HIEMA History

The State Civil Defense took the lead in the initial development of the Pacific Disaster Center on Maui. The state-of-the-art facility will provide emergency managers in the Pacific region the most advanced information products on pending disasters. - 1995 Annual...

A brand new initiative to support community preparedness through partnerships and resources was developed by SCD and the Pacific Disaster Center in October 2012. The Hawaii Hazard Awareness and Resiliency Program was designed to: increase hazard awareness; enhance understanding of...

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...

HI-EMA responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, and became fully operational in April 2020. HI-EMA helped secure and provide personal protective equipment (PPE), created messaging to the public on safety guidelines, and provided assistance to state, federal, and county partners on...

-Photo by Steven Philben (Picture from the 1980 Annual Report) High winds, high surf, and heavy rains battered the islands during the year, prompting Governor George R. Ariyoshi to issue state disaster proclamations on three occasions. The January 1980 storm...

TRAFFIC CONTROL Hawaii National Guard vehicles detour traffic around roads damaged from the November 2000 Hilo flood. Sgt. 1st Class Wayne T. Iha photo RAGING RAPIDS- A Hawaii Army National Guard reconnaissance photo from a UH- 60 Black Hawk helicopter,...

Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku, Oahu, was submerged by heavy rains, Mar. 19-23. (Picture from the 1991 Annual Report) Heavy rains, floods hit Oahu. Twelve days of drenching rains in March were followed by extensive flooding on the north windward shores...

Earthquake-tsunami on Hawaii Island , Nov. 29: Two people were killed and approximately $4.1 million in property damage occurred when an earthquake and tsunami hit the island of Hawaii. Hawaii County Mayor Herbert T. Matayoshi, Gov. George R. Ariyoshi, and...

(Picture from the 1977 Annual Report) Volcanic Eruption On September 12, 1977, Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii erupted along its east rift zone, culminating in a massive outpouring of lava that traveled within a quarter-of-a-mile of the village of Kalapana. Hawaii...

CHECKING THE WAVE ACTION – Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Maj. Gen. Darryll D.M. Wong, the adjutant general, check the Kona Coast post-tsunami waves after the Fukushima, Japan earthquake. Lt. Col. Charles J. Anthony photo http://tsunami.csc.noaa.gov/map.html?mapname NEW TEAM TESTED – Gov....

COMMUNITY SERVICE -- Hawaii National Guard troops and volunteers work together to clear the Hamakua ditch from earthquake debris. Courtesy photo (Pictures from the 2007 Annual Report) Three major incidents or disasters that SCD responded to in FY 2007 were...

State Department of Defense first to respond Hurricane Iniki hits Kauai Maj. Wayne N. Yoshioka and Staff The eye of Hurricane Iniki passed directly over Kauai on the afternoon of Sept. 11. (Picture from the 1992 August – September Pūpūkahi)...