By all accounts, the tragedy in Lahaina should have, if not could have, been prevented.

We know now that the emergency sirens were not sounded because the leader of the Maui Emergency Management Agency said that the citizens of Lahaina would have heard the sirens and, believing that a tsunami was approaching, ran into the fires which subsequently burned most of the city to the ground and killed at least 115 people; three times that number are still listed as missing.

None of us would want to trade places with Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya, who made that fatal call.

The series of events that led to those deaths has been called a perfect storm. High winds from nearby Hurricane Dora resulted in low barometric pressure, other fire activity on the island, and abnormally dry conditions all helped fuel the blaze.

But it’s difficult to imagine that if Andaya had sounded the alarm, the people of Lahaina would have run into the flames that blocked their path from escaping a non-existent tsunami.

Maui’s website calls its sirens an “all-hazard” system, which are intended to be used for a variety of natural and human-caused events, including fires. They call their four sirens in the Lahaina area the “largest single integrated outdoor siren warning system for public safety in the world.”
Andaya has resigned from his post, citing health problems, but we can learn from this horrific tale.

Officials in Maui opted to activate warnings through people’s cell phones but electrical power and cell service was down in much of the area when the fires sparked and spread.

Traffic backups and multiple road closures caused by downed power lines led to some dying in their cars as they tried to escape. Some jumped over a sea wall and into the ocean where they endured punishing winds and smoke while watching their neighborhoods reduced to cinders as they awaited Coast Guard rescue. 

Could any or all of this have been prevented? Yes, but at what cost?
Hanging power lines between utility poles in the air is the least expensive method of delivering electricity but certainly not the safest.
In lieu of that, working with knowledgable and well-trained fire prevention specialists is a good start.

Fortunately, East Jefferson Fire Chief Bret Black and his crew are working toward a more prepared response — but that involves a knowledgable and prepared citizenry.

A consultant, the fire district, and the county will be presenting at the Chimacum Farmers Market on Sept. 17 — attending that event is a good start.

Preparation for disaster begins with a “go bag” in your vehicle or made ready to take along. That bag should contain: face masks or face coverings, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, three gallons of water per person, local paper maps, prescriptions or special medications, a change of clothing, extra eyeglasses or contact lenses, an extra set of car keys, credit cards, cash or traveler’s checks, a first aid kit and flashlight, a cell phone and laptop power supply, a battery-powered radio and extra batteries, sanitation supplies, copies of important documents (insurance, birth certificates, passports, etc.), and pet food and water.
Black urges citizens to sign up for Nixle alerts by texting jeffcodem to 888777. Nixle is a community information service dedicated to helping citizens stay connected to emergency services and advisories.