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Joe Biden to visit Maui after Hawaii fires and reassure victims, says Fema chief | Hawaii fires

The administrator of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Deanne Criswell, said Joe Biden will on Monday reassure the people of Lahaina they will be in control of how they rebuild when he visits the Maui community devastated by a historically deadly wildfire.

The president and the first lady, Jill Biden, plan to visit the historic Hawaiian town, meeting first responders, officials and victims and getting a first-hand look at the widespread devastation, Criswell told CNN’s State of the Union.

“He’s going to be able to reassure the people of Maui that the federal government is there to support them, but we’re doing it in a way that’s going to allow them to rebuild the way they want to rebuild,” she said.

Wildfires incinerated Lahaina on 8 August, destroying 2,200 homes and businesses and leaving hundreds of people missing. As of Sunday, 114 were confirmed dead.

Speaking on Sunday to ABC’s This Week, Criswell said search efforts in Lahaina were 78% complete and victims had received more than $8m in federal assistance.

Biden has faced criticism from Republicans for not speaking publicly about the tragedy until five days after it occurred. Criswell said she was in communication with the president in those days, helping him understand the magnitude of the situation and what resources were needed.

“He directed me to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help the people of Maui and to bring in all of the federal resources to help with this immediate response,” she said.

The cause of the fires has not been determined, pending the results of an official investigation.

Details have begun to emerge about the lives of those who were killed. Forensic pathologists, X-ray technicians, fingerprint experts and forensic dentists are working 12 hours a day to complete the grim task of identifying those lost in the fire.

Meanwhile, getting kids back to school poses challenges. Hundreds have enrolled in schools in areas outside the burn zone but some will be too traumatized to attend when their schools in Lahaina reopen. Some parents will opt to move rather than rebuild.

On Friday, Biden authorized additional federal support for Hawaii, the White House said.

Summarize this content to 100 words The administrator of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Deanne Criswell, said Joe Biden will on Monday reassure the people of Lahaina they will be in control of how they rebuild when he visits the Maui community devastated by a historically deadly wildfire.The president and the first lady, Jill Biden, plan to visit the historic Hawaiian town, meeting first responders, officials and victims and getting a first-hand look at the widespread devastation, Criswell told CNN’s State of the Union.“He’s going to be able to reassure the people of Maui that the federal government is there to support them, but we’re doing it in a way that’s going to allow them to rebuild the way they want to rebuild,” she said.Wildfires incinerated Lahaina on 8 August, destroying 2,200 homes and businesses and leaving hundreds of people missing. As of Sunday, 114 were confirmed dead.Speaking on Sunday to ABC’s This Week, Criswell said search efforts in Lahaina were 78% complete and victims had received more than $8m in federal assistance.Biden has faced criticism from Republicans for not speaking publicly about the tragedy until five days after it occurred. Criswell said she was in communication with the president in those days, helping him understand the magnitude of the situation and what resources were needed.“He directed me to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help the people of Maui and to bring in all of the federal resources to help with this immediate response,” she said.The cause of the fires has not been determined, pending the results of an official investigation.Details have begun to emerge about the lives of those who were killed. Forensic pathologists, X-ray technicians, fingerprint experts and forensic dentists are working 12 hours a day to complete the grim task of identifying those lost in the fire.Meanwhile, getting kids back to school poses challenges. Hundreds have enrolled in schools in areas outside the burn zone but some will be too traumatized to attend when their schools in Lahaina reopen. Some parents will opt to move rather than rebuild.On Friday, Biden authorized additional federal support for Hawaii, the White House said.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/20/fema-administrator-deanne-criswell-hawaii-rebuilding-efforts-joe-biden Joe Biden to visit Maui after Hawaii fires and reassure victims, says Fema chief | Hawaii fires

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