News Releases

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers establishes Recovery Field Office in Kihei

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District
Published Sept. 29, 2023
A group of people carry tables up a set of stairs.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, Hawaiʻi wildfires Recovery Field Office commander Col. Jess Curry, along with Dwayne French, RFO safety officer, and Kenny Amuro, emergency management specialist, bring in tables during the setup of the RFO Sept. 28 in Kihei, Hawaiʻi. An RFO allows USACE to have a central location for its mission experts to work and support the Maui community during this disaster response. (U.S. Army photo)

Five men wearing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Emergency Operations shirts work in an office setting.

The Critical Public Facilities team works out of the recently established U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District’s Hawaiʻi wildfires Recovery Field Office in Kihei, Hawaiʻi, Sept. 29. The CPF team will be managing the construction of the temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary School for approximately 600 of Lahaina’s children. (U.S. Army photo by Edward Rivera)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established a Recovery Field Office this week on Maui to oversee the management and execution of Federal Emergency Management Agency recovery missions following the wildfires that ravaged the towns of Lahaina, Kula and Olinda. 

An RFO allows USACE to have a central location for its mission experts to work and support the Maui community during this disaster response. 

“From here, USACE’s team leads for debris, power, and critical public facilities work with on-the-ground leadership and partner agencies to better facilitate the recovery effort,” said Col. Jess Curry, RFO commander. “As we move forward, we will also work with cultural and community advisors to develop a detailed process in support of FEMA, the state of Hawaiʻi and Maui County that helps us protect the cultural heritage of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi residents." 

From the town of Kihei, a cadre of USACE professionals will work behind-the-scenes providing logistics, finance and administrative support, enabling the planning and response teams to execute the mission on the ground, providing direct support to the hardest-hit communities. 

“USACE has been on Maui since the early response stages. The RFO stand up is an important milestone for recovery operations and a promise that USACE is here until the job is done,” said Curry. 

To learn more about USACE’s role in the Hawai'i wildfires response, visit: https://www.poh.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Response/Hawaii-Wildfires/ 


Contact
Recovery Field Office Public Affairs
808-835-4062
hawaiifiresmedia@usace.army.mil

Release no. 23-020