Shillong, August 18: The ongoing increase in casualties from the Hawaii wildfires has ignited a contentious discussion over the potential impact of sirens in mitigating the most devastating fires in recent American history.
Originating on August 8 on Maui Island, the wildfires have already claimed 111 lives as of Thursday, and the count is anticipated to climb as search efforts persist, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Residents recounted that during the wildfire outbreak, evacuation measures were not initiated, and none of the 80 warning sirens on the island were activated.
The Maui County Emergency Management Agency, responsible for siren activation, has faced vehement criticism for its failure to trigger the system prior to the catastrophe.
Herman Andaya, the agency’s director, tendered his resignation on Thursday amidst mounting backlash over the agency’s response to the crisis, citing health reasons as per Maui County’s official Facebook page.
Andaya defended the agency’s stance during a media briefing, emphasizing that the sirens were primarily intended for tsunami alerts.
He expressed concern that had the sirens been sounded that night, individuals might have moved towards the mountainous areas, intersecting with the path of the encroaching fires.
Andaya noted that neither Maui nor other areas in the state had employed the siren system for wildfire situations.
Governor Josh Green of Hawaii supported Andaya’s rationale, stating at the briefing that the sounding of sirens would have caused anticipation of a tsunami in wildfire scenarios.
The county’s siren system is designed to notify the public about natural disasters and emergencies, encompassing outdoor sirens, television and radio broadcasts, and wireless alerts delivered to mobile phones.
While the agency successfully activated cellphone, TV, and radio warning systems, the extent of their reach was hampered by extensive power and signal failures resulting from the island’s electrical outages during the high winds.
Remarkably, the solar-powered sirens remained operational despite the power cuts.
Nevertheless, experts remain divided on whether sirens could have significantly impacted the Maui wildfires.
Sarah DeYoung, a University of Delaware professor, indicated to National Public Radio that sirens possess limitations, as they are unable to provide precise directives to individuals.
