Who is Herman Andaya? Maui emergency chief resigns following intense scrutiny and petition

Since the Maui region in Hawaii is currently dealing with the devastating effects of wildfires, the emergency chief of Maui, Herman Andaya, who is Filipino, has resigned from his position. The resignation came on Thursday, August 17, 2023 - a day after he defended his decision to not sound warning sirens as wildfires were raging across the Maui region.

A county spokesperson said that Herman Andaya's decision to resign was immediately effective. His resignation was accepted by Mayor Richard Bissen. However, Herman Andaya stated health conerns as the reason for his resignation.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen talked about Herman's resignation in a post, saying:

"Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon."

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Herman Andaya got the position of head in Maui Emergency Management Agency after defeating around 40 applicants

Herman Andaya was appointed as the Head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency after competiting with 40 other candidates. According to Andaya, before this, he held the position of Deputy Director at the state's Department of Housing and Human Concerns. He also served as the mayor of Maui County's Chief of Staff for a duration of 11 years.

According to Herman Andaya's LinkedIn profile, he worked in this position for more than seven years. Alongside this, during the last three years of his tenure, he also worked as the Special Assistant to the Chancellor in University of Hawai'i Maui College.

This week, Herman Andaya, the Administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, expressed his lack of regret regarding the decision not to activate the system. He cited concerns that its deployment might have prompted individuals to move "mauka," a Hawaiian expression that refers to movement towards the mountains or inland.

He further added:

"If that was the case, then they would have gone into the fire."

It is also worth noting that the sirens that were not turned due to a possible misjudgment had formed just one aspect within a sequence of communication challenges that contributed to the prevailing disorder, as highlighted in a report by The Associated Press.

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What is the current situation in Maui?

According to Maui County Officials, the current death toll in Maui has reached the mark of 111. Currently, the search for the missing is underway. The County officials further said:

"By Thursday night, teams had successfully surveyed approximately 58% of the Lahaina area, with significant progress made in containing the fire, reaching a commendable 90% containment."

The Maui County's official website has currently been sharing updates about the situation in the Hawaii region.

Recently, it was mentioned that starting from Friday, August 18, at 10 am, the Family Assistance Center (FAC) will transition its operations from the Kahului Community Center to the Monarchy Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency, situated at 200 Nohea Kai Drive in Kaʻanapali. Consequently, services at the Kahului Community Center will conclude at 8 pm on Thursday, August 17.