Ke Ala Hou, A New Path Forward: September 2023 — Governor’s Message
Posted on Sep 5, 2023 in Main
On August 8, 2023, the community of Lāhainā was devastated by the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history in more than 100 years. We are heartbroken by the loss of so many of our family, friends, and neighbors and the destruction of Lāhainā Town.
First, I want to commend the people within the community themselves, who upon realizing what was happening, took brave actions to help as many of their neighbors as possible. Quick actions taken as the disaster was occurring surely saved more lives.
Then, I must commend the first responders who did the best they could to save as many as they possibly could from the flames. And finally, a special mahalo to those who stepped up and came together quickly to provide immediate aid.
We’ve also received tremendous support from every level of government, private businesses, community organizations, and more from across the globe. We continue to work daily to support those affected by the wildfires.
Vital public–private–nonprofit partnerships have been forged and will continue to be forged in order to care for the survivors and bring healing to a community that has suffered the worst natural disaster in our state’s history. No one person, no one agency, no one organization, can do it alone.
The road to recovery will be long, costly, and challenging. We lost lives, landmarks, and cultural artifacts that can never be replaced. We have an opportunity and a challenge to work together, as one ‘ohana, in solidarity with the people of Lāhainā and West Maui. Now is the time to come together to care for the residents of our state and for one another.
Please share the link to the Maui Strong Resource Hub at mauistrong.hawaii.gov with your colleagues, family, and friends to ensure that resources are available to those who need them.
We are grateful for the outpouring of support and aloha that Maui has received — and we are united as a state and as a nation in providing every support and resource we have to the survivors of the Lāhainā fires.
The world is watching, and we will show them the true strength of our culture, our people, and all that we are. We will heal, protect, and nurture one another, and the world will be reminded why it loves and embraces Hawai‘i.
