The fires that devastated Maui in August 2023 were a turning point in my life. In the days after the fires I had the opportunity to serve those in Lahaina and came to the realization that everyone in our island community needs to be prepared for emergencies. Whether it be a fire, hurricane, pandemic, or an extended utility outage, we must be ready to sustain our ‘ohana through these difficult times.
Like we saw in Lahaina, it can often take government and local services a few days to respond and provide basic needs to those impacted by an emergency. Therefore I designed a 72 hour emergency supply kit, or “go bag”, that can help sustain a family of 4 for that duration. I researched government recommendations for supply items and selected quality components that would be dependable yet cost effective. Each bag contains the following:
- Large duffel bag made of 50% recycled material with ‘Ohana Ready logo
- 3 days of emergency food supply for 4 people
- 5 gallon water storage container and water treatment tablets
- Cell phone charging battery pack with built in phone connectors
- Emergency radio with rechargeable battery, solar, and crank power source
- First Aid Kit
- 12 KN95 masks
- 4 rain ponchos
- 4 emergency foil mylar thermal blankets / shelter
- 1 roll duct tape
- 2 emergency whistles
- 2 headlamps and 8 AAA batteries (extra for headlamps)
- Non-sparking utility shutoff wrench
- Waterproof document holder
- Large foldout map of Maui Nui
- Pack of moist towelettes
- 5 biohazard waste bags
- Instructions for adding additional personal items (i.e. clothing, medicine, etc.)
My objective is for every household on Maui to have a go-bag, and to achieve that I am asking for your donation to help provide go-bags to our community members in need. A $200 donation covers the cost of a go-bag which will be delivered to a family who lost their home to the 2023 fires. Any donation amount help us towards our goal. Your donation is tax deductible through the 501c3 non-profit status of ‘Ohana Ready. Please use the following button to make a donation:
If the button does not work you can access the fundraising page directly via this link:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=7Z8LACPEXSP3L
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their lives, and to all who were impacted physically, emotionally, and mentally by the fires. It is also a time to reflect on how we can prepare ourselves for what may come in the future, and join together with our family, friends, and community to make our ‘ohana ready. Thank you for all your love and support for our community!
Mahalo,
Andy Ferayorni
'Ohana Ready 501c3