By Staff Reports
(Honolulu) — The City and County of Honolulu announced that a specialized incident management team from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has been deployed to Oʻahu to support ongoing recovery operations following the recent Kona low storm.
The FDNY All-Hazards Incident Management Team was established in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks and has since been deployed to support response, rescue, and recovery efforts at major disasters across the United States. Through years of collaboration and training, the FDNY team and Hawai‘i’s incident management teams have built a strong and trusted working relationship.
In response to the widespread debris and damage caused by the recent storm, the Honolulu Incident Management Team requested additional support to help accelerate recovery operations. On Saturday, March 28, a 14-member FDNY IMT arrived on Oʻahu and is now embedded with local teams, assisting with coordination, logistics, and debris removal operations.
“This is what partnership looks like at its best,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We are grateful to the FDNY Incident Management Team for answering the call and standing shoulder to shoulder with our crews. Their experience in managing complex disaster operations will help us move faster and more efficiently as we continue to clear debris and support our impacted communities. This kind of collaboration and expertise makes a real difference for our residents.”
The additional support comes as City crews and contractors continue extensive cleanup efforts across the North Shore and other impacted areas, working to remove thousands of tons of storm debris and restore affected neighborhoods.
City officials emphasized that recovery remains a coordinated, multi-agency effort and expressed appreciation for both local responders and national partners contributing to the ongoing work.
“Our sole focus remains on the people of Oʻahu,” Blangiardi added. “Every additional resource helps us get one step closer to recovery, and we will continue to do everything we can to support our communities through this process.”