The County of Maui Emergency Management Agency is enhancing its disaster response by partnering with Genasys Inc. for a new four-year contract. According to an announcement on the Maui County government website, this initiative will introduce two sophisticated software platforms aimed at improving public safety and emergency management across the islands of Maui County. The tools at the heart of this modernization effort are Genasys EVAC for evacuation planning and TRAFFIC AI by Ladris, which will assist in traffic management during emergencies.
This technological push will provide Maui first responders with AI-assisted tools to tackle traffic modeling and evacuation zone planning, an initiative Mayor Richard Bissen believes will lead to a "data-driven" response in crisis situations. "MEMA’s contract award to Genasys marks a significant step forward in our efforts to enhance disaster preparedness and emergency management in Maui County," Bissen said, as reported by the county's website. The Genasys Protect mobile app, a component of the EVAC system, is designed to deliver timely, location-based notifications to residents, keeping them informed and safe.
With the integration of TRAFFIC AI, emergency managers will be granted insights into real-time traffic data, which is key for orchestrating safe routes for evacuees when time is a luxury they cannot afford. In a nod to the partnership, Genasys CEO Richard Danforth stated, "We are proud to partner with MEMA to bring the power of Genasys Protect to Maui," affirming the company's commitment to "leveraging technology for the greater good," as noted by the county's website.
The rollout for these systems in Maui is expected to commence in January 2025 and will involve a collaborative review by a host of local first responder agencies. "Our key stakeholders – our fire, police, dispatchers, state partners and many others – will be providing input on the initial evacuation zones the software will create for each area," MEMA Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett told the county government website. Local expertise will be key in refining the technology's deployment to ensure that the real-time communication capabilities are fully realized.
Genasys is tasked not only with providing MEMA with state-of-the-art software but will also support the agency through training and technical assistance. This support aims to ensure that the tools provided will be utilized effectively over the contract's four-year term.
