West Maui residents call for evacuation plan before returning to school

No. 1 sentiment: Evacuation plan needed before kids return

West Maui residents shared concerns over emergency evacuation plans for Lahaina students returning to campus after fall break.

“The number one sentiment I heard expressed today, and request, is that the evacuation plans are well thought out and prepared—and not only prepared and talked about, but actually completed. We would love to see you guys there, making sure that the road is done before we send the kids up to school,” said resident, Lorrie Betsill Nielson.

The comments were shared during a three hour meeting of the House Interim Schools Working Group in Kapalua on Thursday, led by Co-Chairs Rep. Justin H. Woodson of Maui and Rep. Jenna Takenouchi. The information was gathered as members work to craft legislative recommendations for the 2024 legislative session related to educational impacts due to the Aug. 8 wildfires.

In addition to emergency evacuation plans, teachers and parents suggested a staggered opening time to alleviate congestion on Lahainaluna Road which is used by three schools: Princess Nāhi‘ena‘ena, Lahaina Intermediate and Lahainaluna High School.  

Suggestions also included building a temporary road for evacuation purposes before school resumes and having students utilize hotel ballrooms for classes instead of “rushing” back to campuses neighboring fields of ash.

Concerned citizens also asked for mental health services for students, and child care for parents who no longer have preschool options in West Maui.

“With the Kapalua hotels to Kahana opening Oct. 8, parents will need and want to return to work,” said Betsill Nielson, who said all four preschools in Lahaina burnt down. “We would like two locations, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., whether government- or volunteer-led—one in this area would be great [in] Kapalua/Nāpili, and then one down at Olowalu.”

The phased reopening plan for West Maui students starts after fall break, with the return of Lahainaluna High School students on Oct. 16, followed by Lahaina Intermediate students on Oct. 17, and Princess Nāhi‘ena‘ena Elementary on Oct. 18. Students from King Kamehameha III will report to the Princess Nāhi‘ena‘ena campus until their temporary campus is built in the Pulelehua area of Honokōwai below the Kapalua Airport. That project is expected to cost $5.36 million and take 95 days to complete.

“Systemic poor planning”; One way in, One way out

Elizabeth Bowen, a teacher at Princess Nāhi‘ena‘ena Elementary said, “I think if you haven’t been to the schools, you have no idea about the traffic. Were there to be an evacuation order, with only one road—there used to be two roads before the fire, Lahainaluna Road from Lahaina up, and the Bypass. Now Lahainaluna Road is closed, so if an evacuation order is issued, how are we going to evacuate over 1,000 (I’m not sure the population) of students [and] faculty out of that area?”

“I think that’s a huge consideration that needs to be in place before we open, so everybody knows what to do. I think that’s one of the problems—the one road in and one road out for our schools is systemic in the poor planning decisions which amplified the tragedy of the fires,” said Bowen.

She pointed out that the first fire started at the intersection of Lahainaluna Road and Kuialua, which is where you turn left to go to Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena.

“Cars are on that road, waiting to drive up. So if you are dropping off your school kids or going to work, you are in a sea of traffic that is at a standstill from probably 7:15 to 8 a.m.,” said Bowen. She said staff and community members are asking about traffic management and possible staggered start and end times for all area schools.

“There’s no stop lights. There’s no traffic round-a-bouts,” she said, calling on lawmakers to publish an emergency evacuation plan. “You have this tiny little area… one way out and one way in, and now that’s the bypass only, so that’s going to back up even more.”

West Maui Council member asks for health and safety first

Council member Tamara Paltin thanked members for supporting the reopening of schools, saying she agrees that kids need to be together in school in West Maui. However, she wanted assurances that heath and safety issues are addressed before students return.

“My questions were: What is the evacuation plan? Have the fire hydrants been tested that the water flow pressure is found to be sufficient for the square footage of each school?” Paltin said one of the main concerns is that if thereʻs a major fire or accident at Kuialua Street and Lahainaluna Road, it will block the escape for all three public schools.

“I think that in addition to a safety plan, you need an evacuation plan, and it needs to be coordinated with the parents, the faculty, the police, the fire, MEMA,” said Paltin.

According to the West Maui Council member, one of the “big asks” from a recent community meeting was that the Kula Kaiapuni o Lahaina Hawaiian Immersion program be allowed their own campus. Suggestions have been made to build a temporary facility on community garden land above Maui Land & Pine, with the possibility of moving that site to Kamehameha Schools land for the longer-term.

More information sought on air and water quality

John Carty, a West Maui parent said he’s concerned about air quality standards for returning students.

“We need more information to make us feel more comfortable about sending our children down into the zone where air quality is very much a question. The information that you’re providing so far is not adequate enough to just check it off the list and keep on going,” said Carty.

He said that while website updates are good for initial findings, “What we need to know is, what are you testing for,” said Carty who was only able to find information on smoke particulates, and not toxins.

“Let’s say the air quality right now is good. But what is your plan for when all the machines are going down there, and stirring it all up? What happens on a Kona day when machines are down there working and brings all that air up to our schools?”

Susan Pcola-Davis testified via Zoom saying more information is needed on water quality. She suggested a better breakdown of information presented online to show that each school was tested. She also urged flushing of pipes at schools at a “volume and velocity” sufficient for each campus, with testing before and after.

Mental health support: “Community heals”

West Maui resident Sonya Chambliss-Alexander is a mother of a second grade son who was attending King Kamehameha III Elementary and eighth grade daughter attending Maui Preparatory Academy. She is also a mental health counselor who is advocating for the access to resources saying, “Community heals.”

“These kids are not going to come ask you for help. I’m a trauma therapist… They’re not going to say I’m hurt unless they’re in really, really bad shape. You need to go to them, and you need to say ‘We’re here for you, and we’re going to do ongoing things throughout the campus to encourage them to speak up,” she said.

Chambliss-Alexander said parents also need peace of mind when dropping off their students, and was one of the many who are advocating for a solid evacuation plan.

“We want our kids in school, but we do not want to have to pick between the safety of our children and our kids being in school. So plow some roads behind the campus. Make temporary evacuation [routes]. Do whatever you guys need to do to show ahead of time—not the day before these kids are in school—ahead of time, what the plan is,” said Chambliss-Alexander, “So that the parents can breathe deeply and feel comfortable.”

School Choice raised as an option

Tonata Lolesio, principal of Sacred Hearts School spoke about the challenges faced by the West Maui community. While the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church is still standing, the school itself was burned in last month’s fire.

Sacred Hearts School has been serving Maui since 1862. Lolesio said the school “is no stranger to devastation and destruction,” having survived severe storm damage in 1948, and a fire in 1971 that destroyed classrooms.

“Aug. 8, 2023—a day forever etched into my mind, heart and soul. The Lahaina wildfires destroyed our preschool buildings, convent… 5-7, kindergarten, junior kindergarten classrooms, administration buildings, maintenance facility and playground structures,” said Lolesio.

Two weeks later on Aug. 28, the school welcomed students back at an alternate site—the Sacred Hearts Mission Church in Kapalua. “While we are limited in space, we have provided some sense of normalcy and stability to over 200 West Maui students.”

According to Lolesio, returning to Sacred Hearts School will take at least two years, or a maximum of five years. She said the school is in immediate need of funding, and is asking that the state extend school choice to private schools, giving West Maui residents an additional option for education.

“We must include our children and youth in our rebuilding of Lahaina. They are the hope for the future of our town and community to carry on and share our legacy,” she said.

Resident wants law enforcement to take over list of kids without verified contact

Out of the initial 3,001 students in the Lahaina Complex area, the department has been able to touch bases and verify contact with all but 45 individuals, according to the latest update provided by state education officials on Sept. 26.

Maui resident, Manuel Kuloloia is asking that the superintendent turn over the list of students that they have not been able to contact for enrollment to the FBI and the Maui Police Department.

The issue of unaccounted for students has been raised multiple times at news conferences held over the last seven weeks.

Interim Working Group open to community input

House Interim Schools Working Group Co-Chair Justin H. Woodson of Maui said the group is open to discussion on evacuation plans to determine if they are robust enough.

He said the group has also had preliminary discussion about the hardening of structures to withstand hurricanes and other natural disaster events.

“Now when we’re talking about evacuation, and the lack of ingress/egress, what are some other options so that we can protect our community members,” Woodson asked.

“Ultimately we are here to hear from all of you. We want to know if you think we’re on the right track, on the wrong track from the very beginning,” said Rep. Woodson. “We want to hear your voice. We want that voice to translate into policy.”