The Maui wildfire is now the deadliest since 2018's Camp Fire in California — and the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaiʻi history. Hilton Raethel, head of Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, is doing everything he can to provide care for those affected.
Recovery efforts thus far have been brutal.
"What is unfortunate is that we're going to have more deaths than we actually have injuries," which is abnormal for disaster events, Raethel said.
He added that the Maui mortuary is already at or beyond capacity. X-ray techs are being called to the island to help X-ray all the bodies.
"Unfortunately, there is a material amount of work to be done to appropriately take care of those individuals who did lose their lives," Raethel said.
HAH is now responding to patient needs across West Maui. A clinic was destroyed and a pharmacy was damaged in the fire. Although initial reports stated that a dialysis center burned down, those were found to be untrue.
Kaiser Permanente is providing services at first aid stations across Lāhainā starting Monday. Its Mobile Health Vehicle, located at Lāhainā Gateway, also provides limited medical, pediatric and OB/GYN services.
Ohana Pacific Health has doctors and nurses on the ground. They've set up an urgent care center in the area.
"There is an incredible outpouring of support to ensure, from a health care perspective, that there is access to doctors, nurses [and] counselors," Raethel said.
He appreciates the work everyone has put in to provide care to everyone who has been affected by the fires, especially those who cannot travel to other parts of Maui or who have been displaced.
As residents slowly return to Lāhainā, Raethel wants to remind people to exercise caution.
"People could trip over things, people could get cuts, they could inhale dust particles, so there are a lot of things that people should be concerned about as they move back into these areas," he said.
As recovery efforts persist, Raethel cautioned that Maui could see a spike in COVID-19 cases as people shelter in close quarters.
This interview aired on The Conversation on August 14, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. This interview was adapted for the web by Emily Tom.
