2023 Hawaii Wildfires Situation Report #1
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Healthcare Ready's Posture
Healthcare Ready is ENGAGED for this event. We are monitoring potential concerns for supply chain disruptions and impacts on healthcare services on our response page, listing resources and previous situation reports.
Highlights
Situation Overview
- As of August 15, ninety-nine people have died due to the wildfires on Maui, making it the deadliest wildfire in the US in more than a century. Death tolls may rise as the response progresses.
- Governor Josh Green’s most recent emergency proclamation on August 13 allows patients affected by the event to request medication refills of up to 30-days.
- An unsafe water advisory is in effect for residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula areas. The potentially affected areas are marked on this map.
- As of August 15, Tropical Storm Greg is passing through the Central Pacific, south of Hawaii. While it is on a similar pathway that Hurricane Dora was on, the intensity of the storm is far less severe as well as the atmospheric pressure around Hawaii.
- The State of Hawaii Department of Health cautioned residents and business owners on August 11 about potential environmental and chemical impacts that may pose long-term effects on public health.
- At least two clinics were severely damaged from fires, including:
- Malama I Ke Ola Health Center Community Clinic of Maui’s Lahaina location was destroyed by the wildfires on Maui.
- Kaiser Permanente’s Lahaina Clinic is closed due to damage.
- As of August 14, Kaiser Permanente will be providing medical services to everyone (members and non-members) at no cost in select locations around Lahaina. Pharmacy courier services are available at all locations listed further below.
- Some roads in affected areas have reopened but access remains restricted to residents and emergency personnel.
- There are currently six emergency shelters open.
- County of Maui-facilitated distribution sites are located in Lahaina Gateway Center and Napili Plaza. Times are updated on the Maui County website.
- Healthcare Ready is hosting regular calls for the Hawaii Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (HVOAD) Health and Medical Working Group.
- Email alerts@healthcareready.org to be added to the working group.
- Calls will be held every other day to support coordination between health and medical non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- The objective of the working group is to identify needs and gather resources to assist in providing support to Hawaii.
- As of August 14, the following fires are continuing to burn:
- Lahaina Fire – 85% contained.
- Upcountry/Kula Fire – 65% contained.
- Pulehu/Kihei Fire – 100% contained.
Key Updates
Rx Open Data
- 8 total pharmacies across all locations in Hawaii are reporting Closed or Unknown (2.52% of total pharmacies in the state).
- In Maui, twelve of 15 pharmacies being tracked appear Open, two are Closed, and one is Unknown. One CVS has been closed indefinitely due to damages from the initial event.
- Two of four total dialysis centers in Maui are currently Closed, with the remainder of dialysis centers in the state reporting as Open.
Tropical Storm Greg
- As of August 15, Tropical Storm Greg is passing through the Central Pacific, south of Hawaii. While it is on a similar pathway that Hurricane Dora was on, the intensity of the storm is far less severe as well as the atmospheric pressure around Hawaii.
- However, it is important to monitor the impacts of Tropical Storm Greg as the increase in wind speeds could flare up any of the existing wildfires on the island.
Emergency Declarations
- As of August 13, Governor Josh Green has issued the fifth emergency proclamation relating to the Maui wildfires. Key points include:
- Focus on facilitating emergency response, recovery, and rebuilding.
- Grants immunity from civil liability for health care facilities and providers responding to the wildfires.
- Allows pharmacists the ability to refill prescriptions for patients affected by the wildfire with up to a 30-day supply.
- On August 11, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency (PHE) for Hawaii due to the wildfires.
- President Joe Biden formally declared the event a major disaster on August 10 for the wildfires that began on August 8.
- Acting Governor Sylvia Luke, acting on behalf of Governor Josh Green, issued an emergency proclamation on August 8, authorizing activation of the National Guard as well as the expenditure of state funding for relief.
Impacts to Health Care and Supply Chain
Impacts to Health Care
- As of August 15, two clinics on Maui report severe damage.
- Malama I Ke Ola Health Center Community Clinic of Maui’s Lahaina location was destroyed by the wildfires on Maui.
- Kaiser Permanente’s Lahaina Clinic is closed due to damage.
- As of August 14, Kaiser Permanente will be providing medical services to everyone (members and non-members) at no cost in select locations around Lahaina. Pharmacy courier services are available at all locations listed below:
- War Memorial Gym – provides limited first aid services. Medical services will be provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Lahaina Gateway Center – provides limited first aid services and pediatric services. OB/GYN services will be provided every Friday beginning on August 18. Medical services will be provided between 10am – 4pm, seven days a week.
- Hyatt Regency Lahaina, Lahaina Ballroom – provides limited first aid services. Medical services will be provided between 10am – 4pm, seven days a week.
- Napili Market – provides limited first aid services. Medical services will be provided between 10am – 4pm, seven days a week.
- Two dialysis centers located in Lahaina are currently closed.
- One of the dialysis centers is looking to resume operations by this coming weekend. If the unsafe water advisory is still in effect by then, they will have to acquire a water tanker.
- The other dialysis center has bio-medical teams assessing the site. There is currently no estimated date for resuming operations there.
Critical Healthcare Infrastructure
- An unsafe water advisory is in effect for residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula areas. The potentially affected areas are marked on this map.
- Residents should not drink and/or boil water. They are unable to treat the water in any way to make it safe.
- Bottled water should be used for drinking, brushing teeth, ice making and food preparation until further notice.
Transportation & Supply Chain Impacts
- As of August 15, the Maui Police Department have cancelled the placard program which was originally put into place for access to West Maui for residents, resort workers, first responders, medical personnel, and other essential staff. The program was designed to minimize non-essential traffic going in and out of West Maui. However, because the placard program was cancelled, the following road systems were put in place:
- Access into West Maui via Kahakuloa (and exit through Maalaea) for residents is open.
- Access into West Maui via Maaleaea (and exit through Maalaea) for pre-approved first responders. medical, utility, county, supply, transport, and volunteer personnel is open.
- Exit via Kahakuloa is closed.
- As of August 13, a daily shuttle service, from 8am – 8pm, was implemented for Central Maui shelters to go to medical locations. Riders must call Roberts Hawaii for same-day reservations at (808) 871-4838.
Shelters
- There are currently six emergency shelters open.
- Kahului
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1300 Maui Lani Parkway, Kahului, HI 96732)
- Kings Cathedral Church (777 Maui Veteran’s Highway, Kahului, HI 96732)
- Grace Bible Church (635 Hina Ave, Kahului, HI 96732)
- Wailuku – War Memorial Gymnasium (700 Halia Nakoa St, Wailuku, HI 97693)
- Makawao – Hannibal Tavares Community Center (91 Pukalani St, Makawao, HI 96768)
- Kihei – South Maui Community Park Gymnasium (1501 Liloa Dr, Kihei, HI 96753)
- Kahului
- Gov. Josh Green stated that 1,962 housing units are available to help anyone displaced by the fires.
- 402 hotel rooms
- 1,400 Airbnbs
- West Maui hotels are hosting more than 700 hotel team members and their families
- 750 rooms contracted by FEMA to house emergency assistance workers.
About Healthcare Ready
Healthcare Ready is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to ensure patient access to healthcare in times of disaster, emergency, and disease outbreaks. We leverage unique relationships with government, nonprofit and medical supply chains to build and enhance the resiliency of communities before, during and after disasters. Learn more about Healthcare Ready
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