Mayor Mitch Roth announced the establishment of an interagency working group dedicated to addressing and preparing for fire issues.

The Hawaiʻi Fire and Emergency Response Collaborative will convene key regional agencies, experts, and stakeholders to formulate strategies, facilitate resource-sharing, and streamline communication to enhance responses to wildfires and other emergencies. The collaborative effort will include representatives from various Federal, State, and County departments and organizations including the American Red Cross, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management, Firewise, and community stakeholders.

The primary objectives of the new agency include:

• Development of a comprehensive wildfire prevention and response strategy.
• Enhancement of coordination and communication among agencies and first responders.
• Strengthening public education and outreach on fire safety and emergency preparedness.
• Identification of funding opportunities for wildfire mitigation and recovery efforts.
• Utilization of local and regional resources to bolster disaster resilience.

In a press release Mayor Roth said, “The recent events on Hawaiʻi Island and Maui serve as a stark reminder of our susceptibility to wildfires due to an ever changing climate. It is important for us as leaders to come together to collaborate on ways for us to improve our protocols and procedures, ensuring that we are adapting our response abilities to meet the safety needs of our various communities. We cannot do this alone, and we are honored to have willing partners at every level who see the need and are willing to work together for our island and its residents.”

Because public input will be a critical component of the interagency’s work, a number of public meetings will be held. The first meeting is anticipated to begin in October.