🔥🚒 Oga Fire Oga Warn Say Fire Wahala Dey for Hawaii, Firefighters Dey Under Gbege
⬇️ Pidgin ⬇️ ⬇️ Black American Slang ⬇️ English
📍🚨 For Lahaina, one top fire official from America don warn say di firefighters for Hawaii dey face serious wahala. E talk say di people for Hawaii need to dey aware of di fire risks and make plans on how dem go survive fire for demself and their community, as di risks dey become more clear.
E talk say, “We no get enough firefighters, na something we don establish,” U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell yarn give Honolulu Star-Advertiser for Saturday.
Moore-Merrell talk say di “baseline” risk for Hawaii don change well well because of drought, climate change, invasive species and increasing wind storms wey dey bring new dangers. E dey warn say di firefighting force for Hawaii dey under serious pressure.
E talk say, “Dem no fit reach di fire scene quick enough, you need to sabi how to make yourself safe until dem fit reach you,” she advise. Residents need to sabi how to run comot from fire safely, na so she talk.
Dis top U.S. government fire safety official, Moore-Merrell, bin dey Hawaii dis week dey meet with local and federal relief officials, and also local firefighters wey respond to di August Maui fires, as di government dey plan for di future of wildfire response.
Di visit happen as firefighters across di islands don spend one week dey fight fires for Maui, Oahu and Hawaii island for time wey officials dey hope say rainy season go help reduce di fire.
For one sit-down with Maui Fire Department firefighters for Saturday for Lahaina firehouse, Moore-Merrell and local fire crews yarn about di events of di Aug. 8 fire and di challenges wey dem still dey face as dem dey deal with small fires for community wey dey suffer trauma after di blaze wey destroy most of di historic town and kill at least 100 people for di deadliest U.S. wildfire for one century.
For her trip to Hawaii, Moore-Merrell also meet with state fire chiefs as dem gather Friday for Kauai for leaders conference to yarn about di outlook for fires for state. She also go site for di island where di Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology division dey test new sensor to detect smoke and fire heat as early detection system.
“The sensor don position for Kauai as test so we go fit see di kind data e dey capture, understand if false positives dey, all di normal tins wey you go do with technology device,” Moore-Merrell yarn. “We dey get really good reports, very good reports from di center, and good accuracy. So we dey very, very happy about dat.”
She talk say di test start for Kauai because federal officials get access to land and infrastructure to quickly start testing am for di island, but dem hope to soon deploy dem across di state.
“We go bring and deploy more sensors throughout di islands,” Moore-Merrell talk. “So we go focus on risk. … We meet with governor people just last night and di first tin I ask dem to deliver na di risk assessment of where dem dey at highest risk across di islands for wildfire. And na there we go focus to deploy these sensors.”
For Lahaina on Saturday, she get briefing from Environmental Protection Agency about lithium ion batteries and technology wey dem find for Lahaina burn zone wey dey cause problem for cleanup.
“Not just for electric vehicles or hybrids, but also any house wey get solar panels go also get wetin we call battery energy storage system, wey go be like panel di size of wall wey get hundreds of cells inside am of lithium ion technology,” Moore-Merrell yarn. “Plenty of those, even though di house burn, those systems still dey charged. So dem no fit start debris removal until those walls dey removed and de-energized.”
She talk say na new challenge wey fire officials never deal with before. “No national protocol dey,” Moore-Merrell tell Star-Advertiser. “Dis na one of those tins we dey learn from dis event. And so I wan check wetin dem dey do, and help understand di protocol.”
For Lahaina as she dey talk with local firefighters, dem discuss di challenges wey increasing temperature and droughts dey bring, and how economic wahala for Hawaii dey create unique dangers. One firefighter talk say Hawaii dey turn “ground zero” for di affordable housing crisis and say dis don contribute
to crowded housing as people dey pack enter rooms and houses to reduce their rent.
Firefighters also dey express concern about wetin go happen next for Lahaina.
“One of di tins wey I talk to di governor, and wey I dey always talk loud to anybody and I go continue to talk, na say as Lahaina dey rebuild, we must look at building codes,” Moore-Merrell tell firefighters.
She warn say, “You go get builders wey go come talk say dem go do am faster and cheaper. We get people back for their homes, businesses reopen, we do faster, cheaper and (dem go ask for) more relaxed building codes,” Moore-Merrell warn. “These codes na based on science. E no be like say e dey beyond us.”
NOW IN BLACK AMERICAN SLANG
🔥🚒 Top Fire Official in the U.S. Sounds the Alarm on Hawaii’s Firefighting Struggles
📍🚨 Over in Lahaina, a high-ranking fire official from the mainland just dropped some serious knowledge – Hawaii’s firefighters are stretched thin, and it’s high time for the folks there to wise up about fire risks and get their survival game plans locked down.
The head honcho of U.S. firefighting, Lori Moore-Merrell, laid it out clear to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last Saturday: “We’re short on firefighters, that’s the plain truth.”
Moore-Merrell pointed out how Hawaii’s basic risk factor has shifted big time. We’re talking drought, climate change, invasive species, and more storms whipping up all kinds of new threats. She’s stressing how much this is putting Hawaii’s firefighting squads on the edge.
She hit it home: “Firefighters can’t always make it there in a flash; you gotta know how to stay safe until they roll up,” she advised. Learning how to duck out of a fire’s way safely is key, she stressed.
This top fire safety official from the government was in Hawaii this week, touching base with local and federal aid folks, plus the local fire crews that jumped into action for the August Maui fires. It’s all part of laying out plans for how to handle wildfires moving forward.
Her visit fell at a time when firefighters across the islands were hustling, battling blazes on Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii island. This was all going down during what was supposed to be the rainy season, which ideally would’ve helped calm the flames.
At a meet-up with Maui Fire Department firefighters last Saturday at Lahaina’s fire station, Moore-Merrell and the crew reflected on the August 8 fire and the ongoing challenges. We’re talking small fires in a community still feeling the heat from a blaze that nearly wiped out the historic town and claimed at least 100 lives – the deadliest wildfire the U.S. has seen in a century.
Throughout her Hawaii trip, Moore-Merrell also linked up with the state’s fire chiefs, who were gathering on Kauai for a leadership huddle to scope out the fire situation in the state. She even checked out a spot on the island where the Department of Homeland Security’s science and tech division is testing this new sensor for early smoke and fire heat detection.
“The sensor’s set up on Kauai as a test run,” Moore-Merrell explained. “We’re checking the data it snags, watching out for false alarms, all that standard tech-testing stuff. The feedback’s been solid – accurate and on point. We’re really digging the results.”
She shared that they kicked off the tests on Kauai ’cause they had the right space and setup to get going fast, but they’re aiming to spread these sensors all over the state soon.
“We’re planning to pop more sensors all around the islands,” Moore-Merrell said. “We’re zeroing in on the riskiest spots. Just had a chat with the governor’s team, and I was like, ‘Let me see where the wildfire risks are hitting the hardest.’ That’s where we’re aiming to get these sensors up.”
Chilling in Lahaina on Saturday, she got the lowdown from the Environmental Protection Agency about lithium-ion batteries and other tech found in the Lahaina burn zone that’s complicating the cleanup.
“It’s not just the electric rides or hybrids,” Moore-Merrell said. “Houses with solar panels got these battery energy storage systems, right? They’re like wall-sized units packed with lithium-ion cells. A lot of them, even after the houses went up in flames, were still juiced up. So they can’t start clearing the debris until they safely dismantle these power walls.”
She recognized this as a fresh hurdle for fire officials. “We don’t have a nationwide game plan for this,” Moore-Merrell admitted to the Star-Advertiser. “We’re learning as we go with this one. I’m here to check out their moves and help figure out the right playbook.”
Chopping it up with Lahaina’s local firefighters, they talked about how rising temps and droughts are switching up the game, and how Hawaii’s own economic crunch is creating unique fire hazards. One of the firefighters mentioned how Hawaii’s becoming a hotbed for the affordable housing crisis, leading to overcrowded living situations as people pack into smaller spaces to save on rent.
The firefighters also had some real talk about what’s next for Lahaina.
“I told the governor, and I keep saying it loud and clear – as Lahaina starts rebuilding, we gotta take a hard look at the building codes,” Moore-Merrell said to the firefighters.
She laid down a warning: “You’re gonna have builders
coming in, promising to do it quicker and cheaper. They’ll push for looser building codes to get folks back in their homes and businesses up and running. But listen, these codes are grounded in science. We got this.”
NOW IN ENGLISH
🔥🚒 U.S. Fire Chief Raises Alarm Over Hawaii’s Fire Risks and Strain on Firefighters
📍🚨 In Lahaina, a senior federal fire official has issued a warning that Hawaii’s firefighters are facing considerable strain and emphasized the need for Hawaii residents to be cognizant of the risks and start preparing fire survival plans for themselves and their communities as these risks become more apparent.
“There simply aren’t enough firefighters, that’s a fact,” U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell shared with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last Saturday.
Moore-Merrell highlighted that Hawaii’s “baseline” risk profile has significantly changed due to drought, climate change, invasive species, and more frequent wind storms, all contributing to new hazards. She emphasized the tremendous pressure on Hawaii’s firefighting resources.
“Firefighters can’t always respond immediately; you need to know how to keep yourself safe until they can reach you,” she advised. It’s crucial for residents to learn how to escape from fires safely, she added.
As the U.S. government’s leading fire safety official, Moore-Merrell was in Hawaii this week meeting with both local and federal relief officials, as well as local firefighters who tackled the August Maui fires. The visit forms part of the government’s strategic planning for future wildfire responses.
Her visit coincided with a week when firefighters across the islands were busy responding to fires on Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii island, during what was anticipated to be a rainier season that could help dampen the fires.
In a meeting with Maui Fire Department firefighters last Saturday at Lahaina’s fire station, Moore-Merrell and the local fire teams discussed the August 8 fire and the ongoing challenges they face in managing smaller fires in a community still reeling from the trauma of the blaze that devastated most of the historic town and resulted in at least 100 fatalities, marking it as the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century.
Throughout her Hawaii trip, Moore-Merrell also met with the state’s fire chiefs who convened on Friday on Kauai for a leadership conference to discuss state fire forecasts. Additionally, she visited a site on the island where the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology division is trialing a new sensor to detect smoke and fire heat, aiming for early detection.
“The sensor has been set up on Kauai as a trial to see the kind of data it captures, to determine if there are false positives, and all the standard procedures you’d expect with a new technology device,” Moore-Merrell said. “We’re receiving very positive reports, great accuracy. We’re quite pleased with the outcomes.”
She noted that the trials began on Kauai due to accessible land and infrastructure for immediate testing but mentioned plans to deploy these sensors across the state.
“We plan to install additional sensors throughout the islands,” Moore-Merrell stated. “Our focus is on risk assessment… We recently met with the governor’s team and the first thing I requested was an assessment of the highest wildfire risk areas across the islands. That’s where we intend to deploy these sensors.”
During her visit to Lahaina on Saturday, she received a briefing from the Environmental Protection Agency about lithium-ion batteries and technologies found in the Lahaina burn zone that are complicating cleanup efforts.
“Not just in electric or hybrid vehicles, but homes with solar panels often have what’s known as a battery energy storage system, roughly the size of a wall, containing hundreds of lithium-ion cells,” Moore-Merrell explained. “Many of these, despite the homes being burned, remained charged. Debris removal can’t commence until these units are removed and safely de-energized.”
She acknowledged that this represents a new challenge for fire officials. “There’s no national protocol,” Moore-Merrell told the Star-Advertiser. “This event is a learning experience, and I wanted to assess their approach and help develop an appropriate protocol.”
In discussions with local firefighters in Lahaina, they talked about the implications of rising temperatures and droughts, as well as how economic challenges in Hawaii are creating unique risks. A firefighter mentioned that Hawaii is increasingly becoming a “ground zero” for the affordable housing crisis, contributing to overcrowded housing as people cram into rooms and houses to cut down on rent costs.
Firefighters also shared concerns about the future of Lahaina.
“One point I emphasized to the governor, and I always reiterate, is that as Lahaina rebuilds, we must consider building codes,” Moore-Merrell told the firefighters.
She cautioned, “There will be builders proposing to do it faster and cheaper, advocating for more relaxed building codes to get people back in their homes and businesses reopened. But these codes are founded on science; they are not beyond our capabilities.”
