After three months of intensive work, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) prime contractor DAWSON and Hoʻōla Maui members have completed the Hazard Site Assessment phase of work. We reflect on the progress made through this phase and what we have accomplished over the last 90 days.

Mahalo nui to KHON for their coverage of the Maui clean-up effort, and for featuring DAWSON Project Manager, Derek Mar. The story, released on January 14, 2024 provides valuable information as Phase 1 of the Maui clean-up ends and Phase 2 begins.

Beyond DAWSONʻs and Hoʻōla Maui’s responsibility for conducting hazardous site assessments and debris removal work, we understand our deeper kuleana to help Lahaina’s residents heal and recover.

On our journey to rebuild, we recognize the importance of our emotional recovery as a key part of the work ahead. We asked for insights from local mental health professionals working with folks in the post-wildfire recovery.

Maui County has launched a new video series to share important information and resources with the community about Right-of-Entry, the fire debris removal program, and cultural monitoring work being done in Lahaina. Hoʻōla Maui was grateful to offer support with video production, in partnership with Maui County and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

The technology behind DAWSON’s operations has been a driving force in field crews’ ability to conduct hazard site assessments with precision and speed. We sat down with DAWSON second tier subcontractor DebrisTech and Hoʻōla Maui partner to take a deep dive into what their game-changing, state-of-the-art technology does and why it’s been critical to overall operations in the field.

Working under Hoʻōla Maui member DAWSON, the prime contractor for this phase of work, arborists from Lahaina-based Kane’s Legacy Tree Services and Haiku-based Climbing HI are working parcel by parcel to carefully examine every tree. Here’s a key to the symbols that homeowners might see on trees in the impacted zones, along with insights from these certified arborists about how determinations are made.

Mahalo nui to San Antonio Express-News for their coverage of Hoʻōla Maui member, Namauu Technological and Industrial’s CEO, Kekai Namauu. The story, released on December 16, 2023 Namauu’s personal connection to Lahaina and his decision to join Hoʻōla Maui and contribute to the clean-up effort.

Right of Entry, or ROE, is an important topic for property owners affected by the Maui wildfires to understand because it impacts if and when a property is cleaned up by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and its contractors. Several resources are available to property owners to help them to understand and successfully complete their ROE forms.

What’s on the new signs being posted on impacted properties? On behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), DAWSON, a Hoʻōla Maui member company, and its partners are working through each zone, marking properties with checklist signage. This is the first step in the current scope of work for USACE: hazard site assessments. For reference, we created a short description of each checklist item on the USACE signs.

DAWSON, a Hoʻōla Maui member, is the prime contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Phase 1 debris removal in Upcountry and Lahaina. USACE is one strand in a complex weaving of multiple government agencies, companies, and nonprofits supporting the debris removal effort. We will dive into the process and how these pieces fit together, assisting the communities’ rebuilding efforts through conducting assessments and debris removal.

Hoʻōla Maui member organizations were honored to participate in this year’s Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) Convention, held in Kahului, Maui. Hoʻōla Maui proudly participated in the convention’s job fair for local residents, and celebrated dozens of Trades Academy graduates - including those recently hired by Hoʻōla Maui member organizations.

Hoʻōla Maui members and partners follow a rigorous set of safety protocols when working in the impacted zones. From site hazards like potential exposure to toxic substances, to minimizing ash disturbance, Hoʻōla Maui crews are carefully trained and practice all safety protocols on a regular basis.

Hoʻōla Maui honors the military veterans, including those working with us as a part of the Maui clean-up effort.