Press Release
For Immediate Release January 31, 2018 Joint Exercise with the Hawaii National Guard Taking Place Next Week Wailuku, Maui - The Hawaii National Guard's 93rd Civil Support Team along with the United States Coast Guard, paramedics, airport security, Maui police and fire fighters will be participating in a large scale emergency operations exercise beginning next week Monday, February 5, 2018. The exercise will take place throughout Maui island including but not limited to West, South and Central Maui. Residents and visitors are asked not to be alarmed as some participants will be dressed in full tactical gear as well as hazmat suits. Most of the visible activity for the public will take place on February 7 and 8th. For more information about the exercise call the Hawaii National Guard Public Affairs Office at (808) 733-4258. Rod Antone Communications Director County of Maui 808-270-8222 (office) 808-446-6960 (cell) Lahaina, HI - WMTA ANNOUNCES 1st Meeting of 2018 for HHARP – “This is Not a Drill”
Please be reminded that the next West Maui Community Disaster Planning Meeting Scheduled for Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at the West Maui Senior Center, 788 Pauoa St, Lahaina at 5:30 p.m. Guest speaker this month will be General Bruce Oliveira, Hawaii State Department of Defense, Community Programs Director on the topic of Developing a Community Emergency Plan. The WMTA is working with the Maui Emergency Management Agency, The Pacific Disaster Center, and the State Emergency Management Agency on developing a customized disaster plan designed to meet West Maui’s specific needs. The isolation from the Island’s major hospital and airport, due to frequent road closures, fires and flooding, have highlighted the need for special preparedness planning – seems that “missile launch” may be added? The Hawaii Hazards Awareness & Resilience Program (HHARP) is a series of monthly workshops, presented by subject-matter experts, to provide education for hazard understanding and offer tools and information resources to guide community mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery planning. These meetings are free and open to the public. The West Maui Taxpayers Association invites you to join us and be a part of the solution to plans that may well be the reason why lives will be saved when disasters strike. Please put these meetings on your calendar and plan to attend! "The Lahaina Bypass 1B-2 Project is scheduled to be "operational" some time early in the first quarter of 2018.
The WMTA is concerned about the "unintended consequences" of the project designed to improve traffic through the area. Of particular concern is the closure of the substantial amount of existing Honoapiilani Highway between the "new" South Connector road being built and the new on ramp to the by pass coming into West Maui. Forcing traffic flow changes and taking away the option to use the existing highway by closed gate except for some allowance currently being designed for an "emergency exception" seems not to have been thoroughly examined. The "emergency exception" we understand was negotiated by Senator Roz Baker with State DOT, and we are somewhat relieved and encouraged by that. That "emergency option," may be needed more than the planners had envisioned. Of added concern is the Keawe Street impacts which we do not believe have been adequately provided for with the increased traffic flow. The reconfiguration of an existing lane to a dedicated right turn only lane is more complicated and we are very concerned about this making an already dangerous traffic area unduly unsafe as currently designed. We are hoping to work with the State to attempt to mitigate our concerns and ask for remedies to improve on the existing plans. We will also invite them to participate with us at our Annual Meeting on January 9, 2018 at the West Maui Senior Center at 5pm." Please see the links following for detailed information. http://www.lahainabypass1b-2.com/project-description.php http://www.lahainabypass1b-2.com/project-details.php Warm Regards, Joe Pluta, President Emeritus, V.P. WMTA |
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