Lisa Paulson led daring mission to evacuate tourists from Maui wildfires

Lisa Paulson is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year, a recognition of women across the country who have made a significant impact. The annual program is a continuation of Women of the Century, a 2020 project commemorating the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Meet this year’s honorees at womenoftheyear.usatoday.com.

Lisa Paulson became a hero after the country’s deadliest wildfire in over a century swept through Lahaina, Maui, killing 101 people and displacing thousands.

Using her experience as a 30-year Maui resident, nonprofit executive, and director of Maui’s Hotel and Lodging Association, Paulson, on Aug. 8, led a group of tourism managers on a daring mission to evacuate approximately 12,000 tourists from the island.

She has been named USA TODAY’s Women of the Year honoree from Hawaii for her outstanding crisis management and leadership skills.

The deadly blaze started as brush fires and quickly erupted into wildfires that ravaged the historic town. As authorities closed the vital Honoapiilani Highway, the main route connecting hotels to the safer side of the island, thousands found themselves stranded with no clear path to safety. Paulson, drawing on her extensive background in disaster training, sprang into action.

Paulson coordinated with county transportation officials and tour bus operators on a system to evacuate people from West Maui.

Despite challenges such as power outages and communication breakdowns, she used her connections within the industry to establish contact with hotel managers with crucial information about the emergency situation.

Paulson helped orchestrate a transportation plan to evacuate tourists through the active burn zone. Another player was Roni Gonsalves, Maui station manager for Polynesian Adventure Tours, who performed a pivotal role in leading a convoy of buses full of evacuated tourists and residents into Lahaina.

Initially, at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, the evacuation hub moved to Whalers Village. Tourists were directed out of the resort district to evacuation shelters and eventually to Kahului Airport, where airlines offered discounted airfares to encourage swift departure.

Paulson’s efforts extended beyond evacuating tourists. She addressed the needs of displaced local residents by providing free hotel rooms. Paulson continues to lead initiatives to support Maui’s residents and aid in recovering the tourism industry.

Working with state agencies, the Red Cross, and FEMA, Paulson now focuses on daycare facilities and mid- to long-term housing solutions. She participates in Hawaii Gov. Josh Green’s Economic Recovery Commission, expressing optimism about coordinated efforts for recovery and economic stabilization on the island’s west side.

Paulson exemplifies the strength of the community and the dedication of individuals, prioritizing the safety and well-being of those affected by the disaster.

When did you first become aware of the severity of the wildfires in Lahaina, and what were the initial steps you took?

I mean, initially, at high winds (that evening), right? When I became aware of the situation, I immediately was in communication with the Emergency Operations Center. I did not report physically that night; I was at home working with them. But when we confirmed that they had a total information blackout — that means no power, no internet, no working cell towers — all the generators for the cell towers were done. That’s when I realized that we were in a lot of trouble.

We needed to act fast, so I connected with industry leaders on Oahu and corporate offices on the (continental U.S.). And, wonderfully, I found out that we had a lot of satellite phones on that side. I had no idea that a cell phone could call a satellite phone. So I learned that very quickly: You have to dial a whole bunch of numbers. But that is how we got our initial contact and got verification of what was really happening.

Can you walk us through the process of selecting evacuation routes and coordinating transportation?

So we had to work with the (Hawaii) Department of Public Works to make sure that the roads were even clear. Even when we did the first run of buses, bus drivers reported so much debris on the road. We coordinated with the Department of Public Works, police, and fire to make sure that these buses were safe to go through.

A lot of these bus companies had to be careful who they selected to make this drive because they knew that it was going to be something very uncomfortable and emotional for these people to see. So they had selected the drivers that were going to be doing these runs, and (it was) just a beautiful thing. You know, everybody just didn’t care what time it was. They didn’t care how long they were going to be behind the wheel. It was everybody just all hands on deck to start establishing, you know, consecutive and consistent evacuation.

Were there challenges in convincing bus drivers to enter a potential burn zone for evacuation, and how did you address their concerns?

Roni Gonsalves, with Polynesian Adventures, handpicked the drivers that she knew could handle it. And then later on, we involved Roberts (a tour bus operator) and Maui Economic Opportunity.

But those bus drivers are heroes in their own right because they had to navigate roads that still had debris. And they were some of the first people to see the utter devastation.

What do you believe was the most significant outcome of the evacuation efforts in terms of saving lives and preventing future harm?

You know, just being able to get them to a safe space, which at that time was the airport. For us, it was significant that we got them to a place where they had internet connectivity, where they could call their loved ones and let them know that they were safe, and then book their flights (home).

In your opinion, what role did the collective efforts of individuals like yourself play in the overall disaster recovery? And, in this specific instance, would you say that you consider yourself kind of a facilitator?

I’m kind of a born facilitator. I had a brief stint in government, and I like to push things through and get things done quickly and efficiently. So that’s why I didn’t last in government very long (laughs). But, yeah, because I’ve lived here so long, I knew the key players, and they also knew me. So those relationships go so far and run so deep. When these types of events happen, you just start calling people, and when things happen, they make them happen. That’s what I just love about this community in this state. There’s no, oh, I got to check with so and so. It’s like, got it. I’ll get it done.

In the aftermath of the wildfires, can you share any details about ongoing initiatives or projects you’re involved in to support people in Maui and aid the recovery of Maui’s tourism industry?

We’ve been assisting the state, the Red Cross, and FEMA on day one with coordinating their efforts to house our displaced residents. And, you know, communications going back and forth, tracking where people are, and just trying to be a good steward between all the different agencies. We have tried to stand up daycare, which is still being worked on; plenty of aftercare facilities exist. But when we talk about birth to five years old, it’s quite a feat to get a center stent stood up, and so that is something that’s still in the works and is heavily needed so that those people with small children can go back to work.

How do you see (your role) evolving in the continued support of affected communities, especially about the recently announced $500 million housing initiative?

So (Hawaii Gov. Josh) Green put together an Economic Recovery Commission. And I have a seat on it and about 50 other people. So, we’re asking stakeholders from all different sectors to come together with coordinated efforts and workable action items for the recovery efforts. Being in the room with all those 50 people on Friday was pretty awesome. They gave up a whole day away from their jobs to really focus in and see how we can all work together to do some, initially some great recovery efforts, and then economic stabilization for the west side of (Maui).

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X @JeremyYurow

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Lisa Paulson is USA TODAY’s Women of the Year honoree from Hawaii