21 August 2023
LAHAINA, Hawaii (NewsNation) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Maui Monday to survey the damage from the Hawaiian wildfires and meet with victims.
It’s an important moment for the president as he and his administration have been under intense scrutiny for their response to the wildfires ahead of his visit.
The two landed in Maui around 11 a.m. local time and boarded helicopters to get an aerial view of the devastation.
They went to Lahaina, where they got a first-hand look at the damage from the ground. There, Biden was briefed by state and local officials on the extent of the damage.
“The country grieves with you, stands with you and will do everything possible to help you recover, rebuild and respect culture and traditions when the rebuilding takes place,” Biden said in a news conference after touring the damage.
Later in the day, the president and first lady will attend a community event, meeting with first responders and survivors who escaped the fire.
The visit is an opportunity for Biden to act as consoler-in-chief, especially after initially giving a “no comment” response about the fires. His original reaction to the devastation rubbed many in Maui the wrong way.
The Biden administration has also been criticized for FEMA’s response, as many victims claimed they couldn’t get access to resources and basic necessities last week.
However, FEMA officials claim the help is there. More than 1,000 FEMA personnel are on the ground in Maui and $8.2 million is available in assistance. Also, FEMA has given out 50,000 meals so far as well as 75,000 liters of water.
Other federal entities like the Army Corps of Engineers are also on the ground in Maui, setting up generators to restore power to the island. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been helping with identifying the human remains of those who did not survive.
Biden is also expected to announce a new chief of the federal response to this disaster for FEMA and a new $3 million grant from the Department of Transportation that will be immediately available to Hawaii to help in the recovery.