The Hawaiʻi National Guard (HING) has concluded its response operations on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu following the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Lala, while soldiers and airmen continue supporting recovery efforts on Hawaiʻi Island and Maui.
At the height of the response, as many as 250 HING soldiers and airmen were activated on state active duty to support state and county emergency management agencies and provide critical capabilities to communities affected by the storm.
“Our soldiers and airmen answered the call to service, putting community first in support of response and recovery efforts during Tropical Cyclone Lala,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, adjutant general of the state of Hawaiʻi. “Their commitment to helping neighbors in need, from lifesaving rescues to damage assessments, reflect their dedication to help families begin to recover.”
HING personnel worked alongside county emergency management officials and first responders as conditions improved and recovery operations began. National Guard liaison officers were embedded within county Emergency Operations Centers, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) and the Honolulu Police Department Joint Operations Center to help coordinate requests for assistance and connect HING capabilities with local needs.
As Tropical Cyclone Lala moved through the Hawaiian Islands, HING personnel provided a range of emergency response and recovery capabilities, including high-water rescues and evacuations, debris clearance, delivery of donated supplies, damage assessments and aerial reconnaissance.
High-wheeled vehicle teams positioned on Hawaiʻi Island assisted 16 residents and rescued two emergency medical paramedics who became stranded by the floodwaters.
On Hawaiʻi Island, the response continues in the remote Kaʻū District, where Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Hawaiʻi National Guard’s 93rd Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package (93rd CERFP) partnered with the Hawaiʻi Fire Department to conduct door-to-door safety and wellness checks.
“What we saw when we first came out to site was all the landslides from the top of the cemetery and down to the main road. So we knew that already that there are going to be a lot of uneven spaces, a lot of rubble piles,” said Senior Master Sgt. Hyurn Chu, 154th Force Support Squadron, a member of the 93rd CERFP.
As of Aug. 21, teams visited over 320 homes, checking on residents and helping identify needs in communities affected by the storm.
The HING continues to support Maui County’s recovery efforts with personnel integrated into eight joint damage assessment teams. The teams completed 11 comprehensive assessments of storm-affected areas, providing local officials with information to help arrange recovery needs.
Senior state and county leaders also conducted an aerial assessment flight to survey widespread storm damage. The flight included the governor, Hawaiʻi County mayor and the adjutant general, providing an aerial perspective of affected communities and infrastructure.
While the HING has concluded its response operations on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, personnel remain ready to support Hawaiʻi and Maui counties as recovery efforts continue.
The HING continues to coordinate with county emergency management agencies and HIEMA for additional requests for assistance. At the same time the HING is monitoring incoming Tropical Storm Moke and has begun pre-positioning assets in preparation for potential impacts to the state.
"We are preparing for Tropical Storm Moke by proactively repositioning personnel and equipment based on the latest forecast. This deliberate staging of our capabilities ensures we can rapidly respond to the hardest-hit areas the moment emergency requests for assistance are received from state and county managers,” said Brig. Gen. Damon Hogsten, Director of the Joint Staff, Hawaiʻi National Guard.
The experience gained from previous disaster responses, such as the Kona Low Storms in March, is helping shape the HING’s approach to Tropical Storm Moke.
“By continuously applying lessons learned from previous disasters, we have refined our response tactics. A key example is the close integration of our high-wheeled vehicle teams with local police and fire departments, ensuring life-saving assets are deployed precisely where they are needed most,” said Hogsten.
The response reflects the Hawaiʻi National Guard’s dual mission of serving the people of Hawaiʻi during times of crisis while maintaining readiness to fight and win America’s wars as part of the nation’s defense.