Maui County Attorneys Irate that Firefighters' Emotional Testimony Included in Report
Including emotional testimony of firefighters and others about the deadly Maui wildfire in the recently released investigative analysis has some officials furious.
At least one Maui County attorney said first responders, deputies, directors and others were never advised that the interviews would be released to the public, KHON reported.
But, the Fire Safety Research Insititute's program manager disputes that claim, saying interviewees knew they would be made public.
“They knew these things were going to be used for the analysis. That was understood,” Derek Alkonis said during a press conferenec Friday.
The interviews were part of the FSRI report -- released Friday -- that analyzed the planning, response and operations at the historic wildfire last August that claimed 102.
“Every one of those interviews that I personally attended, they did say they were being recorded. They did not say anything about these individuals having their name and content being publicly disclosed,” Maui Corp Counsel Victoria Takeyasu said.
The Department of the Attorney General, however, said it stands by what was in the news conference and that “it was made clear from data one that this investigation would be transparent to the fullest extent possible.”
Attorney General Anne Lopez stated explicitly that documents, media materials and statements would be made public. She added the recordings are government records under Hawaii law and are subject to disclosure.
County officials are concerned the release of statements will cause trauma to those who responded to the deadly inicdent.
“They, you know, broke down and you know, really bared their souls. I don’t think it’s appropriate to now have that blasted out to the public,” Takeyasu added.
Also, interviewees were not offered immunity from subsequent civil or criminal prosecution in exchange for their testimony. Maui County Special Counsel David Minkin said some are looking at legal representation.
A recorded interview from Maui Fire Department Battalion Chief, Lee Theros, was one of about 150 technical interviews conducted by the Fire Safety Research Institute as part of their analysis of the Maui wildfire, with the recording available to the public.
The County said that
