Herman Andaya, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency Administrator, has come under scrutiny for downplaying the importance of the island's outdoor emergency siren system prior to the devastating fire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina. Andaya defended his decision not to sound the sirens, citing potential harm, and the county has 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.