Sign up now to receive free updates on Climate change. We will send you a myFT Daily Digest email every morning, rounding up the latest news on Climate change. Welcome to the Swamp, Alec! Following your lead, I thought it would be fitting to embark on a virtual field trip for my first contribution. Today, we are heading to the beautiful Hawaiian island of Maui.
Unfortunately, Maui recently experienced a series of devastating wildfires that resulted in the tragic loss of over 114 lives, with another 1,000 people still unaccounted for. The residents are rightfully blaming state, local, and federal officials for the shockingly high death toll. One official has already resigned due to the backlash.
Reports from Hawaiians reveal that they received little to no warning as the fast-moving flames approached their homes. Among the heart-wrenching stories of individuals fleeing to the ocean to escape the inferno, one common theme emerged: the frustratingly long wait for aid. However, officials have now mobilized hundreds of first responders to set up shelters and provide emergency relief in the form of food and water.
The anger and frustration in Hawaii cross party lines. Democratic Governor Josh Green has ordered an official review of the decision not to utilize the island’s emergency siren system, while conservatives argue that the situation could have been mitigated if fewer resources were sent to Ukraine. Unfortunately, federal disaster management has long been fraught with political complications.
I still vividly remember the catastrophic response by the George W. Bush administration to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Despite being just nine years old at the time, I couldn’t help but wonder why the government wasn’t doing more to help those in need. A classmate of mine, who had relocated to Tennessee after losing everything in New Orleans, exemplified the failures of our disjointed response system. It became clear that her family fell through the cracks of a complex bureaucracy, depriving them of the aid they desperately needed.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), responsible for leading recovery efforts after national disasters in the US, is severely understaffed and reliant on supplemental funding bills from Congress, which often get mired in unrelated conflicts. FEMA’s administrator has already warned that their relief fund will be depleted by the end of the month, just as the peak hurricane season begins. Despite legislation enacted after Katrina and Hurricane Sandy, the issues remain unresolved.
Why should we allow our government to compound the suffering of those already living through their worst nightmares? Advocates for “disaster justice” are campaigning for significant reforms in recovery institutions, arguing that current programs are slow, convoluted, and disproportionately benefit wealthier white communities. These activists also urge officials to move beyond climate denialism and excessive spending debates, and instead invest in infrastructure that can mitigate the impact of future storms and fires. Their points are valid and require serious consideration.
I could write pages recounting tales of human suffering exacerbated by our woefully inadequate emergency response system, from Hurricane Harvey in Texas to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, not to mention the tornadoes I’ve personally endured in Tennessee. However, I’m limited by the word count of this newsletter. Fellow Swampians, please understand that this problem is extensive and deeply rooted.
All indicators suggest that human-caused climate change is intensifying these extreme weather events, yet our defenses remain grossly inadequate due to political factors. It is imperative that we reflect deeply on how we can rectify this situation.
Alec, how do the stories coming out of Hawaii compare to your experiences with disaster responses in the places you have lived and reported from?
Recommended reading:
I highly recommend this episode of the FT Weekend podcast that delves into the realm of pasta, exploring how politicians have entered a domain where they may not belong.
Also, my colleagues Anna Nicolaou and Christopher Grimes have written a poignant obituary for the era of affordable streaming. Hollywood studios are scaling back on new shows and reportedly underpaying their talent. It remains to be seen if consumers will continue to pay the price.
As an avid swimmer, I thoroughly enjoyed reading an array of brilliant writers sharing their cherished memories of hotel pools.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our FTWeekend Festival on Saturday, September 2 at Kenwood House Gardens in London. Book your pass now for a day of stimulating debates, tastings, Q&As, and more. As a valued newsletter subscriber, you can claim a £20 discount on your festival pass using the promo code FTWFxNewsletters at ft.com/festival.
Alec Russell responds:
Your powerful post, Taylor, about the inadequate official response to the wildfires in Hawaii struck a chord with me on several levels. As I read about this tragedy in recent days, my mind also turned to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. When the storm hit Louisiana almost 18 years ago, I rushed there from Washington where I was working as a reporter and was appalled by the ineffective response. While some initial reports of anarchy were later proven false, the overall impression of a failing system holds up.
City, state, and federal agencies all fell short, clashing and blaming each other predictably. President Bush, rightly so in the end, faced the majority of the blame. His disengaged response and endorsement of Michael Brown, the head of FEMA at the time, represented a system that failed to respond decisively.
The crisis exposed fundamental flaws in the structure of disaster management, which was bewildering to me at the time. As a reporter who had covered humanitarian disasters in the Middle East and Africa, I found it disheartening that even in the world’s sole superpower, the response was as ineffective as in less developed regions.
To give credit where it’s due, once the recovery efforts gained momentum, the US showcased an impressive response. The military’s deployment to New Orleans brought order, with elite units reminiscent of those I had seen in Iraq restoring stability. I also witnessed incredible acts of heroism and selflessness as individuals risked their lives to save others.
However, the fact that FEMA remains ill-prepared is disheartening. It’s a call to action for us in the media as well. Too often, disaster coverage follows a predictable pattern of criticism directed at aid agencies in the aftermath, only to fade away shortly after.
Perhaps I should propose to the FT’s foreign editor that you travel to Hawaii in a few months for an in-depth follow-up. It’s an opportunity to delve deeper into the issue.
Read more from Alec Russell in today’s Big Read on the “à la carte world” and our new geopolitical landscape. This is the first in a series exploring how the standoff between America and China has ushered in a new era of opportunities for countries across the globe.
Your feedback:
We would love to hear from you. Please feel free to email us at [email protected]. You can reach Alec at [email protected] and Taylor at [email protected]. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AlecuRussell and @TaylorNRogers. Selected responses may be featured in our next newsletter.
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