Private jet company teams up with Direct Relief, aiding Maui residents over recent wildfires
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A private jet company recently teamed up with Direct Relief in aiding Maui residents over historic wildfires that devastated the island.
The private airline, ROAM Maui, operates Boeing 737-700s that shuttles Maui homeowners between the island, Los Angeles, San Jose and Seattle.
In their efforts to help Maui residents, ROAM Maui is teaming up with the Goleta-based organization to send medical supplies and essential cargo to the island.
On Saturday, ROAM Maui helped Direct Relief fly out nearly 2,000 pounds of emergency supplies to Maui.
"ROAM Maui has helped Direct Relief transport almost 2,000 pounds of emergency medicine that have been requested by healthcare services and rescue teams," said Direct Relief Global Emergency Response Manager Chris Alleway. "We're going to be able to transport and distribute among the island and hopefully get these emergency medicines... into the hands of the communities who need it most."
Recently, the private jet company sent a plane with items to Maui on Monday and last Thursday, from the King County International Airport-Boeing Field in Seattle. Within an hour of landing, emergency supplies were being given to the people of Maui.
Over a week after the Maui wildfires, the recent death toll stands to at least 111 with thousands of Lahaina residents still unaccounted for or missing. Among the victims were Lahaina’s most vulnerable, including children.
According to Census Reporter, an organization that analyzes U.S. Census data, just over a quarter of Lahaina’s 13,000 residents are under the age of 18. Another 10% are ages 71 or older.
Managing Partner at ROAM Maui David Young says when he heard of the wildfires he immediately wanted to help the people of Maui. Young was born and raised in the city of Santa Barbara before he began the semi-private jet company for Maui homeowners.
"So when this all went down — obviously we've been working for the last year and a half servicing flights for this [private] air service — we were devastated like everyone else," said Young. "We wanted to make a call-to-action as quickly as possible."
The private jet company uses private airports and doesn't need to use the main terminals — such as the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — which makes trips to and from Maui seamless, says Young.
Young says he contacted Alleway and instantly formed a partnership to aid the people of Maui.
ROAM Maui and Direct Relief is part of other non-bureaucratic and grassroots organizations, leading the way in helping the people of Maui.
"It was a real win-win for the residents and the citizens of Maui," said Young. "It's just been a horrible tragedy that we're trying to do our best to support."
Young says they will be shipping out more supplies to Maui on Friday Aug. 18 from LAX.
On the bureaucratic side, President Joe Biden was criticized for staying silent on the matter, while vacationing in his home state of Delaware as fires torched Lahaina and other areas of Maui.
The president has since authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to send $700 to each Maui household and is also sending additional assistance to Hawaii.
On Wednesday, White House officials said President Biden will visit Maui on Monday.
ROAM Maui is also working with Maui Community Relief, which is providing resources to the Maui community impacted by the wildfires.
For those interested in donating, ROAM Maui is encouraging people to give directly to the Maui Food Bank as well as Maui Humane Society.
Donations can also be dropped at specific locations found in the private jet's website.
