County issues RFP for After-Action Report of Maui Emergency Management Agency’s coordination of the Aug. 8 wildfire

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced the County of Maui has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to conduct an After-Action Report assessing the coordination of Maui County Emergency Management Agency’s (MEMA’s) response to the Maui Wildfires that occurred in August 2023.

The bid solicitation document notes that during the wildfires, “MEMA collaborated closely with the local fire department, law enforcement agencies and other key stakeholders to mitigate the impact of the wildfires and protect lives and property,” according to a County news release.

Given the magnitude and complexity of the Maui Wildfires of August 2023, Mayor Bissen noted that a comprehensive evaluation of MEMA’s performance during the incident would be helpful in preparing for future responses.

“With the onboarding and stabilization of our new MEMA Director Amos Lonokailua-Hewett, we are launching an RFP to comprehensively assess our response efforts,” Bissen said. “This review is crucial to identifying areas where improvements can be made in an effort to keep our community safe. We invite proposals from qualified experts.” 

“The MEMA AAR will provide context and detailed information to explain the immense efforts that took place in the Emergency Operating Center (EOC) on Aug. 8, 2023, and thereafter,” according to the news release.

Recent clarification was provided on April 19, 2023, by the County to the media regarding the Fire Safety Research Institute’s Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report, including the timeliness of the release of the initiation of the County Emergency Proclamation, sign-in sheets and ICS 214 forms showing MEMA’s response, and the County’s willingness to provide information and documents to the Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General.  

One other point of clarification was made regarding the cancellation of the mayor’s doctor appointments on Aug. 8, 2023.  While all other medical appointments were canceled, after further checking, Bissen did attend an appointment with his cardiologist in Wailuku on the afternoon of Aug. 8 at 3:20 p.m.  While at his appointment, the mayor received a text message informing him of a new fire in Lahaina. He then returned to the EOC, where he remained until 2:30 a.m. the next morning, according to the news release.

“The Fire and Police AARs provided valuable insights and portrayed the valiant efforts of our emergency responders,” Bissen said. “Our next step is to take an in-depth look at MEMA’s response, so we can improve our foundation for future emergency responses.”

Proposals are required to be submitted via the Public Purchase System and must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2024. More information, including instructions on how to register for a free Public Purchase account, is available at  https://www.mauicounty.gov/rfp.