Maui County Administrator Under Fire for Downplaying Importance of Outdoor Emergency Siren System Before Devastating Fire

Maui County Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya has come under scrutiny after records showed he had a pattern of downplaying the importance of the island’s outdoor emergency siren system in the years before this month’s devastating fire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina and killed more than 100 people.

At meetings in 2019, 2020 and 2021, Andaya repeatedly called sounding the civil service sirens “a last resort,” according to meeting transcripts of the county’s public safety commission.

On Wednesday, Andaya defended his decision not to sound emergency sirens when the deadly wildfires began sweeping the town of Lahaina, saying doing so would have likely led to more harm than good.

“Had we sounded the siren that night, we’re afraid that people would have gone mauka,” a phrase referring to the mountainside, he said.

Andaya added that the county had already implemented other safety measures, such as sending out emergency alerts to cell phones and broadcasting warnings on local radio and television stations.

The county has also launched an investigation into the cause of the fire and is working to improve its emergency response protocols.

The Maui County Council has scheduled a public hearing for next week to discuss the county’s emergency management policies and procedures. The hearing is expected to provide an opportunity for the public to voice their concerns and ask questions about the county’s response to the fire.