{"id":3028,"date":"2026-07-25T06:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T06:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=3028"},"modified":"2026-07-25T06:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T06:06:09","slug":"maui-county-blesses-new-emergency-operations-center-ahead-of-wildfire-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=3028","title":{"rendered":"Maui County blesses new Emergency Operations Center ahead of wildfire anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<section>\n<p>WAILUKU (HawaiiNewsNow) &#8211; As the third anniversary of the Maui wildfires approaches and hurricane season heats up, Maui County is preparing to open a new Emergency Operations Center (EOC).<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=3026\">Maui teen claims 4th national title at USA Boxing Junior Olympics<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The new EOC spans more than 9,000 square feet and features a 24-display video wall, which officials say will improve situational awareness. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe simple truth is this place will save lives,\u201d Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a building with television screens and computers and all the modern technology &#8230; but this literally will save lives because we will be able to notify people sooner. We will be able to get resources. We have much more situational awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The facility includes various sections like external affairs, operations, and planning for integrated communications.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<h2>Capacity and cost<\/h2>\n<p>The current EOC holds a capacity of 52 people. The new facility can accommodate approximately 200 people \u2014 nearly four times as many.<\/p>\n<p>The county first purchased the building in 2020 under the Victorino Administration. Over the past six years, it has become an approximately $24 million investment, funded through county capital improvement funds and federal emergency management grants.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=3024\">Truck bed riding age raised to 16 as Hawaii enacts new traffic safety laws<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Staffing growth at MEMA<\/h2>\n<p>Since Mayor Richard Bissen hired Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett in 2024, MEMA has grown from nine positions to 31 funded positions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis building is a tremendous blessing. But it carries tremendous responsibility,\u201d Lonokailua-Hewett said. \u201cOur responsibility is to store this resource wisely, to serve without ego, to lead with humility, to prepare with excellence, and to remember that every decision made within these walls ultimately affects families throughout Maui Nui.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Blessing ceremony<\/h2>\n<p>Federal, state, and county partners gathered Friday for a blessing of the new facility. <\/p>\n<p>Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Lopez said it is not only an investment for the county, but for the state as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s just really nice to see what they\u2019ve come from,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cIt kind of shows the resilience and them improving their team, and then this is kind of the outward manifestation of all the work behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=3022\">Keiki Hula Competition crowns Miss, Master Keiki Hula 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The new EOC is set to be ready to activate in August.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the third anniversary of the Maui wildfires approaches and hurricane season heats up, Maui County is preparing to open a new Emergency Operations Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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