The Aug. 8 firestorm devastated Lahaina town. At least 115 people perished, and grief for Lahaina’s losses has permeated all of Hawaii. Yet, pushing through the shock and pain, a great wave of giving and active aid to the afflicted arose almost immediately, with individual heroes and private hui rushing into the area to help first responders who themselves risked harm and experienced loss during the conflagrations.
Now, roads into and out of fire-ravaged West Maui have been reopened, with power and communications partially restored. The delicate task of identifying remains and narrowing the list of those missing continues. And against this backdrop of heroism and generosity, loss, despair and perseverance, the Maui County Council held its first meeting since the fires, on Tuesday.
Council members heard directly from the people who both suffered and served: their pleas, their fears, their expressions of gratitude, their anger and frustration, their strong opinions on what comes next. The meeting provided a preliminary, wide-ranging overview of issues that must be resolved in the near future:
>> Rebuilding a Lahaina that reflects local and Native Hawaiian values.
>> Creating affordable housing — both family homes and apartments — to accommodate the hundreds of working-class Lahaina residents who were burned out.
>> Delegating the work of Lahaina’s reconstruction, with support expressed for favoring Hawaii-based contractors, while also benefiting the local economy.
>> Supporting Maui’s economy, so that the jobs Maui residents depend upon remain on the island.
>> Fully vetting the fire’s causes, county response and emergency procedures, with necessary reforms to follow.
Right now, the range of needs is daunting, from replacing damaged cell phones to salving emotional wounds. But in the wake of disaster, a community’s integrity is measured in its ability to aid its people across the spectrum of need and loss, to leave none behind — and to build a brighter future.
It’s now incumbent on the council, mayor and all county and state leaders to take in residents’ needs and concerns, and include those affected in a cooperative discussion to decide, together, plans for the future.
In the first days after the fire erupted, the official presence in West Maui was largely confined to security, fire suppression and search and rescue. All those purposes were highly necessary. But there were many left in West Maui during that time without power or communications — without means to safely store or prepare food, contact relatives, cool homes; without, in some cases, running water, or a means to leave the area even if it was desired. Gas pumps were out. Cell phone towers were destroyed. Smoke continued to rise from the ruins of Lahaina. Barricades and road closures remained.
Under those circumstances, volunteers both well-known and unsung, many of them West Maui residents themselves, made all the difference, revealing a reserve of grassroots commitment and energy that should be incorporated into recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, those still residing in affected parts of West Maui continue to need help, with communications, food, gas and other basic needs, with disaster-related paperwork and mental health resources. Their future on Maui is uncertain.
From outside of West Maui, it can be difficult to understand what these kamaaina are experiencing. But the community’s own residents and those who have come directly to their aid have this knowledge, and must be included in discerning the way forward.
The people of West Maui need a place at the table, and there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction.
As Maui Fire Department Battalion Chief Kaulana Kino, who appeared as a private citizen, told the council, “We need our leaders to be accessible to our people. … Look for opportunities to embed yourself with the community.”
The council should begin by adopting council member Tamara Paltin’s suggestion to hold listening sessions in West Maui. Holding regular council meetings in West Maui is also proper, as the needs of Lahaina and West Maui are the most pressing items on Maui’s agenda.
It’s also important to recognize that talk cannot replace action, especially when some needs are urgent. Environmental cleanup, for one, must take place quickly. The community’s jobs and businesses also are at stake, and undue delay can be costly.
As Council Chair Alice Lee noted, the state or other entities may set the agenda if community members delay in identifying their priorities.
Community members who wish to have a voice must insist on participation, and begin prioritizing needs as soon as possible.
A comprehensive, transparent planning process is necessary, and it must begin soon, with community input as a guide.
