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Maui emergency chief Herman Andaya resigns day after defending decision not to sound alarms during wildfires
Mayor Richard Bissen confirmed that Chief Herman Andaya stepped down citing “health reasons"
Herman Andaya, the head of Maui’s Emergency Management Agency, resigned on Thursday, August 17, a day after defending his decision not to activate the island-wide alarm system that could have potentially saved lives during the devastating wildfires. Mayor Richard Bissen confirmed that Chief Herman stepped down citing “health reasons.”
Herman’s departure is effective immediately. As the island still suffers from the aftermath of the tragedy that killed at least 111 people, the top spot for the emergency department remains empty.
“Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon,” Mayor Richard said in a statement, according to New York Post.
When Herman Andaya defended his decision to not sound the alarms during the tragedy
Herman’s qualifications were questioned after his handling of the situation that arose during the wildfires. The former MEMA chief said during a media briefing on Wednesday, August 16, that he does not regret not sounding the alarms that could have saved people.
Herman claimed that the sirens were reserved for tsunami warnings, adding that Hawaiians would have typically sought higher ground had the sirens been set off. “Had we sounded the siren that night, we’re afraid that people would have gotten mauka [toward the mountains] and if that was the case, then they would have gone into the fire,” Herman reportedly said.
“I should also note that there are no sirens mauka, or on the mountainside, where the fire was spreading down. So even if we sounded the siren, we would not have saved those people out there on the mountainside,” he added.
However, Hawaii’s official government website claims wildfires are one of the disasters that the “all-hazard” could be used for.
