IMO Honors Lahaina Responders With Bravery at Sea Award

The fire at Lahaina, as seen from a Coast Guard response boat on August 8 (USCG)

Published Oct 20, 2024 4:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

On Friday, the IMO honored Coast Guard members and good Samaritans who responded to the Lahaina wildfire last year. Their actions saved or assisted dozens of local residents who were attempting to flee the devastating blaze that swept through the city.

On August 8, 2023, a major wildfire started on the outskirts of Lahaina, Maui. Propelled by winds from a strong high-pressure weather system and fueled by tall grasses, the blaze swept into the city that evening, destroying over 2,200 buildings and killing more than 100 people in a matter of hours. Survivors said that the  evacuation was self-organized, with little guidance or warning from city officials, and traffic hampered the movement of those who attempted to flee by car. Dozens escaped a firestorm on the waterfront by jumping into the harbor. The severity of the situation and the effectiveness of the response were exceptional: Coast Guard responders and good Samaritans rescued 20 people along the shoreline and assisted about 40 more over the course of August 8-9.

In a ceremony at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku, Hawaii, the International Maritime Organization presented five Coastguardsmen and four good Samaritans with its Honours for Exceptional Bravery At Sea award for their role in the response. The award recognizes those who risk their own lives to save others or prevent damage to the marine environment. The highest-level award is granted to nominees who perform the "most outstanding act of bravery in a situation of grave danger to themselves or others and under very difficult conditions." 

Typically the awards are announced and presented at IMO headquarters on a major occasion, but in exceptional circumstances, the ceremony may be held elsewhere - in this case, Hawaii. 

“Attempting to rescue those in peril is among the noblest of human undertakings,” said Arsenio Dominguez, secretary general of the International Maritime Organization. “The courage and professionalism displayed . . . are truly noteworthy.” 

At the same event, the United Services Organization honored Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Marzilli, a boatswain’s mate from Coast Guard Station Maui, as its 2024 USO Coastguardsman of the Year. 

Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Joshua Marzilli was the coxswain in charge on scene, and he and his crew arrived at Lahaina to respond to reports of up to 100 people who had jumped into the water to escape the fires. The surface conditions were hazardous for swimmers, including 25-knot winds, three-foot seas and less than 10 feet of visibility near the shoreline from the heavy smoke. 

Working from outside the reef line in the dark, Joshua and his crew used a loudhailer, searchlights and a visual search to look for survivors. They spotted lights on shore and determined that there might be people stuck on the beach. 

Marzilli volunteered to jump in and swim to shore on a tether line. The first attempt was not successful, and his crew hauled him back to the response boat. Instead, he worked with a good Samaritan boat nearby, which donated two surfboards and an inflatable dinghy to help them get over the reef. An off-duty lifeguard from the good Samaritan vessel joined Marzilli, and they paddled together on the surfboards, carrying lifejackets. They retrieved two children from the shore and paddled back out through the surf to bring them to safety. Marzilli continued to help on shore and afloat through the night, rescuing three people on the beach with the Maui Fire Department and two more independently with his response boat crew. 

Coast Guard Sector Honolulu also presented 26 local skippers and crew members from the Trilogy II, Expeditions, Majorie Ann, Reef Explorer, and Ali’i Nui with letters of appreciation, and it awarded Coast Guard Lt. Dylan McCall with a Coast Guard Commendation Medal.

“Their selfless actions exemplify true heroism, and we are deeply grateful for their bravery and dedication. Together, they transformed a moment of despair into a testament of hope and humanity for the community of Maui," said Coast Guard Capt. Aja Kirksey, commander, Sector Honolulu.