Crisis Communications Case Study: Lealiʻi Community Hub

In the immediate aftermath of the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, the Lealiʻi Community Hub organized and began addressing community needs before any government assistance became available. Two days after the fire, Paʻakai began providing support including:

• Acting liaison between community and county, state and federal elected officials to coordinate relief

• Managing media relations for Archie Kalepa resulting in 8 billion media impressions in 4 months

• Coordinating vehicle clearance with MPD and manufacturing car magnets to identify cleared vehicles to deliver supplies within 24 hours

• Facilitating interviews and location access for local, national and international press coverage

• Responding to community need for healing and catharsis through storytelling by collaborating with a hui of communications firms to script, shoot and produce a video in 12 hours with a same-day launch

• Examples of unforeseen crisis scenarios include natural disasters, worksite accidents, legal actions or other unplanned adverse events that require a heightened level of response and communications support