FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams, Washington State Task Force 1 and Nevada Task Force 1, continue federal response efforts to the Hawaii wildfires. August 15, 2023. Courtesy, FEMA.
One of the most devastating wildfires in US history is now truly coming into focus on the island of Maui, Hawaii. As an island and a nation at large attempt to find a cause and assess the damage, the people on Maui must begin to rebuild. With a death toll rising over 110 and the number of missing people passing 1,000, Hawaiians are looking to both state and federal governments for relief. Hawaii Governor Josh Green has already made many public statements to try to alleviate the stress of the disaster, reassuring residents that from “start to finish, no one (will be) victimized from a land grab”. Green formally requested that visitors and tourists vacate hotels and other accommodations in West Maui so those displaced by the fires can instead use these spaces. President Biden, who is scheduled to visit today, stated that Hawaii would have “every asset they need” in the upcoming weeks, bringing much needed publicity to the disaster and a sense of optimism to the island.
As such, the survivors of these devastating wildfires must look inward and to loved ones for support during these trying times. Local broadcaster Jonathan Masaki Shiroma weighed in on the importance of family in Hawaiian culture especially in the wake of such a disaster. “The people of Hawaii have always been rooted in the spirit of ‘ohana,’ which is family, and I know how painstaking this is. I know the hurt.” Shiroma himself lost four family members in the wildfires.
Even in such moments of chaos, there are stories of bravery and gratitude from locals and visitors alike. The Dang and Penedo families were two such examples – both were caught in lines of traffic trying to escape the flames and had to abandon their vehicles for the relative safety of the ocean. As countless people waded into the waters, Tee Dang and her family were assisted by others to a local airport. She later recounted the strength and compassion of the Hawaiian people saying, “They gave us hope. They saved us. Without them, we would not be alive.”
Disaster spans the breadth of human emotion – from anger to comradery, from frustration to generosity. The wildfires and harrowing stories of survival remind us of our impact on the world, and our connection to our fellow humans.
LMA Newsletter of 8-21-23
