Lahaina fire after-action report: Maui police commit to obtaining special equipment, better communication

The Maui Police Department's preliminary after-action report looks at the island's response to the Lahaina wildfire to better prepare for future tragedies.

"The Maui Police Department, in collaboration with other emergency response agencies, worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of our residents, coordinate evacuations, and provide support to those in need," the report said. "The bravery and resilience demonstrated by our officers, personnel, fellow first responders, and members of the community who continued to assist the community while suffering losses themselves, have been nothing short of extraordinary."

Many of the report’s recommendations call for better equipment and updates to technology, from getting officers earpieces they can use when high winds make it hard to hear their radios to equipping patrol cars with breaching kits to remove downed trees or utility poles from roadways.