In Hawaii, Aloha means both “hello,” and “goodbye,” and is used as a greeting when seeing someone for the first time and wishing them well at parting.

We, here, must bear that in mind from this time forward. Hawaii, Maui, and Lahaina, to be precise. Aloha.

And why do I think of Maui, aside from the obvious heartbreak? Because Lahaina, and Port Townsend, are so much alike. Both are small towns, on the shore, with a steady breeze, with drying vegetation and trees that have become prone to fire, and most importantly, one road that leads out of town.

Only in my imagination can I visualize our one road, leading south and out of town, during and after a real emergency. I can only imagine the confusion and the delays on the one lane road (with roundabouts) as a pathway to what? After an earthquake, or a fire, a road that leads to what, besides Chimacum? And eventually, to the Hood Canal Bridge (just for a moment, imagine that).

In Port Townsend, imagine no traffic lights and traffic “handlers,” panicked drivers, some maybe going back to town to retrieve children, aged parents and their medical prescriptions, or in hopes of finding a pet dog (under the bed?) or a cat (possibly up, and in, a neighbor’s tree)?

Imagine for just a moment the road, during and after a real emergency. An emergency, like Lahaina.

Do any of us, here, have a real plan for a real disaster, a disaster like Lahaina, and Maui, have just suffered? A real plan for a “don’t worry; it just couldn’t happen here” disaster?

Aloha, and Mahalo.