The loss of human life and the destruction of so many homes and businesses in the wake of the Maui fires has gripped the hearts of observers the world over. While disastrous times like these cast a shadow over our existence, one also cannot help but be inspired by the outpouring of support and the willingness and initiative of the federal government to do whatever it takes to help the people of Maui.
I found particularly reassuring the swift response by President Joe Biden to this tragedy, in which federal funding will now be available for “temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”
This not only puts us on track to quickly rebuild once things are safe again, it also puts local hearts at ease that those who survived the fires won’t have to be impoverished in the process of getting their homes and businesses back.
Over and above this, the president also gave Hawaii his assurance that military resources would be made available in the short term, along with anything else that is requested or required for ongoing disaster management.
And this is where I feel an outside voice is necessary, because when it comes to federal assistance, the division of intervention between local, state, and national government is a matter of “you have not, because you ask not.” So I would like to use this column as an opportunity to write an open letter to President Biden, in ways that they can use their resources to help our Aloha State.
Dear Mr. President: Thank you for stepping up to help our people and our local elected leaders in this difficult time for all of us.
We appreciate your leadership and your compassion and are comforted by the fact that what makes America so strong is that in times of crisis, we always set aside our differences and come together to help those in need and to protect those who are powerless to help themselves.
I have the highest level of confidence in both your leadership and the leadership of my local government. However, it is understandable that at this time, some opportunities for assistance might be overlooked or not thought of, due to the overwhelming burdens that are being carried right now.
Here’s a list of things that would really help Hawaii, and the people of Maui, and I hope you will consider them.
Please send a hospital ship like the USNS Mercy or USNS Comfort to anchor in Hawaii. A long precedent exists in which the U.S. Navy often sends hospital ships to help project immediate medical capabilities to places with no health infrastructure or limited means to care for a mass casualty event.
After the terrorist attack on New York City on September 11, 2001, a hospital ship was sent to help give New York added healthcare capacity so the local systems would not be overwhelmed. The same happened during the coronavirus pandemic.
Please send a hospital ship to Hawaii to provide free health services for evacuees needing specialized care, particularly those needing kidney dialysis treatment.
Please arrange military passenger aircraft, civilian aircraft chartered by the federal government, and free travel vouchers with major commercial airlines so that Maui residents can fly to safe neighboring islands such as Oahu, or, allow Maui residents to fly to the mainland if they have family or caregivers willing to assist them.
This will be the most humane way to help survivors and their families. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam has many C-17 aircraft that can be used for quick ferry missions, deliveries of supplies, and transport of Air Force emergency surgical teams if needed.
Please send an E-4B Airborne Command Post aircraft to Hawaii for use as an additional temporary joint command and communications hub for state, local, and federal authorities. Previously called the “Knee Cap” plane during the Cold War (NEACP; National Emergency Airborne Command Post) the E-4B also can be parked on a runway and used as a field operations center. This highly modern aircraft is like a portable headquarters, and it could be safely parked in Maui to help with operations.
Mr. President, to avoid scarcity as a result of displaced evacuees and limited food supply on Oahu, please create a voucher system for evacuees to make use of pop-up federal commissaries and pharmacies providing goods, food, and medicines shipped from the mainland. This will ensure everyone is fed, clothed, and able to remain healthy without fear of local scarcity of supply or worry about how to pay for these needs after losing so much in the fires.
Please personally visit Maui and give your political weight behind reconstruction.
Mr. President, the most powerful thing you could do for us is to visit along with Vice President Kamala Harris, to personally embrace some of the disaster victims, to see firsthand the devastation, and to rally bipartisan congressional support for funding swift reconstruction.
If we become lax in this matter, the world will soon forget us and Maui could easily slip into a 30-year slump of economic stagnation. We need to have leadership that is committed, alert, and motivated to see us through this time.
As the son of a retired Air Force colonel who helped in the evacuation and resettlement of American citizens following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, I’ve seen what a competent disaster response looks like, and right now, there are elements of this Maui crisis management that frankly disturb me.
Mr. President, please help us get through this challenging time with efficiency and decisive action.
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