui and killed at least 114 residents is still unknown at this writing. What was immediately obvious was the absence of any effective alert to the public. Authorities failed to activate the so-called "tsunami warning" siren system, even though it could have at least alerted residents to their peril. Many survivors angrily complained they received no warning whatsoever. Emergency communications planners must stay abreast of best practices in their field, just like doctors, scientists, professionals, and experts in all disciplines. Had officials within the Maui Emergency Management Agency implemented the lessons learned after California's major wildfires in the past decade, they would have been prepared to meaningfully respond to the wildfire's threat to Lahaina, CHORE and a companion website -- WildfireCrisis.com (loads slowly at the Internet's Wayback Machine archive ) -- have advocated major reforms
Lessons Learned in the Paradise and other California Wildfires Were Apparently Lost on Maui; Warning Sirens Went Unused in Lahaina Fire, Officials Relied on Networks with History of Failure Elsewhere
Hawaii officials have been explaining why Maui's siren network wasn't activated in last week's Lahaina fire, which killed at least 111 people. The explanation attracting the most attention was offered by a Maui official: “Sirens have not been used for brush fires. It is our practice to use the most effective means of conveying an emergency message to the public during a wildland fire…” He included alerts sent to cell phones as one of those “ most effective means.” That was unfortunate. Mainland agencies have learned that cell phone-based networks – ones used by Maui’s Emergency Management Agency – frequently fail during fires. And they can’t match radio’s coverage and speed. (Evening Update: Citing health concerns, this official has submitted his resignation.) This same official offered other explanations for not activating Maui’s sirens: · “We were afraid that people would have gone mauka. and if that was the case, then they would have gone into the fire.” ·