Photo By Mark Haviland | Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs,...... read more read more
Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, Rebecca Zimmerman, visited Maui August 29, 2024 where she visited key project sites and met with key leaders to develop a greater understanding of the Maui Wildfires Recovery Mission.
Her visit to the Island of Maui began with a stop to the Maui Medical Examiner’s Office. There, she received a briefing on the heroic efforts of that office, in cooperation with personnel from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency played in the recovery and identification of victims of the Lahaina wildfire.
Zimmerman’s visited several debris removal locations and received briefings from U.S. Army Corps of Engineer personnel on the progress of site preparation at a temporary housing location.
To help gain an understanding of Lahaina’s deep historical and cultural significance as the previous capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the center of Hawaiian culture, she also attended a “pule” or a traditional Hawaiian prayer ceremony.
The pule was conducted at the historic Hauola Stone in Lahaina, which dates back as fast at the 14th and 15th centuries as a birthing stone for “ali‘i” or Hawaiian chiefs.
USACE’s efforts to work with cultural advisors and being sensitive to Native Hawaiian traditions, including pule, before missions and significant events continues to help foster trust and respect within the community.
Zimmerman’s visit to Lahaina continued this respect to honor both the land and its people.
Zimmerman’s portfolio includes advising the Secretary of Defense and other senior defense leaders on homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities; Arctic and global resilience; and U.S. defense and security policy for Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.
Zimmerman’s office is responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of Department of Defense policy for support to domestic incident response and contributing to the development of homeland defense policy in support of achieving a more secure and resilient nation. The efforts of both USACE and DPAA were conducted under DSCA authorities promulgated by her office.
On August 9, 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued an initial mission assignment to USACE to activate Emergency Support Function #3 Public Works and Engineering. Under the Stafford Act, USACE and other federal agencies work under the direction of FEMA, as provided under the National Response Framework. FEMA has issued 10 mission assignments to USACE, totaling $1.15 billion. ESF#3 missions USACE has provided include temporary power, critical public facilities, debris removal, and temporary housing. Since August of 2023, over 1,300 USACE personnel have deployed to Maui in support of both response and recovery mission roles.
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2024 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 480719 |
| Location: | LAHAINA, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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