“And so, I made it an effort to get into this position, so that I could be beneficial for the department, and be there for the families and friends.” “My hometown is Paradise, California,” Landsiedel began. “In light of our unique exposure and expertise, we are better equipped to navigate the complexities associated with death and death notifications, far exceeding the typical qualifications of a standard police officer,” Taylor said.īut both men’s backgrounds and friendships played roles in their responses to Maui’s unprecedented crisis.įor Landsiedel, his connection to the deadliest wildfire in California history spurred a greater sense of compassion and responsibility for those affected by the wildfire in Lahaina. In an interview with Taylor and Landsiedel, both conveyed significant training connected to notifying grieving families after fatal vehicle crashes. Officers Brad Taylor, right, and Steven Landsiedel speak during an interview using a virtual background. The officers within MINT carry a triple burden: coordinating Lahaina missing persons investigations, tracking identification efforts, and, ultimately, notifying family members of the dead. Officers Taylor and Landsiedel are two of the four Maui Police officers assigned to the MINT unit, an acronym for the Morgue Identification Notification Task force. Maui police confirmed to CNN Babkov was found in good health in late October. The fifth person recently removed from the list is Artur Babkov, 35. Relatives of the missing reached by CNN did not return requests for comment. “He’s a local artist, a boat builder, a woodworker, and he’s a published author and also a father of two,” Landsiedel said.Ĭiting privacy concerns and the ongoing investigations, Maui Police declined to describe the last known locations on the day of the wildfire of the four missing people, or the individuals’ last known places of residence. Kasprzycki also has two children who await answers. Paul Kasprzycki was described by the officers as a resident of Lahaina, gifted with a multiplicity of talents. “Through interviews with family and everything, we found out that he would frequent libraries and find pleasure in reading books or hanging out there,” Landsiedel added. Stevens is a father of two, a man who, they said, finds solace in the quiet pleasures of life. “Through interviews with next-of-kin, we learned that he actually used to work for NASA as an engineer.”Įlmer Lee Stevens was also described by the Maui officers as a common presence in Lahaina. “Robert Owens, he was known to frequent Lahaina,” Landsiedel said. Hawaii council members unanimously vote to support resolution postponing West Maui’s reopening to touristsĭetails concerning the three remaining people on the Lahaina fire credible missing list have not been previously reported. KAANAPALI, HAWAII - AUGUST 08: Wildfires burn over the town of Lahaina as seen in the neighboring Kaanapali Alii resort, on Augin Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images) Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images “She is a mother, a wife, a well-respected community member,” Landsiedel said. Honolulu Civil Beat, a nonprofit newsroom, reported eight of Coloma’s family members died in the wildfire – an astounding toll for an extended Filipino family. The list, revised October 30, now stands at four: Officials within the 17 local, state and federal agencies responding to the Lahaina wildfire were once confronted with a missing list exceeding 3,000 people during the earliest days of the disaster. “It does change you, it doesn’t matter how many you do,” Landsiedel said of the investigations completed and notifications to victims’ families. Taylor’s fellow officer in the unit, Steven Landsiedel, described a deep personal connection to the stories of those still missing, as well as the cases he and his colleagues have closed. “You’re there with the person as they’re sobbing, and you see firsthand the trauma,” said Brad Taylor, the first officer assigned to Maui Police’s unit for Lahaina fire missing persons and notifications to victims’ families. Two of the officers, who have not previously spoken publicly about their work, described fragments of interrupted lives, as well as a steadiness of purpose to continue their efforts. Yet the burden of uncovering what has happened to Lahaina’s last four missing people weighs heavily on the Maui police officers tasked with finding them. It’s just the beginning of a long recovery Maui’s 150-year-old banyan tree is growing leaves after being charred by the wildfires. From left, the banyan tree in Lahaina, Hawaii is pictured in 20.
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