I have no social media accounts. I took my info and pics out of them on December 31st, 2020. If you find one in my name, or my father's name, which has a new post or pic as of that date it is a fraudulent account.
The only way to reach me is through this website and "Big Dave" is no longer with us...
Again, if you find any social media account/s under one of the names below, with fresh posts, data or pics it is not me:
So, we have folks going neighborhood to neighborhood and parking lot to parking lot getting needs from folks who will not leave their “area”. They are then driving back to this side with their lists and we all run around to find the stuff on the lists – they are not letting any supply vehicles in unless they are visibly full (so there’s a caveat to overcome). We usually load up any “not-full” truck with full gas cans, water, toilet paper, dry wipes and such…
If someone on the island could donate their Mobile Starlink for a few weeks or so they could let us know what they need as they are driving toward us and we can have it waiting for them when they arrive…
It would cut the resupply time from a day to a few hours…
Everyone is where they are going to be for a while (at this point). Those who made it to this side of the island are going to stay where they are and those who stayed on that side are going to stay where they are – so, for now, we just have to deal with “what is”…
It would be great if we could possibly setup a few “Starlink Centers” (with security of course) if we get more than a few donations – so the folks out there can have COMMS and call loved ones…
I made a list a few days ago of a few helpful items which can be used in case of emergency. If anyone thinks of something else can go on this list, let me know. These people are not survivalist – and many are not thinking straight – so the list needs to be “easy to use” items.
I’m not going to put anything on the list that can start a fire or potentially be a weapon (nothing that has a blade or shoots any projectile), and
I won’t put anything I haven’t used and had a good experience with on the list.
I added Starlink to it (but there’s a monthly bill for Starlink so I don’t expect that to go anywhere):
Rainman Desalination Kits – I would still run the water that came out of this through one or two of the filters below due to what is in the sea water right now – I’d run it through as many filters as possible (they all filter out more of this or that specific microscopic “blah-blah” that can make you sick)
Inergytek – Solar Panels w/ Solar Generator/Batteries RockPals – Solar Panels w/ Solar Generator/Batteries EcoFlow – Solar Panels w/ Solar Generator/Batteries
The distribution places on the Lahaina Side are full – if you have a plan with someone on that side to go house to house, neighborhood to neighborhood, parking lot to parking lot and car to car distributing things directly to people (who will not leave their “areas” or houses) then you may have a productive day. The distribution places will turn you away – so don’t waste the resources to go out there unless you have a plan (with someone on the Lahaina Side).
A lot of folks are just loading up and going over there and coming back with full trucks – have a plan before you waste time and resources. There’s still another 150,000 people on this side of the island who require those resources – stop raiding the stores!
Basically, Lower Honoapiilani is the road to find people to help (or to find someone who can point you in the right direction – it changes day to day). There are a lot of culdesacs and small streets running off Lower Honoapiilani that also may need attention… Do not go down without a convoy or large group of people – stay safe! Talk to people – ask them what they need…
Today, the immediate needs are Ice, Gas and Toilet Paper. I’m thinking they’re using the gas for their generators (because those who are there are not looking to drive anywhere at this point).
Soon, they will need Meds and more Generators to run the fridges to keep the meds (such as insulin) cold…
Of course, if they have bottled water, a freezer and a generator they can make ice for their neighbors all day long – but no one is thinking straight right now… That may be the combo to look for in the coming weeks – the freezer and geni don’t have to be large…
Anyway, trying to figure out the plan for tomorrow so I’m gonna sign off now…
Please do not come here… Every tank of gas you buy – every meal you buy – everything you do takes resources from relief efforts.
Send boxes of things – old cloths from your closets, cleaning supplies or canned goods from your kitchen or bathroom – soap, shaving supplies, shampoo, toilet paper – see the list in the last post… After the “sweeps” and “investigation” is over, cleanup will start – shovels, trashbags, push brooms will all be important at that point…
We have finite supplies on the island – so, if you are here – stop raiding Costco, Safeway, Foodland, Walmart, Target, Ace Hardware, Home Depot and Lowes for supplies and then donating them – this is “displacing” resources we will need next week and the weeks to follow…
If you feel the need to donate, please order it online and have it sent here – and then donate it…
News Crews – I get it, use to be a cameraman myself – stop using resources. Bring in your own food, water and gas… Actually, you want to be helpful…? Take resources in with you… You want the shot…? Help people – they may tell you their story… Don’t worry, you don’t need to be part of the story by helping a few folks…
The only thing we (being my family and those with us in the relief efforts) really need money for (for the next week or so) is to take gas cans, bottled water, stacks of pizzas or plate lunches to the other side – there’s no working gas stations or markets over there right now and the shelters idea of a meal is a joke… So if you send me or Anna money that’ll be what we’ll be doing with it for the next few days…
Anything else you send us will be to get the stuff from the last post so we can distribute it to those who need it…
Yesterday, I went to the West Side (Lahaina) in a convoy to drop off supplies. The first three places we tried (churches) were very picky in what they received – they were “full up” with supplies. So we ended up taking most of what we had to the guy who popped a tent over on Honokawai Beach who was receiving and distributing right there on the sidewalk – the line of people was moving and there were no issues (we saw a few issues on the way in and didn’t know what to expect when we got further in). We drove by this guy on the way to our first drop point and saw that there were dinghies and jet skis bringing stuff in to him from boats and saw the line of folks getting supplies from him so we went back and gave him what we had left…
TODAY, I was passed on the way in by a motorcade – nothing like disrupting an hours long line of traffic for folks trying to get in there to drop supplies – for a photo-op… Take a damn helicopter next time!
The County, State, Red Cross and FEMA – well… They set up a few stations but the word has passed (true or not) that they are low on supplies and are “full” as far as beds go. Many folks do not want to leave their “location” and feel they have to stay “in place” (whether it’s a car, house or beach) or they don’t want to fill out the paperwork required (or sign their name to anything yet) – so they won’t go… It appears to be more about paperwork, rules and data…
People who were able to load things in their car do not want to leave their cars to fill out all the paperwork and then get supplies – more than a few people have come back to an empty car. People who are lucky enough to be in their family or friends house north of Lahaina do not want to leave the house because of the looting happening in the neighborhoods. People now “living” in parking lots, on the side of the road or beach parks do not want to leave “their area” because the supplies in their area is all they have. We citizens need to take supplies house to house, block to block, parking lot to parking lot and car to car – it’s on us to help these folks…
I would like to add here to ALWAYS go in a convoy with as many folks as you can – you need to stay safe FIRST so you are able to help others – there is definitely safety in numbers.
They have no running water or electricity – when they get running water it will be nasty and they will have to clean it somehow – we have to take these supplies to them…
The churches are full of things they do not need and the distribution centers (including a few beach parks) are full of things they can’t get rid of so every time we (or one of our friends) goes over there – we talk to people and make a list of what is needed, who requested it and where – and we get what we can, from various sources, for the next run…
For example, tomorrow – on the way out – we will be collecting gas, propane and diesel containers/cans (folks can write their names and address on them) and we will drive them over to this side, fill them up and take them to the addresses on the cans… If this isn’t set up ahead of time with someone on that side of the island, it wouldn’t get done – we’d waste the day driving around…
We confirmed how bad it was at the shelters today when the local gym opened up for folks so the kids could get a little release. We went to the main shelter in Kahului and they said we were not on their list so we could not announce it was available to them and we could not drive them there because none of our drivers were vetted. After talking to a few folks we found that they wouldn’t have came anyway because they can not leave the shelter because the shelters are full and they will lose their spot – they don’t even want to get up from their spot because if they “blink” everything from their spot will be gone…
As far as the West Side fire goes, basically everything on the Makai side of the Bypass Road is gone from Puamana to the Sea Wall at the end of Front Street (Safeway is still there at the North end and the Lahaina Inn in still there on the south end – but the metal in the cement in both buildings most likely melted – so they are still standing but probably unstable). At that point, everything on the Mauka side is gone from Shell Station at Kapunakea Street all the way to Fleming Road (right before the Police Station). You can literally see the melted electrical line on the side of the road:
A few folks were saying that their “alarm” to leave was when the wind blew the roof right off their house, that’s when they left and they saw and heard the houses “going up” behind them (most likely the propane tanks) as they were driving out of their neighborhood…
The thing is, we still have fires burning upcountry. Our neighborhood was saved by the rain a few days ago, but there’s still fires going…
OH! One thing I wanted to add is that there’s still no cell service out there – but the weirdest thing is happening, every once in a while (when you drive in certain zones) you can receive texts (but not send any out). So for those of you with loved ones, text them to find a land line, or pay phone, and give you a call ASAP…
Here’s the thing. We are on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. EVERYTHING is flown or otherwise shipped in. If we have 10,000 to 50,000 displaced folks (no one knows actual numbers) all heading to Kahului as I write this, the stores will be empty in a few hours. These folks have nothing but what they were able to grab and throw in their car – so when they go shopping, they’re going to need “a few” things…
There is no where to go – there’s no supplies “in the next town” – we can not drive away from this…
If you drive around “town” (Central Maui), you see many people are “in place” in the store parking lots. I asked a few folks earlier why they decided to stay in the parking lot and they responded that it was the only real way they could get fresh food (and they are cooking it on their grill they brought over with them)…
That’s a great plan – as long as supplies keep coming…
It appears as though more than a few folks are going to be “camping” because supplies are low and they don’t trust there will be any supplies “tomorrow” – most are thinking the event will be over and they will have a plan before the red cross “gets it together” – so tents of all sizes and types will probably be helpful…
Many do not know about family members because (along with most of front street) everything else is down in Lahaina – they have no running water, no electricity and no cell phone service… We do not have enough emergency service personnel to deal with the situation. As such, many civilians – in the hopes of finding loved ones, supplying family and friends who will not leave or getting family and friends out – are “going back in”.
We also need to support the emergency personnel – who will probably be out there for weeks with the cleanup effort…
Throwing money at this will do nothing – we have finite supplies to buy. If you truly want to help send stuff to a few local churches and they can distribute them as needed. The two I recommend are in the last post.
The team at “In His House of Restoration” is onsite 24/7 and they have had donations of food and clothing – they also have a sizable sanctuary. Many from the Lahaina side have family and friends who go to this church and it is an easy drive back into Lahaina from their location (with supplies). We (my family) have been using “In His House” as a hub (dropping off stuff) for people we know who are coming out of Lahaina to get supplies and going back in…
The Team at Calvary Chapel South Maui run a Food Bank, have a team of folks making bagged lunches upstairs in the sanctuary (to take to whoever calls for some) and have an input center to separate and distribute donated items. Just this evening as we were closing up a few folks came by and said they had a boat and were going to take stuff from Maalaea Harbor to the “other side” (Lahaina) – we were able to load them up, follow them to the harbor, load up the boats, throw a few of our people onboard and get them out of there within 45 minutes…
We need a way to get fresh water to these folks – it isn’t coming fast enough – so “Rainman Desalination Kits” would be great for that. We are surrounded by ocean, so…
Advanced Elements Summer Showers or RinseKits would be great for taking showers – many of our beaches on the south side of the island have showers (in case you’re displaced and looking for one)…
Being able to cook without starting a fire would be great right now – and we have plenty of sun – so Go Sun Fusions and All American Sun Ovens would be great
Meals Ready To Eat (MRE’s) would be incredible at this point – just add hot water, mix, wait a few minutes and eat – Ready Wise and Patriot Supply is where I get mine.
If you have MRE’s you will also want to have a Sun Kettle® Solar Cooker – which will use the sun to boil (clean) your water for the MRE’s and you can put it in your backpack for transport…
People want to charge their cellphones and peripherals and keep the lights on so Portable Power Stations with Portable Solar Panels would be great for that: Inergytek, RockPals and EcoFlow are good places to start…
Like I said, we have plenty of sun here…. Any flashlights that can be charged with the sun (or hand cranked), any flashlights and AA or AAA batteries would be great! My “go to” has been the The PUC Expandable Lantern / Charger for a few years now. I love these things – and I can charge my cell phone from them. This company makes other flashlights and lanterns (all solar), but I love the PUC…
Toilet paper, shaving kits, towels, slippers – the small things really count right now because many people have lost everything and are going to literally be on an empty lot in a few days… and, of course, you can make direct monetary donations – but there may be no supplies to buy shortly – so if you can, please send them…
5 gallon gas jugs are needed BADLY – and everyone on the island is sold out right now. There are folks on the Lahaina side who just need a few gallons of gas to get Central. Gas pumps don’t work without electricity – and there are no gas stations left in Lahaina – and there are no 5 gallon jugs in Lahaina – we have to take full jugs in and give them gas so they can get out…
Calvary is also a “Food Bank” – if you’d like to donate to assure we can run down to get more food when all the donated food runs out, please go to: Calvary Chapel South Maui Donations to donate and then email office@calvarymaui.com to let them know you just donated for “Displacement Efforts” or the “Emergency Fund”
Anyone who has my direct line and needs a shower, phone charge and/or crashpad away from everything (Makawao) – text me…
