President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are set to make their first visit to Hawaii following the devastating wildfires which resulted in more than 100 deaths. Biden has been criticized by both sides as he has been quiet in regard to Hawaii and the devastation.
A White House official noted that during the visit the President and his wife are going to have a meeting with emergency responders, community members, and survivors of the wildfire. They are also scheduled to meet with officials from all levels of government, including local, state, and federal officials.
The deadly fire reportedly killed 114 people. The Bidens are set to arrive in Maui in the morning and they are going to be taking a helicopter tour over the impacted area. They are then set to land in Lahaina where they will get to witness firsthand the damage caused by the wildfire as well as receive a briefing from officials.
The statement from the White House also noted that following the tour, President Biden is going to be delivering remarks paying his respect to the victims of the fire. He is also set to announce that FEMA Region 9 Administrator Bob Fenton is going to be acting as the Chief Federal Response Coordinator overseeing the federal recovery efforts in the long run.
The White House pointed out the long experience that Fenton has in disaster response and that he has been in Hawaii from the very first day of the wildfires. The recovery efforts in the community are going to include rebuilding the community and ensuring that the federal government can provide all resources necessary in an expedited process.
