New Maui Emergency Operations Center to open in August

Maui County’s new Emergency Operations Center will begin operations in August, following a blessing ceremony held Friday in Wailuku that drew county, state and federal officials, first responders and other dignitaries.

The 9,355-square-foot facility, run by the Maui Emergency Management Agency, can accommodate up to 198 people, according to the county — nearly four times the 52-person capacity of MEMA’s current operations center located on the bottom floor of the Kalana O Maui Building.

The facility includes a 24-display video wall and operator workstations intended to let emergency teams view information in one place and understand what’s happening in real time during an activation, the County said. Other features include advanced audio and visual systems, video processing and backup systems built to operate around the clock, along with meeting rooms and video conferencing capability for coordination among county, state, federal and community partners.

MEMA has activated 92 times since 2024 for emergencies including storms, flooding and a hurricane warning, according to the County.

“These emergencies have underscored the need for strong emergency coordination, more staff and a modern Emergency Operations Center that can support large-scale response and recovery efforts,” Mayor Richard Bissen said.

Gov. Josh Green also spoke in support of the new center during Friday’s blessing, saying the new center is an “important step in making Maui Nui safer and more prepared,” adding that the state would continue working with Maui County on emergency preparedness.

“Recent disasters have shown us how important it is for emergency teams to work together and have the right tools in place,” Green said. “This new center will help first responders and emergency managers share information and act quickly when people need help.”

The project began in 2020, when the county purchased the property under a previous administration, according to the release.

Amos Lonokailua-Hewett, a retired Maui Fire Department battalion chief with 25 years of service, was named MEMA administrator in January 2024. Since then, the agency has grown from nine positions to 25, with six additional positions approved for a total of 31 funded positions this fiscal year, the County said.

“This day is the result of many years of hard work by many people,” Lonokailua-Hewett said. “Many hands, across different administrations, departments and agencies, helped bring us to this moment.”

During the blessing, Kekai Robinson, deputy director of the Maui County Department of ʻŌiwi Resources offered a pule.

More information about MEMA is available at mauicounty.gov/mema.