During last year’s disastrous Mana Road fire, a lack of timely, accurate and complete information led to confusion and fear for those of us in the path of that fire in Waikoloa. Compounding the problem was inaccurate information about the condition of the emergency evacuation route on social media that contributed to massive gridlock on the only paved road out of the community (gridlock resulted in numerous deaths in Paradise, CA, during the 2018 Camp Fire).
During last year’s disastrous Mana Road fire, a lack of timely, accurate and complete information led to confusion and fear for those of us in the path of that fire in Waikoloa. Compounding the problem was inaccurate information about the condition of the emergency evacuation route on social media that contributed to massive gridlock on the only paved road out of the community (gridlock resulted in numerous deaths in Paradise, CA, during the 2018 Camp Fire).
Although it was determined that the recent “Leilani Fire” did not pose a threat to roads or homes, it appeared to be very close to Waikoloa. Many people believed that it was not more than a mile away due to its size and intensity, resulting in the same confusion and fear as a year earlier. Unfortunately, the first official notification was published by Hawaii County Civil Defense at 9:15 pm, 11 hours after the 10 am start of the fire. Pohakuloa Training Area finally issued a press release at noon the following day. After promising a year earlier to be more responsive to the public’s need for information, our public officials have again dropped the ball. Meanwhile, we watched the fire grow and move without any official notification.
Compartmentalization of responsibility is the probable cause of this failure. Since the fire was on military land, spreading onto state land, the county apparently felt no responsibility to respond publicly. As the only public entity with responsibility for all our island’s communities and people, the county is the logical place for the consolidation and dissemination of this important information. The mayor’s office, with oversight of all county departments, and with a staff including a public information officer as well as an executive assistant with extensive media experience, is well suited to perform this badly needed public service. Additionally, Mayor Mitch Roth has stated as a key priority of his administration “to make government more accessible than it has ever been.” This would be a major step in that direction.
The county already has the tools to disseminate critical information using Nixle and Everbridge. The county website should also include a section dealing with “current emergencies.” Links could be provided to additional resources such as the ARCGIS satellite fire mapping service, state and military news releases, and contact information for needed services such as evacuation help for people without transportation. Status reports should be issued regularly and in a timely manner.
As wildfires become more frequent because of climate change, Hawaii County has an opportunity to better connect with its residents and show that it is more accessible than it has ever been.
Don Fujimoto is a resident of Waikoloa Village
