Maui Shelters to Open
Maui County will hunker down for Tropical Storm Olivia tomorrow, opening seven evacuation shelters, closing all public schools, granting leave for nonessential county workers and stationing emergency relief personnel in key areas, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa announced today.
Arakawa made the announcement after an 11 a.m. briefing with Gov. David Ige, state Department of Education representatives and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in Wailuku.
“We apologize in advance for any inconvenience that the closure of nonessential offices may cause the public,” he said. “As with any type of emergency situation, we are striving to balance the need of safety with our overall commitment to provide important county services to our community.”
The mayor said that based on the latest forecast for Olivia running right over Maui, emergency response officials expect 12 hours or so of severe rain, wind and ocean surges that could produce damaging flooding starting around midnight tonight or early into Wednesday.
As of 11 a.m. today, the storm had maximum sustained winds near 60 miles per hour with stronger gusts.
Arakawa said preparations for Olivia are probably the best Maui has ever made for a severe storm given the amount of resources being provided by the state and federal government.
“This is a team effort,” he said.
As part of the storm preparations, a 35-member FEMA swift water response team has been positioned in Hana, according to Herman Andaya, administrator for the Maui Emergency Management Agency.
FEMA also has commodities stationed on Maui along with medical teams and urban search and rescue personnel.
“We’re here in support of the county and the state,” said Scott Zaffram, a senior FEMA response official in Wailuku.
The National Guard also has a 12-person team stationed in East Maui, Andaya said.
Shelters opening at 6 p.m. tonight with Red Cross help will be at Lahaina Civic Center, Maui High School, Kihei Elementary School, Kalama Intermediate School, Hana Elementary and High School, Molokai High School and Lanai Elementary and High School. The Maui High, Kihei Elementary and Kalama Intermediate locations are pet friendly.
Bus service will continue today but cease tomorrow. Two county park facilities, Hana Bay and Keanae Restrooms, are closing today at 1 p.m. Other county parks will be closed tomorrow. Landfills also will be closed tomorrow and there will be no trash service, Arakawa said.
The mayor also advised the public to store and conserve water when Olivia hits because a power outage could interrupt water service. The suggested supply is one gallon person per day for 14 days.
“The county’s absolute, number one priority is to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors,” he said. We were working all this past weekend to ensure that we’re prepared. Together, let’s all be ready for Olivia.”
