In wake of wildfires, state seeks to clarify when emergency sirens should be sounded

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -In the wake of the deadly wildfires on Maui, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has released a document to clarify the state’s siren activation protocols.

The summary aims to provide more transparency to the public, shedding light on the decision-making process on sounding a siren — sometimes in a very short timeframe.

“We’re always looking to improve our response to emergencies, and the review of the Maui fire response may lead to changes, but for now it’s important that Hawaii’s residents know that the sirens are an alert system that means ‘seek more information,’” said HI-EMA Administrator James Barros, in a statement.

Questions were raised over sirens not being activated to alert residents during the Aug. 8 wildfire in Lahaina.

The former head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency Herman Andaya defended that decision, saying that the sirens were primarily for tsunami and therefore, the public would have run inland — toward the flames.

Since then, the new Maui Emergency Management Director Darryl Oliveira has made the decision to use sirens to warn communities about wildfires.

HI-EMA had canceled the September test of the siren system due to a planned vigil for Maui fire victims. Siren testing will resume as normal on the first business day of October.