Maui's top emergency official is out after failing to sound sirens as fires approached
NBCSep 01, 2023
The Facts
Herman Andaya, the Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator — who defended his decision to not sound outdoor sirens while a deadly fire ravaged the island — has resigned from his position effective immediately.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced Andaya’s resignation in a news release Thursday, and the now-former administrator cited health reasons for his decision. This also follows close scrutiny of Maui's wildfire response.
The Spin
Left narrative
Climate change as well as a long history of land grabs are primary contributors to the devastating wildfires that destroyed Lahaina. In the 20th century, wealthy non-Hawaiians invaded the land to profit off of Hawaii’s resources. Exploitive land use patterns, invasive grasses, and climate change-catalyzed droughts caused this horrific tragedy.
Right narrative
There was certainly a confluence of underlying issues that contributed to the tragic wildfires in Maui, but climate change is far from being the main culprit if it is a cause at all. The resignation of Andaya is symbolic of deep institutional issues within Maui County's governance. While the corporate media looks to blame Lahaina’s tragedy on climate change, the public must focus on leaders and institutions who failed their communities.