The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, who has been heavily criticised for not activating disaster sirens during last week’s wildfire response, resigned on Thursday.
Mayor Richard Bissen accepted the resignation of Herman Andaya effective immediately, who resigned for health reasons, the County of Maui announced on Facebook.
Mr Bissen said in the statement: “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 and I look forward to making that announcement soon.”
As the death toll rose to 111 a day earlier, Mr Andaya defended not sounding sirens as flames raged. Hawaii has what it touts as the largest system of outdoor alert sirens in the world.
“We were afraid that people would have gone mauka,” Mr Andaya said on Wednesday, using a navigational term that can mean toward the mountains or inland in Hawaiian.
“If that was the case, then they would have gone into the fire.”
The system was created after a 1946 tsunami that killed more than 150 on the Big Island, and its website says they may be used to alert for fires.
Mr Andaya was to take part in a meeting of the island’s fire and public safety commission on Thursday morning, but it was abruptly cancelled.
Hawaii attorney general Anne Lopez said an outside organisation will conduct “an impartial, independent” review into the government’s response to the fires.
“We intend to look at this critical incident to facilitate any necessary corrective action and to advance future emergency preparedness,” Ms Lopez said.
She said the investigation will likely take months.
Avery Dagupion, whose family’s home was destroyed, said he is angry that residents were not given earlier warning to get out.
He pointed to an announcement by Mr Bissen on August 8th, saying the fire had been contained. That lulled people into a sense of safety and left him distrusting officials, he said.
Governor Josh Green and Mr Bissen bristled when they were asked about the criticism.
“I can’t answer why people don’t trust people,” Mr Bissen said. “The people who were trying to put out these fires lived in those homes – 25 of our firefighters lost their homes. You think they were doing a halfway job?”
Maui residents whose homes burned in the wildfire that incinerated historic Lahaina and killed more than 100 people are steadily filling hotels that are prepared to house them and provide services until at least next spring.
Authorities hope to empty crowded, uncomfortable group shelters by early next week and move displaced people into hotel rooms, said Brad Kieserman, vice president for disaster operations with the American Red Cross.
Hotels are also available for eligible evacuees who have spent the last eight days sleeping in cars or camping in parking lots, he said.
“We will be able to keep folks in hotels for as long as it takes to find housing for them,” Mr Kieserman said.
“I am confident we’ll have plenty of rooms.”
Mr Green said at least 1,000 hotel rooms will be set aside for those who lost their homes. In addition, AirBnB’s non-profit wing will provide properties for 1,000 people, the company said. – Reuters