President Biden to appoint FEMA Regional Administrator for Region 9 Bob Fenton "Chief Federal Response Coordinator" for Maui to oversee the long-term coordinated federal recovery as Hawaii rebuilds
More than 1,000 Federal personnel are on the ground in Maui
to aid response efforts
Today, Monday, August 21, President Biden 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. The President and First Lady will affirm that our entire nation stands with Hawaii in this time of grief and recovery.
As the recovery moves into the next phase, President Biden, alongside FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, will announce that he is appointing FEMA Region 9 Administrator Bob Fenton as the Federal government's "Chief Federal Response Coordinator" for Maui. Mr. Fenton is one of the nation's most experienced disaster response-and-recovery officials who has been on the ground in Hawaii from 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.
Since the onset of this unprecedented tragedy, President Biden launched a whole-of-government effort to support residents and affected communities - and as soon as Hawaii Governor Josh Green requested a Major Disaster Declaration, the President signed it. 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.
Below are updated statistics and actions from the Biden-Harris Administration's whole of government response, including a new U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announcement of the immediate availability of $3 million, the full amount of "quick release" Emergency Relief (ER) funds requested by the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), to offset costs associated with traffic management services and repairs to infrastructure needed as a result of damage caused by wildfires.
The Administration encourages individuals impacted by the disaster to register for Federal assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
