CLAYTON, Mo. — The leader of the City of Clayton Fire Department deployed to Maui to help with the recovery effort after a fire devastated the island and killed at least 111 people.
In a social media post, the department announced Chief Ernie Rhodes deployed to Hawaii with a team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Army Reserves.
"Join us in sending Chief Rhodes, his fellow team members, and the people of Hawaii your thoughts, prayers, and unwavering support as he embarks on this vital journey," the post said.
Clayton Fire Department Battalion Chief Ryan Harrell says even though Rhodes only started two years ago, he has become a fixture in the department.
"Chief Rhodes is really, really a remarkable person," Harrell said.
Chief Rhodes has a full task list in Lahaina. He is serving as Operations Section Chief, managing staging, air operations, strike teams and the task force there. He isn't the only one from Missouri. There are also four handlers and their dogs are doing wide area searches for human remains.
Missouri Task Force 1 is part of the Boone County Fire Protection District and one of 28 Urban Search and Rescue teams in the United States. The task force has assisted in recent search and rescue operations, including Hurricane Ian and Kentucky's catastrophic flooding in 2022.
At home in Clayton, Chief Rhodes' department is incredibly proud of his service. "Part of our mission is to preserve life and property through professionalism, exceptional performance and teamwork," Harrell tells 5 On Your Side, "he lives that every day."
Depending on the needs in Lahaina, Chief Rhodes could be back in Missouri by the end of the month.
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell on Wednesday said the administration opened its first disaster recovery center on Maui, “an important first step" toward helping residents get information about assistance.
The Red Cross is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested, then you can find more information here.
The Salvation Army is also asking for monetary donations, as they coordinate thousands of meals at the shelters. You can donate here.
Philanthropy experts recommend giving to experienced organizations that are well-situated to respond to a specific disaster. Major disaster response organizations like the American Red Cross have said they are already communicating with local and federal governments to provide assistance.
Webster also urged potential donors to support organizations with deep local ties and knowledge of the effected communities.
“To the extent that we can all slow down, wait a week, wait two weeks, to understand where the greatest needs are, and then look toward organizations that are really meeting those needs, again, prioritizing organizations with specific disaster expertise and organizations that are local in nature,” Webster said.
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement pledged to match donations — up to $100,000 initially, now increased to $1 million — for a campaign they began Wednesday, with initial support from the Alakaʻina Foundation Family of Companies. An online tracker shows that more than $442,000 has been given from 3,300 people as of Thursday.
The crowdfunding site, GoFundMe, has vetted fundraisers for individuals and families who lost property or were injured in the fires. That means the site has taken steps to verify the identity of the organizer and has collected those campaigns on a hub on its website. GoFundMe will take additional verification steps before releasing the funds to the organizer, as well as deduct a transaction fee.
Direct donations to individuals or families can be a powerful way to make an impact, but potential donors should be careful in responding to appeals on social media for donations to individuals, through electronic payment apps like Venmo or Cash App, experts say.
Potential donors should also consider if it's important to them to claim a tax benefit for their donation. Only tax-exempt nonprofit organizations will provide a receipt that people who itemize their taxes can use to claim a deduction.
The Hawaii Community Foundation said it has raised $3 million for its Maui Strong Fund in 24 hours and is not collecting any fees on gifts to the fund.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.