The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $53.7 million contract to an 8(a) Native Hawaiian Organization for the construction of a temporary elementary school in Lahaina, as announced in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) news release.
The contract was granted on Nov. 3, with the Army Corps given the duties of designing and overseeing the installation of modular buildings. The Galveston District is expected to manage the contract and oversee the project, according to the USACE news release.
However, the role of the Army Corps goes beyond handling contracts and overseeing the temporary school's development in Lahaina. As per their response to Hawaii wildfires, they are also taking part in debris removal contracting along with cultural monitoring. A Temporary Power Planning and Response team has been rigorously working to restore power supply, as stated in a Sep. 30 news release on wildfires.
Till now, crews from USACE alongside other organizations have been actively working to alleviate damage caused by an August wildfire. Lt. Gen Scott Spellmon - USACE Commanding General and 55th Chief of Engineers - was updated about fire-affected areas' conditions in Lahaina on Sep. 29, according to a USACE news release.
Simultaneously, community efforts have been progressing as well. Based on a Sep. 26 report from Honolulu Civil Beat, students were anticipated to return to school mid-Oct., giving hundreds of displaced Lahaina youths access to education within their community again. Over three days mid-month three schools are reopening; those attending King Kamehameha III Elementary can join students at Princess Nahi’ena’ena Elementary School which had a combined enrolment exceeding 1200 students before displacement occured due to fires . The Pulelehua project's temporary elementary school is set to become operational within 95 days following Sep 26., reported Honolulu Civil Beat.