A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator mentioned by Joe Biden in a video was in Hawaii ahead of deadly wildfires on Aug. 8 to attend an annual agency conference, a FEMA official told Reuters. “Due to the fires on Maui, participants from FEMA, the Hawaii delegation and many other federal agencies left the meeting early to address statewide response efforts,” Edwards said. Fenton is currently the Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 9, which includes the Hawaiian Islands (here), (here). In the clip of Biden’s Aug. 30 remarks, the president refers to his appointment of Fenton to lead the Maui response and rebuilding efforts. FEMA administrator Bob Fenton’s presence in Hawaii before the 2023 wildfires is not evidence that the disaster was planned.

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Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Bob Fenton “, Jeremy M, Edwards, Fenton, ” Edwards, Lemanu P.S, “, Bob Fenton, ” Fenton, Bob Fenton’s, Read Organizations: Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Reuters, Social, Facebook, Biden, Partnership, Regional, White, Guam Homeland Security, Civil Defense Locations: Hawaii, Honolulu, Oahu, “, Maui, American Samoa, United States, Guam