Makani Pahili

January 29, 2026

Makani Pahili (l) / JTX, June 2024
– 2024 Annual Report pp. 12

Annual 2020 Makani Pahili Exercise held in February 2020
– 2020 Annual Report pp. 26

State, county, and federal emergency management partners participated in a simulated Emergency Operations Center activation during the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s (HI-EMA) Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercise on May 9, 2022. HI-EMA also conducted a senior leader executive summit as part of Makani Pahili at Aloha Tower on May 10. | Photos courtesy of HI-EMA

State, county, and federal emergency management partners participated in a simulated Emergency Operations Center activation during the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s (HI-EMA) Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercise on May 9, 2022. HI-EMA also conducted a senior leader executive summit as part of Makani Pahili at Aloha Tower on May 10. | Photos courtesy of HI-EMA

State, county, and federal emergency management partners participated in a simulated Emergency Operations Center activation during the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s (HI-EMA) Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercise on May 9, 2022. HI-EMA also conducted a senior leader executive summit as part of Makani Pahili at Aloha Tower on May 10. | Photos courtesy of HI-EMA

State, county, and federal emergency management partners participated in a simulated Emergency Operations Center activation during the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s (HI-EMA) Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercise on May 9, 2022. HI-EMA also conducted a senior leader executive summit as part of Makani Pahili at Aloha Tower on May 10. | Photos courtesy of HI-EMA

State, county, and federal emergency management partners participated in a simulated Emergency Operations Center activation during the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s (HI-EMA) Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercise on May 9, 2022. HI-EMA also conducted a senior leader executive summit as part of Makani Pahili at Aloha Tower on May 10. | Photos courtesy of HI-EMA

(Pictures from the 2022 Summer Pūpūkahi)

HI-EMA kicked off the annual Makani Pahili Exercise, which ran from June 3 through 7, 2019. Makani Pahili is the State of Hawai‘i’s annual hurricane preparedness exercise conducted by all four counties, as well as other federal, private, and nongovernmental stakeholders. The exercises are crucial to preparing for responses during a catastrophic event.
– 2019 Annual Report pp. 27

EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE – Hawaii Emergency Management Agency led the state’s annual hurricane Exercise MAKANI PAHILI, which coincided with the beginning of the annual hurricane season. Gov. David Y. Ige received a briefing and tour of the State Emergency Operations Center, which serves as the control point for daily operations during a disaster. HI-EMA photo

The Training, Education and Information Branch is responsible for many preparedness activities, including coordination of training for State Emergency Response Team (SERT) members and HIEMA staff and the planning and execution of exercises such as the Statewide Hurricane Exercise MAKANI PAHILI.
– 2015 Annual Report pp. 23

Vigilant Guard / Makani Pahili 2015

Story by Airman 1st Class Robert Cabuco
154th Wing Public Affairs
Monday, June 1, 2015

Hawaii National Guard Brig. Gen. Arthur J. Logan, the adjutant general, addresses foreign delegates from seven Pacific Rim countries at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. The delegates observed and sometimes participated in a hurricane preparedness exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau, U.S. Northern Command and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency called Vigilant Guard/Makani Pahili 2015.

(Picture from the 2015 June Pūpūkahi)

HONOLULU – With above normal activity predicted for the 2015 hurricane season by the National Weather Service Forecast Office, nothing can be more timely than the Vigilant Guard/Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercises which took place in Hawaii.

More than 2,200 National Guardsmen, active duty and civilian personnel recently participated in a disaster preparedness exercise in the state of Hawaii called Vigilant Guard/Makani Pahili 2015. About 700 of those Guardsmen were from outof-state. The multifaceted exercise, sponsored by the U.S. Northern Command and National Guard Bureau, combines the Vigilant Guard regional exercise, the first conducted in Hawaii, and the Makani Pahili hurricane preparedness exercise, led by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), formerly called State Civil Defense.

With over a year of planning behind them, the various agencies were ready to challenge the participant’s collaborative proficiencies in regards to emergency preparation, coordination, response, and recovery management during National Guard domestic operations and catastrophic events.

Brig. Gen. Bruce Olivera, Joint Task Force 5-0 commander, explained that “a Category 4 Hurricane will hit the state of Hawaii” as part of the simulated exercise initiating other “complex scenarios such as mass casualty, collapsed structure, and cyber infrastructure.”

The scenarios took place at various locations across Hawaii. Locations on Oahu included the Hawaii National Guard Headquarters, the Regional Training Institute in Waimanalo, the Queen’s Medical Center – West Oahu, Pier 29, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. On Hawaii Island, training occurred at the Keaukaha Military Reservation. On Maui training was held at the Hawaii Army National Guard Puunene armory and the Maui Fire Department training area. On Kauai, training was at the Vindiha Stadium and the HIARNG Hanapepe armory.

Olivera’s leadership abilities were put to the test as a dualstatus commander (DSC) where a single commander, usually a National Guard officer, is given tactical control of both state controlled National Guard forces and active duty military forces. During natural disasters, the governor has overall control and can request support from the DSC as needed.

The exercise also involved civilian first-responders such as the police and fire departments as well as National Guard units (on Title 32 status) and active duty forces (on Title 10 status). National Guardsmen from other states including California, Oregon, Utah, Nevada and Guam also participated in the exercise.

“We have observers from seven Asia-Pacific countries here to observe and see what we do.” Olivera said. The foreign delegates have previously observed and some have participated in training during past Makani Pahili exercises.

Hawaii has experienced natural disasters in the past and has responded well due in large part to the multiagency cooperation facilitated by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Vigilant Guard/Makani Pahili 2015 provides a unique opportunity to combine these experiences with a new arrangement to have federal active duty troops incorporated into a major storm scenario.
–2015 June Pūpūkahi pp. 1

AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT – Hawaii Emergency Management Agency members conduct an emergency support functions out brief during the annual hurricane Exercise MAKANI PAHILI. Shelly Y. Kunishige photo

PLAYING IT FOR REAL – Volunteers participate in a shelter exercise in Halawa during Hurricane Exercise MAKANI PAHILI 2013. State Civil Defense photo

Two annual exercises were sponsored by SCD in FY 2010— Makani Pahili and Kai Mimiki.

Every year prior to the start of the Hawaii hurricane season in June, Makani Pahili (Hawaiian for Strong Wind) is held in all counties to provide participating agencies an opportunity to exercise their emergency management plans and preparedness activities in response to a hurricane threat. SCD coordinated two tsunami response exercises named Kai Mimiki (Hawaiian term referring to the retraction of the ocean immediately prior to a tsunami wave) focusing on either a locally generated or distant tsunami.
– 2010 Annual Report pp. 22-23