Mayor Richard Bissen today announced that Amos Lonokailua-Hewett has been selected as the new administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), effective Jan. 1, 2024. He brings to the position 25 years of service with Maui Fire Department (MFD) before retiring in 2019 as a battalion chief.

As head of the MFD training division, Lonokailua-Hewett established the Fire Ground Operations program in 2010 and served nine years as the program director developing the department’s “live fire” program. He was the first instructor in the State of Hawaii’s Blue Card program which provided incident command and control certification for fire officers, serving as the program director for eight years. He also was the lead instructor for various professional certifications including Firefighter I and II, Fire Officer I and II and Fire Instructor I and II.

He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Administration in 2017, and received a Master’s degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on Emergency Services Management in 2019 from Columbia Southern University. Born on O`ahu and raised on Maui, Lonokailua-Hewett is currently president of Waihona Emergency & Training Consultants LLC. He has practiced hula for 32 years and formally and traditionally graduated (uniki) under Loea Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett in 2008 and is fluent in the Hawaiian language.

“Amos is deeply committed to our community’s well-being. His extensive history with the Maui Fire Department and the emergency management profession, combined with his experience with our Maui County emergency operating center will contribute greatly to strengthening our emergency management efforts. Our County will benefit from his leadership, expertise and professionalism. I look forward to having him return to public service as a key member of our team,” said Mayor Bissen.

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