The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) plans for and responds to both natural and human-caused emergencies. These include emergencies resulting from all hazards, from tsunamis, wildfires, and hurricanes to incidents involving hazardous materials or nuclear power. The agency prepares and implements a statewide Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and routinely conducts extensive exercises to test state and county emergency response capabilities.
HIEMA is the coordinating agency on emergencies of all kinds between federal and local agencies, including the four county emergency management agencies – Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense, Maui Emergency Management Agency, City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, and Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency – and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
After an incident, HIEMA conducts damage assessment surveys and advises the Governor on whether to declare an emergency and seek federal relief funds. The agency maintains a primary Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Diamond Head Crater, Honolulu. HIEMA also operates State Warning Point, a state emergency communications center staffed 24 hours, 7 days a week. The center maintains statewide communications with county emergency officials and other partners.
