New Bedford locals, NBFD want to help firefighters in Maui, including a city native.

Matthew Ferreira, The Standard-Times
Updated ·5 min read

NEW BEDFORD — IAFF Local 841, the New Bedford firefighters union, has launched efforts to help fellow firefighters over in Maui, Hawaii, many of whom have lost their own homes and belongings while they continue to struggle relentlessly against wildfires that have been burning since Tuesday.

One of them is Aaron Griffith, a 38-year-old New Bedford native and younger brother of New Bedford Firefighter Noah Griffith. Aaron — a 2003 graduate of New Bedford High School — moved to Lahaina, Maui 10 years ago to pursue his interests in scuba diving and boating, and about three years ago, found a new home for those skills working as a firefighter out of the Maui Fire and Public Safety Department's Lahaina station, his brother said.

"Between me being a firefighter and the test coming up at the time in Maui, he asked if I thought it was something he should do and I said absolutely," Noah said. "He has a very big heart; he's always tried to do the best for everybody."

Griffith one of 17 Lahaina firefighters who lost homes

Since the wildfires that have largely destroyed the popular tourist village of Lahaina broke out mid last week, Noah says he's been in touch with Aaron via text. Since the fires claimed the homes of Aaron and 16 of his co-workers, Noah said a number of them, including his brother, have been staying at a home they had been housed in while in the fire academy, closeby to Lahaina.

Family and New Bedford firefighters are trying to help New Bedford native Aaron Griffith, 38, and a number of his co-workers at the Lahaina Fire House who lost their homes in the Maui wildfires. Aaron's brother Noah Griffith, a New Bedford firefighter, says first responders in Lahaina have been working relentlessly since the fires broke out last week, with little rest in between long shifts.

Although contact has been sparse with cell towers in the area having been compromised, the brothers' brief exchanges have been enough to convey a little of what life has been like for first responders in Lahaina.

More local connection to Maui: A Rochester family is hoping grandmother is found after devastating Hawaii wildfires

"He was supposed to have two days off after basically 40 hours of non-stop work," Noah said. "So he went to ... the place where he's staying, slept and just went right back to work because what else is he going to do?"

"He lost everything," said Aaron's close friend, New Bedford native Luke Mandly. "But most concerning to him is the fact that all the people he's been firefighting with have families and they lost everything as well."

Aaron was able to speak to The Standard-Times only briefly from Maui, but the little he was able to express confirmed what his friend said about where his concern lies.

"I'm good, I'm fine," he said, mentioning that he was a single renter, as opposed to most of his co-workers who owned homes and have families. "My journey to get back on my feet is going to be a lot easier than anybody else I work besides. It's these other men and women that have sacrificed so much that I'm concerned with right now."

The situation now

At last check, Noah said firefighters in Maui appeared to have the fires about 85% contained, but that's far from an assurance that the worst is now behind them.

"There's still brush fires popping up, and then there's storms coming that might hit the island, which could make things worse again," Noah said. "And then there's still all the regular firefighter duties — helping people who get hurt, car accidents to respond to.... It's just been non-stop."

This file photo shows historic Maria Lanakila Catholic Church still standing after a wildfire destroyed much of Lahaina, Hawaii last week.
This file photo shows historic Maria Lanakila Catholic Church still standing after a wildfire destroyed much of Lahaina, Hawaii last week.

Mandly, who's also been in contact with Aaron, said the last he heard, crews were still only in the very early stages of searching through burned sites to recover any victims, dead or alive.

"As of last night they had only searched through about 5% of the wreckage," Mandly said. "They've been working 24-hour shifts and now they have cadaver dogs. They're really trying to assess who's been lost."

Hometown pride

While both Noah and Mandly say Aaron would not be in favor of any fanfare directed at himself, it hasn't stopped loved ones from having a sense of pride in his bravery.

Why do businesses like the Feast?: Madeira Feast attracts crowds from far and wide. Here's how local businesses benefit.

"We should all feel very proud of Aaron," said his father Steven Griffith in an online update. "He carried elderly, women, children, and babies through streets, buildings, and hallways to safety while surrounded by flames and exploding cars, with dead human and animal bodies in the streets.

In this file photo, burned cars and buildings are seen from Honoapiilani Highway that runs through the heart of Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 13. Thousands were displaced after a wildfire fueled by winds from Hurricane Dora and dry vegetation destroyed much of the town. The death toll from the fire makes it the deadliest wildfire of the past U.S. century.
In this file photo, burned cars and buildings are seen from Honoapiilani Highway that runs through the heart of Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 13. Thousands were displaced after a wildfire fueled by winds from Hurricane Dora and dry vegetation destroyed much of the town. The death toll from the fire makes it the deadliest wildfire of the past U.S. century.

"He carried a baby thrust into his arms by a woman, sheltering it from the heat, smoke, and flames; he saved them all. He found 40 people while looking for two screaming in a pool for safety and led them to safety."

How can you help?

To help the Lahaina firefighters, New Bedford Firefighters IAFF Local 841 teamed up with Custom Ink to sell T-shirts and hats with special "Maui/N.B." fire and rescue logo designs. "All funds raised will be paid directly to New Bedford Firefighters Local 841 for distribution to the men and women of the Lahaina Firehouse," the Custom Ink page reads.

To view or purchase "Maui/N.B." merchandise from the Custom Ink site, visit tinyurl.com/4rht88jk.

If you want to simply donate to the Maui firefighters who lost their homes, visit the GoFundMe page created by Aaron, dedicated to his co-workers, at tinyurl.com/cp9uytuh.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford firefighters trying to raise money for Maui firefighters