“We understand that connectivity is still scarce in some areas,” Deanne Criswell, the FEMA administrator and one of about 300 agency employees on the ground in Hawaii, told reporters on Monday.
There are questions about whether wildfire warnings were loud enough and early enough and whether government officials were adequately prepared to deal with the fires.
FEMA is typically the first agency to face intense scrutiny after disasters.
It is most often associated with its role responding to hurricanes, particularly because of its history of bungled reactions to previous disasters.
While the federal agency plays a critical role in disaster response, it is not meant to be the first on the scene.
Persons:
Deanne Criswell, Andrew, Hurricane, Hurricane Maria
Organizations:
FEMA, Hurricane, Defense Department
Locations:
Hawaii, Lahaina, Florida, Orleans, Puerto Rico