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In the wake of relentless wildfires blazing through the scenic Hawaiian island of Maui, the Defense Department (DOD) intensifies its commitment to reinforce state and local efforts to secure lives and curtail the devastation, relayed Pentagon Press Secretary, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.
The National Guard has ramped up its strength with 134 troops, consisting of 99 stalwarts from the Army National Guard and 35 from the Air National Guard, all aimed to bolster the ongoing wildfire countermeasures.
These troops have a dual mandate: acting as the nexus between the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and executing support roles for local police forces.
Critical air assets, including two CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the Army National Guard, have been tasked to not just combat the wildfires but also spearhead search and recovery operations. A testament to their unwavering commitment, Guardsmen, in a span of just five hours on Wednesday, accomplished 58 aerial water drops, dispensing over 100,000 gallons.
Compounded by gales from an adjacent hurricane, the wildfire, in its swift onslaught since Tuesday, has claimed more than 30 lives and razed numerous structures. The sheer velocity left some locals with no choice but to seek refuge by plunging into the ocean.
Brig. Gen. Ryder, in a press briefing at the Pentagon, voiced solidarity with Maui’s inhabitants, reiterating the department’s unwavering resolve in collaboration with Hawaiian officials to safeguard lives against the wildfires.
Augmenting the National Guard, the DOD has also rallied resources from its active-duty segments to bolster the response. The 25th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army has dispatched two UH-60 Black Hawk choppers and another CH-47 Chinook for firefighting maneuvers. Concurrently, U.S. Coast Guardsmen from Station Maui are at the forefront of search and rescue missions. Notably, the crew of a Coast Guard 45-foot boat stationed in Maui aided in the safe recovery of 14 individuals from island’s surrounding waters as of early Thursday.
Further enhancing the search and recovery force, a Navy maritime strike squadron has launched two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to collaborate with the U.S. Coast Guard’s initiatives.
President Joe Biden sanctioned a disaster declaration this Thursday, green-lighting federal aid to amplify state and local recovery endeavors. Expressing profound sorrow for the tragedy, Biden commended the valor of the firefighters and first responders, stating, “We are eternally indebted to these heroes who dash into peril, laying it all on the line to save others.”
Source: US Department of Defense
