WASHINGTON — Four months after Lahaina residents jammed overcrowded roadways trying to escape the deadly wildfires that leveled their town, U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, both D-Hawaii, joined two other Senate colleagues in introducing legislation calling for improved evacuation planning in each state.

What You Need To Know

  • The Emergency Vehicle and Community and Planning Act would direct the federal Department of Transportation to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop and distribute guidance and best practices in transportation infrastructure planning

  • The bill was co-introduced by U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz, Mazie Hirono, Alex Padilla and Bill Cassidy

  • As the lawmakers noted, traffic gridlock on major roadways prevented people from quickly escaping raging wildfires in the 2018 Camp Fire in California and last August in Lahaina

  • The measure has been endorsed by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of Development Organizations

The Emergency Vehicle and Community and Planning Act would direct the federal Department of Transportation to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop and distribute guidance and best practices in transportation infrastructure planning.

“In an emergency, evacuation routes are absolutely critical to getting people to safety,” Schatz said in a release issued on Wednesday. “Our bill will give communities the support they need to develop roadways that will help save lives.”

The bill was co-introduced with Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.

As the lawmakers noted, traffic gridlock on major roadways prevented people from quickly escaping raging wildfires in the 2018 Camp Fire in California and last August in Lahaina.

“As natural disasters and extreme weather events — such as wildfires — become increasingly common in the U.S., it is crucial that our communities have effective, reliable emergency evacuation routes,” Hirono said. “The Emergency Vehicle and Community Planning Act will help Hawaii and states across the country strengthen emergency preparedness efforts and develop infrastructure that prioritizes the safety of our communities.”

The measure has been endorsed by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of Development Organizations.

“When disasters strike, county officials and emergency responders play a critical role in immediate and long-term efforts to help our communities respond and recover,” NACo executive director Matthew Chase. “The bipartisan Emergency Vehicle and Community Planning Act would provide us with additional insights into developing and implementing evacuation routes to keep our residents safe before, during and after a disaster.

NADO executive director Joe McKinney said sharing guidelines would help communities adopt emergency response protocols that would both strengthen regional transportation planning efforts and bolster public safety during a disaster. 

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.