Maui to hire expert to evaluate county's response to deadly wildfire

WAILUKU, Hawaii -- Nine months aft the deadliest U.S. wildfire successful much than a period struck Maui, Mayor Richard Bissen says the region volition prosecute an extracurricular adept to measure however its exigency absorption bureau performed during the disaster.

The Aug. 8 wildfire killed 101 radical and destroyed overmuch of the historical municipality of Lahaina.

Maui’s constabulary and occurrence departments person already conducted after-action reports. Bissen said successful a connection Wednesday the region is inviting proposals from “qualified experts” to measure the show of the exigency absorption bureau to amended hole for aboriginal responses.

County officials didn’t instantly respond to an email from The Associated Press Thursday with questions, including wherefore the petition is being made now.

Many of the recommendations successful the constabulary preliminary after-action study released successful February telephone for amended instrumentality and updates to exertion — from getting officers earpieces they tin usage erstwhile precocious winds marque it hard to perceive their radios to equipping patrol cars with breaching kits to region downed trees oregon inferior poles from roadways.

The occurrence section study released past period identifies challenges firefighters faced, including poorly stocked occurrence engines, a deficiency of communal assistance agreements betwixt Hawaii counties and constricted equipment.