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  • November

    The first soil samples were collected at a property site cleared of debris in Kula, Maui, Hawaiʻi, marking a milestone with the Hawaiʻi Wildfires Debris Mission. If the samples come back below the Hawaiʻi Department of Health cleanup goals, the property owner can proceed with their rebuilding effort. FEMA tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to execute the debris removal mission on Maui and USACE is managing contractor ECC to fulfill the mission.

    Soil sample collection begins in Hawaiʻi Wildfire debris removal mission

    The first soil samples were collected at a property site cleared of debris by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Kula, marking a milestone with the Hawaiʻi Wildfires Debris Mission, Nov. 18, 2023. If the samples come back below the Hawaiʻi Department of Health cleanup goals, the property owner can proceed with their rebuilding effort. This comes a little more than three months after devastating wildfires fueled by high winds and dry conditions swept across Kula and Lahaina, Maui, Aug. 8, 2023. The sampling will continue across Kula as more impacted sites are cleared.
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors prepare a site for construction of a new temporary elementary school campus for the Lahaina, Hawai'i, community, Nov. 25, 2023, after receiving the Notice to Proceed Nov. 20. The base contract for $53.7 million was awarded to Pono Aina Management, LLC, of Waianae, Hawai‘i, Nov. 4. It is anticipated that the temporary school will be handed over to the Department of Education for furnishing and installation of telecommunication equipment by the end of February 2024.

    USACE progressing on temporary school in Lahaina

    The wind-driven wildfires that devastated Maui left elementary students in the historic town of Lahaina without an elementary school. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers went into action after receiving a mission assignment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sept. 13 to design and oversee the installation of modular buildings for the temporary elementary school in Lahaina.
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CIO/G6 Enterprise Emergency Response Team member Dale Carton installs a Wi-Fi router in a construction trailer at the site where a temporary elementary school is being built.

    USACE prepares site for temporary elementary school in Lahaina

    Site work recently began for the installation of a temporary elementary school in Lahaina, Maui, to replace one lost in the Aug. 8, 2023, Hawaiʻi Wildfires.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, temporary housing mission specialist Anne Wurtenberger, looks at a proposed site map. (U.S. Army photo by Brigida I. Sanchez)

    USACE temporary housing team lays groundwork for those displaced by Maui wildfires

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received a $1.9 million Federal Emergency Management Agency mission assignment Oct. 28 to provide conceptual design for temporary housing sites. Once a design is approved, USACE will prepare the sites for FEMA to install the units. The units will house those displaced by the Aug. 8 wildfires that destroyed more than 2,000 properties on Maui.
  • People in safety vests and a man in sunglesses

    Federal partners team up for Hawai‘i wildfires cleanup

    Disasters are multi dynamic, fluid events that evolve rapidly. Given the fast-paced nature of disasters, a comprehensive disaster response requires teamwork. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency often collaborate on various environmental and regulatory matters in the United States.

  • October

    Two ladies, one standing holding therapy dog, the other rubbing the dog.

    Paws for comfort

    To help employees overcome some of the challenges associated with disaster events, USACE deploys the Critical Incident Stress Management program. CISM is a peer-driven stress management program that combines pre-crisis preparation, stress education and post-event response to help people recover more quickly from abnormally stressful job-related incidents.
  • Uniformed female Army Soldier in uniform.

    Battle captains help navigate RFO through disaster recovery operations in Maui

    A Recovery Field Office is a vital element of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ operations during Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery missions. A management function of an RFO consists of a group of active-duty Soldiers, dubbed battle captains. Battle captains are a vital component of USACE’s disaster deployment response. A battle captain's primary tasks are to receive, track and distribute information to the team as well as advise the RFO commander, RFO personnel, and USACE leadership on current mission objectives.
  • Corps tech support works on modem at Recovery Field Office in Kihei, Hawai'i

    Enterprise Emergency Response Team, keeping team members connected

    During disaster recovery, technology is foundational for a mission’s success. Ensuring U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ employees have access to the tools they need to accomplish tasks while deployed, is a team of IT professionals working quietly behind the scenes.
  • A woman speaks to two men wearing Army uniforms in an outdoor setting.

    Cultural awareness at forefront of historic Hawai‘i wildfires recovery mission

    USACE has contracted a Cultural Hui (team) of community leaders and cultural practitioners, architects and archaeology professionals to ensure the culturally appropriate execution of the USACE debris removal mission.
  • A man speaks to two other men in an office setting.

    Infrastructure Systems cadre partners with communities for the long haul

    The Infrastructure Systems Recovery Support Function is led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and has begun working with Maui County and its partners in the aftermath of the Hawai'i wildfires.