Along with losing their homes, some Lāhainā residents also lost their vehicles. One mechanic from Lāhainā is working to help connect fire victims with reliable cars and raise awareness of the need.
“I've got an overwhelming response of, 'I need a vehicle. I lost everything,’" said Jayson Probst, a mechanic and maintenance manager at Maui Gold.
"A lot of these people barely got out with their lives. I know personally dozens of people that had to leave their car at their house and when they went back, there was nothing there," he said.
Probst has been fixing donated vehicles for Lāhainā residents who lost theirs in the fire. He is also doing safety inspections on cars that were driven out of the fire.
“I was born and raised Lāhainā side of Maui, I’m the fourth generation in Lāhainā," he said. "My great grandmother owned the Banyan Inn, which was originally one of the only few places on Front Street to go to. So after everything that went down with the fire, I just felt kind of helpless and a little bit like, what could I do to help this community that I grew up in and that my family’s been in for generations?”
Probst posted on Facebook with a repair offer and said he got an overwhelming response.
Some Lāhainā residents have already replaced their vehicles through insurance. Probst said for those with collision coverage but without a comprehensive plan, the insurance process is rough to nonexistent.
“The reality is a lot of people that lost a lot of stuff in Lāhainā don't have a lot of money, and so to have that option to be able to get some decent vehicles to get them to jobs, get their kids to and from school or to be mobile, it’s pretty important," he said.
For those who drove their cars out of the fire, Probst has offered inspections to ensure they’re still safe to drive and give motorists peace of mind. Because he isn’t technically a repair shop, Probst collaborated with local mechanics to make formal inspection quotes.
“Couple of them drove them out of the fire like over trees," he said. "I've inspected dozens of cars and took them for test drives and checked the tires and cars that were in the fire zone that they got out.”
Maui Gold has offered their support to his donation efforts. But ultimately, Probst has put his efforts on hold while he works to create or partner with a nonprofit to provide additional support to the vehicle aid initiative.
“My company has been kind enough to supply me with parts that I need to help people," he said. "And so I've just been giving my time. But it's just me, you know? I feel like I haven't done enough. But in reality, I still have my family and my job. So I'm just doing everything I can to help people that are in need and just taking it one day at a time."
"And I realize this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint," he said.
Organizations on Maui have been trying to address the island’s current transportation challenges. Tour bus companies have pivoted to offer resident transportation.
Some car dealerships have offered discounts for fire victims. And Gov. Josh Green announced a vehicle replacement program that allows wildfire survivors the option to purchase rental cars.
But Probst said there’s still a big need.
He urges the County of Maui to waive back taxes for donated vehicles. If a car has been sitting in someone’s driveway accruing back taxes, it could add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to the transfer process.
He encouraged those with unused vehicles in good condition to donate to those in need.
