(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi’s request for a presidential emergency declaration following Hurricane Lala has been approved.
Governor Josh Green announced on Tuesday that President Donald Trump approved the request, authorizing federal assistance for Hawaiʻi County, Maui County and the City and County of Honolulu.
“Mahalo to President Trump, Secretary Mullin and our federal partners for acting quickly on Hawaiʻi’s request,” said Governor Green in a news release. “This approval gives us access to specialized personnel, equipment and technical support that will help protect our communities, restore essential services and address the urgent needs created by Tropical Cyclone Lala. We will continue working side by side with our federal, county and community partners until every affected neighborhood is safely on the road to recovery and healing.”
From the State of Hawaiʻi:
The declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures under Title V of the Stafford Act. The assistance is intended to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas.
FEMA is specifically authorized to provide emergency protective measures under Category B of the Public Assistance program, limited to direct federal assistance, at 75% federal funding.
Requested resources include Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team personnel to assist with the recovery, identification, documentation and respectful reinterment of human remains displaced at by the severe slope failure at Nāʻālehu Cemetery. The state has also requested large-capacity emergency generators and federal technical and logistical support for critical facilities and essential services. The State also needs help from federal experts “to establish microgrids or comparable temporary power systems until permanent electrical service is restored.”
The emergency declaration supports immediate response operations, the State says.
“HIEMA is working closely with the counties of Hawaʻi, Maui, and Honolulu, to coordinate state and federal resources in support of locally identified priorities,” said HIEMA Administrator David Lopez. “This emergency declaration strengthens our ability to help counties sustain life-safety operations, restore essential services and reach communities affected by severe flooding, infrastructure damage and prolonged outages. Our focus is ensuring that assistance is coordinated, responsive and delivered where it is needed most.”
“This emergency declaration will bring critical federal resources to communities impacted by Hurricane Lala and help with restoring essential services, clearing debris, and repairing damaged infrastructure,” commented U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D, Hawaiʻi). “We will continue working with Governor Green, county leaders, and the administration to make sure Hawaiʻi gets the support it needs to recover.”
