Hawaii’s ‘First Line of Defense’ Likely Failed During Maui Fires, Says Congresswoman
Amid the already devastating wildfires raging in Maui, Hawaii, breakdowns in the warning system appear to have exacerbated the catastrophe.
Hawaii Democratic Rep. Jill Tokuda said in a Sunday interview on CBS News that the sirens used to alert local occupants of impending danger “likely did not go off” during the fires.
“Sadly, tragically in this situation, those sirens likely did not go off,” Tokuda said.
Hawaii Rep. @JillTokuda said the warning sirens may not have activated ahead of the devastating #MauiWildfires, failing to alert people about the incoming threat. https://t.co/BRJhgTjo6o
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) August 14, 2023
Tokuda noted that people in her state rely so heavily on the alerts that “everybody who’s ever lived in Hawaii knows the warning sirens.”
She emphasized that this system is so important that the state tests it monthly.
