Editor’s Note – Emergency Communications: Tough Lessons From the Maui Wildfires

On August 8, 2023, a devastating fire rapidly spread across Maui County, Hawai’i. Extensive infrastructure damage hindered the emergency operations center’s efforts to effectively communicate evacuation routes, share situational awareness, and disseminate other real-time critical information (e.g., downed power lines, shelter options, resource allocations, etc.) to the public and to others involved in the response. As a result of that tragic disaster, 102 people lost their lives. To improve emergency communications before another disaster, one of the eight key focus areas in Maui Emergency Management Agency’s December 2024 after-action report is “Communication and Information Dissemination.”

The lessons learned from the Maui fires highlight the importance of reviewing and enhancing collaborative communications efforts among first responders, public and private entities, and the public. As such, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency designates April each year as Emergency Communications Month. This  highlights the role emergency communications play in protecting lives and properties, and it supports the people and agencies who plan and strengthen the ever-expanding complex communications ecosystem.

The authors in this April edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal also understand the need to enhance alert and warning systems, update communication protocols, build redundancies into emergency notification and communication systems, and address interoperability barriers to improve connectivity and information sharing during an emergency. Throughout Emergency Communications Month and beyond, build on the lessons learned and best practices shared in this issue. As stated in the Maui after-action report, “improving communication and information dissemination procedures is essential…. Establishing clear, standardized procedures for information flow will ensure timely, accurate data reaches all response teams, partners, and the community.”