Kuleana: HIEMA’s role in disaster preparedness in Hawaii

What Does your 2 Weeks Ready Look Like Episodes 1- 15

James Barros – Administrator of Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA)

Awareness, Education and Action is the Focus of Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawai‘i

Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawai‘i Kicks Off

Office of the Governor – News Release – Awareness, Education and Action: April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaiʻi

See the Tsunami News Conference from Governor Green’s Facebook page

The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency Presents The Tsunami Ambassadors

Several Sacred Hearts Students have provided HI-EMA with a translated Tsunami Awareness Messages as well

Mandarin

Korean

HI-EMA staff members are also offering our tsunami awareness message in a variety of languages.

English
Portuguese
Tagalog

Why Tsunami Awareness

(Photos courtesy of NOAA)

What should have been a routine weekday morning on April 1, 1946, turned tragic with no warning. As people in Hawai‘i awoke and got ready for work and school, an unwelcome visitor barreled its way toward the islands, triggered by a massive overnight earthquake off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Hilo would take the brunt of the “April Fools’ Tsunami,” with 158 deaths and damages in the millions. The tsunami also destroyed the Scotch Cap lighthouse on Unimak Island, Alaska, near the epicenter, killing its five occupants.

Hawai‘i learned some deadly lessons about tsunamis and tsunami awareness that day, lessons which hold true today. That’s why the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), and its federal, state and county partners observe every April as Tsunami Awareness Month, sharing those lessons to save lives in the future.

This year’s focus is on Awareness, Education, and Action — knowing what a tsunami is, how to recognize the signs of an impending tsunami, and what to do before, during and after a tsunami occurs.

Tsunamis can strike at any time; there is no “tsunami season.” They are often generated by earthquakes, but can be triggered by underwater volcanic eruptions and landslides or other powerful events as well. And a tsunami isn’t only one wave — it’s a series of waves.

A roaring sound from the sea, strong earth shaking, or a suddenly exposed sea floor are all signs a tsunami may be arriving, even if warning sirens aren’t sounding. Don’t wait — get to higher ground immediately!

After a tsunami, wait for an all-clear from authorities before home. Avoid debris, downed power lines and other hazards.

“Get tsunami ready now!” HI-EMA Administrator James Barros exhorts. “Know your evacuation routes and make a plan.”

How can you prepare? Pack a Go Bag of essential items such as food, water, clothes, medication, and important documents, in case you need to evacuate. Make a plan, which should include phone numbers and a meeting place if you get separated, and practice your plan with friends and family. (Remember those fire drills from small-kid-time? Same idea!)

Tsunami Awareness Month is the time to become Aware, Educated and ready to take Action in the event of a tsunami in the Pacific

The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) joins with our County partners, NOAA, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, International Tsunami Warning Center, University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Department of Education and others to provide information to the public so you are Aware, Educated and ready to take Action in the event of this potentially devastating force of nature.  HI-EMA produced a Public Service Announcement with quick tips on what to do if an earthquake strikes and how to react in the case a tsunami is generated.  The PSA is available in a Hawaiian and English with a variety of other languages subtitled on YouTube.  Use a link here to view the video.

American Sign Language

Chinese

Chuukese

English

Hawaiian 

Ilocano

Japanese

Korean

Marshallese

Samoan

Spanish

Tagalog

Vietnamese

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education, Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness Branch produced a video presentation detailing Tsunami Awareness.

Tsunami Awareness Video

Current Tsunami Information

The International Tsunami Information Center website maintains essential information about tsunami including:

Hawai‘i information
-Including Tsunami Facts for each county in a variety of languages
Hawai‘i Tsunami Kids
What to do?
Vertical Evacuation Guides
American Samoa Information
Current Warnings
Tools and Products
World Tsunami Day

And so much more!

For current information on Tsunami Threats to Hawai‘i and the Pacific Region,
NOAA maintains the U.S. Tsunami Warning System website:

On the NOAA Tsunami Website You Will Find Current Information:

FAQs
NOAA Tsunami Program
Tsunami Education and Outreach Materials

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management has a website on

How Does a Tsunami Happen?
Safety, Science, and How You Can Be Prepared

The Tsunami Ambassadors from Saint Louis School visited KHON-TV April 19, 2024.  See their interview here.

Throughout April, HI-EMA and its partners will present “Talk Story” videos about tsunami and its potential consequences in Hawai‘i.  Please return often to www.ready.hawaii.gov as we explore this powerful force of nature.

HI-EMA Celebrates Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi  (Hawaiian Language Month)