Deanne Criswell Named 'Chief Federal Response Coordinator' For Maui
President Joe Biden will appoint FEMA Regional Administrator for Region 9 Bob Fenton as “Chief Federal Response Coordinator” for Maui to oversee the long-term coordinated federal recovery of fire-ravaged Hawaii.
Fenton is one of the nation’s most experienced disaster response-and-recovery officials who has been on the ground in Hawaii from August 8, the day the wildfires started. In this role, Fenton will oversee the Federal government’s long-term recovery work on the ground for Maui.
President Biden is directing Chief Federal Response Coordinator Fenton to ensure that every Federal asset is provided to help the community rebuild as fast as possible in Maui, the White House said.
The President issued a Major Disaster Declaration for Maui. Dozens of Federal departments and agencies continue working with state and local partners on the ground to assess ongoing needs and provide resources and personnel to support response efforts.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced $3 million, the full amount of “quick release” Emergency Relief (ER) funds requested by the Hawaii Department of Transportation, to offset costs associated with traffic management services and repairs to infrastructure needed as a result of damage caused by wildfires.
More than 1,000 Federal personnel are on the ground in Maui to aid response efforts.
The Biden The Administration has urged individuals impacted by the disaster to register for Federal assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
Impacted individuals can also visit FEMA’s newly opened joint Disaster Recovery Center at the University of Hawaii Maui College, located at 310 W. Ka’ahumanu Avenue, Kahului, Hawaii, to speak personally with FEMA specialists, get assistance registering for disaster assistance, get in touch with voluntary organizations offering additional support services, and have access to other federal and state resources.
On Monday, the President and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Maui to meet emergency responders, survivors, community members, as well as federal, state, and local officials, and survey the area devastated by the deadly wildfires.
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