These are emergency recommendations: Top 20 actions to take now to heal Maui from the August 8, 2023 wildfires that claimed over 114 lives and to prevent similar disasters in the future. These ideas are also recommended for other islands and small communities world-wide.
- Fix the text message Wildfire Warning System, so everyone gets a warning text.
- Bike Lanes for wildfire escape during traffic jams and to reduce car traffic jams
- Alternative to electric poles that can fall and cause traffic jams (such as poles further away from road, underground electric wires , etc.)
- Requesting the Department of Justice to investigate and ensure racial equality in all county services the way in which they did in Ferguson, Missouri 2014-2015 investigations which were able to filter out all the employees who frequently used racial slurs in their text, emails, and communications
- Free child care which is important because so there were so many Maui wildfire fatalities that were latch key children (underage children who have the keys to their homes but their parents can't afford child care)
- Stop barriers that hinder Maui residents from receiving the care givers they need, that may have given them lifesaving transportation during the Maui wildfires
- Make sure all 80 sirens go off during the wildfire, which was not the case on August 8, 2023 and also still not the case on August 26, 2023 during the Kaanapali fires in which only a few sirens went off
- Ongoing fight for civil rights (as described my Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his "I Have a Dream" speech on behalf of African Americans, Hawaiians, and people of all races)
- Ensure that there is ongoing Hawaiian culture integration in everything by using leadership from groups such as the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
- 110-year preservation of information because it took a hundred years for the Tulsa, Oklahoma Greenwood Wildfires to receive hearings on Capitol Hill, we are formally and officially requesting that you preserve all information
17. 20-year Hawaiian temporary dividend fund, that pays Hawaiians annually (it's around $3,200+ in Alaska) which is similar and based on the Alaska permeant dividend fund which has given out annual payments since 1976
18. A rapid bus from Haiku to Lahaina, which is similar to Los Angeles, California rapid buses which have the power to turn red lights green and hold three times as many people
19. 20 % surge tax that only non-Hawaii residents pay that last for 20 years, that will help to pay for the aforementioned top 20 ideas in order to prevent wildfires
20. Honoring the past, present, and future
20a. Honoring the Past, have a car free - place for people to grieve from Market Street to Canal Street and from Front Street to the beach
20b. Honoring the present, we need to create pre- and post- firefighter high winds rapid response corps (F. R. C. pronounced fork) which would be similar Americor or the Peace Corps and would specialize in simply putting out hot spots which would have prevented the Maui wildfire, because there were hotspots between 7am and 2pm on August 8, 2023 which reignited into the inferno in Maui Wildfire
20c. Honoring the future, "From Dirt to Democracy" in Taiwan many decades ago their primary economy was based on dirt and farming and then they essentially turned it around so their economy was based on making microchips and became the microchip capital of the world and the democracy stronghold for the area around China. If Taiwan can change their economy from reliance on dirt and farming, then Maui can minimize our dependence on tourism which definitely helped cause the wildfire and deadly traffic jam then Maui can find a new industry which would help improve our schools, their environment, and most of all, all good things that come from a stronger Aloha Sprit community that works in the spirit of Democracy for all.
To listen to the 'Top 20 Aloha Ideas for Rebuilding Maui & Lahaina' chapter in "When Shooting Stars Dance" book, visit www.tinyurl/topalohaideas or www.tinyurl/topalohaideasbackup.
Mahalo, Aloha, and Love for All Worldwide