{"id":24030,"date":"2023-08-17T18:57:11","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T18:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=24030"},"modified":"2023-08-23T06:40:54","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T06:40:54","slug":"veteran-led-organizations-assist-in-hawaii-wildfires-relief-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=24030","title":{"rendered":"Veteran-led organizations assist in Hawaii wildfires relief operations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Teams from Veteran-led organizations are assisting in relief operations on the fire-stricken island of Hawaii.<\/p>\n

Project DYNAMO<\/a> and Team Rubicon<\/a> are among the Veteran-led organizations with crews on site in neighborhoods devastated by the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. In Maui, blazes consumed the historic tourist town of Lahaina, destroying nearly every building in an area with a population of 13,000.<\/p>\n

The death toll stands at at least 114, and hundreds of people are still unaccounted for. Thousands of people have been displaced.<\/p>\n

The air and ground team of Project DYNAMO, a non-profit rescue organization, has participated in \u201cOperation Ohana Safe\u201d on Maui. Ohana Safe means safe families. Project DYNAMO teamed up with a local company, Air Maui Helicopter Tours, to help with evacuation efforts in Lahaina, where entire city blocks have been incinerated.<\/p>\n

`These situations are very, very dynamic\u2019<\/h2>\n

Project DYNAMO began its relief efforts by rescuing people and has since added humanitarian drops including food, water and clothing.<\/p>\n

Bryan Stern, founder and CEO of Project DYNAMO, is an Army and Navy combat Veteran with more than 25 years of experience in hostage rescue and counter-terrorism operations. He\u2019s leading his organization\u2019s four-person team that has more than 100 years of experience combined in rescue operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese situations are very, very dynamic,\u201d he said, during the relief operation in an interview with 9 News Australia. \u201cThey change every hour. Some of the roads are opening up. Some of the infrastructure is coming back to life. But it\u2019s really terrible. They\u2019re running out of food. They\u2019re running out of supplies. There\u2019s lots of people that are homeless\u2026 These terrible situations also show the best of humanity. So when there is a catastrophe, there\u2019s some goodness that does come out of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Team Rubicon, a humanitarian organization that responds to natural disasters in the U.S. and around the world, unites Veterans with first responders to form emergency response teams. Local volunteers from Team Rubicon are in Maui helping those impacted by the wildfires. The volunteers are supporting with logistics, donation management, crowd management and traffic control.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur priority is assisting those in need and the safety of our [volunteers],\u201d Team Rubicon said in a statement. \u201cWe will follow the local warnings and advisors and understand that the priority is search and recovery operations.\u00a0We will ensure any [volunteers] deployed to the island will have a positive impact and will not take away needed resources from survivors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team Rubicon received a $1 million donation from Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) and The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation to assist survivors impacted by the wildfires.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past 10 years, Team Rubicon has built a dedicated team of over 1,000 Greyshirt volunteer leaders in Hawaii,\u201d said Art delaCruz, Team Rubicon CEO. \u201cCurrently, we have boots on the ground and are in close communication with local authorities and emergency managers to offer our immediate help in shelter set ups, food distribution, donation management and distribution, and staff for the local emergency operation center. We are extremely grateful to our partners at PXG for their unwavering commitment to supporting those in need.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Destruction from wildfires in Hawaii resembles a `war zone\u2019<\/h2>\n

Regarding the Veteran community, the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System<\/a> (VAPIHCS) is leading efforts to assist former service members and VA staff affected by the tragedy in Maui, where 3,125 Veterans live, including 354 in the Lahaina area.<\/p>\n

VAPIHCS has set up a donation center in the lobby of its headquarters in Honolulu and is working feverishly to get food, water, clothing and toiletries, among other necessities, to the Veterans in Maui. Recommended donation items are toiletry items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, toilet paper, disposable razors and hair ties. Nonperishable food items and water are also appreciated. Phone chargers, blankets, pillows, clothing, prepaid phones or shoes are also wanted.<\/p>\n

VA has also set up three shelters for Veterans in Maui, each of which offers mental health services, nursing services, pharmacy services, social work services and supportive housing consultations for homeless Veterans. Donated items will be distributed as they become available.<\/p>\n

Veterans on Maui can go to any of these shelters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Napilli Plaza address: 5095 Napilihau St, Lahaina, HI 96761<\/p>\n

\u2022 War Memorial, 700 Halia Nakoa St, Wailuku, HI 96793<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lahaina Gateway, 325 Keawe St, Lahaina, HI 96761<\/p>\n

VA\u2019s CBOC (Community Based Outpatient Center) on Maui was unaffected by the wildfires. Veterans can stop by the CBOC to pick up their medication, see clinicians and take showers.<\/p>\n

VA created a resource page<\/a> for Veterans affected by the wildfires. Veterans who need assistance can also call 1-800-214-1306 to speak with someone about resources that are available to them.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s information<\/a> on how you can donate to assist Veterans affected by the fires. On this form, please specify:<\/p>\n