IN THE WAKE OF THE DEADLIEST NATURAL DISASTER IN HAWAII HISTORY, QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO REACT TO MOTHER NATURE’S WORST HAVE COME TO THE FOREFRONT.

FROM GOVERNMENT TO FIRST RESPONDERS TO OUR VERY OWN FAMILIES ‑ WHAT CAN WE DO TO BETTER PREPARE OURSELVES FOR FUTURE THREATS?

AND WHAT LESSONS CAN WE TAKE FROM PAST DISASTERS TO BUILD A MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY?

TONIGHT’S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAM OF KAKOU, HAWAII’S TOWN HALL, START NOW.

ALOHA AND WELCOME TO KAKOU: HAWAII’S TOWN HALL, LIVE FROM THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG MULTI‑MEDIA STUDIO.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES.

AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE STILL COMING TO GRIPS WITH THE WILDFIRE DEVASTATION ON MAUI, WHICH KILLED MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE, MAKING IT THE DEADLIEST WILDFIRE IN THE U.S.

IN MORE THAN A CENTURY.

OUR GOAL IS NOT TO EXAMINE WHAT WENT WRONG ON MAUI ‑ THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL LIKELY BE DISCUSSING AT LENGTH, IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME.

RATHER, WE WANT TO FOCUS MORE BROADLY ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: ARE WE READY FOR ANY ONE OF THE MANY NATURAL DISASTERS THAT COULD COME OUR WAY?

WILDFIRES ARE A SERIOUS DANGER IN THE ISLANDS ‑ BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY ONE.

HURRICANES, SEVERE RAIN STORMS THAT LEAD TO FLOODING, LAVA FLOWS, EARTHQUAKES, AND TSUNAMIS ‑ ALL THREATEN OUR STATE.

SO HOW DO WE BEST PREPARE OURSELVES, ON THE STATEWIDE, COUNTY AND INDIVIDUAL LEVEL?

WE’VE BEEN TOLD AGAIN AND AGAIN, EACH OF US NEEDS TWO WEEKS OF WATER, FOOD, SUPPLIES AND MEDICATION ON HAND, TO BE READY FOR AN EMERGENCY.

THIS IS WHAT THAT STOCKPILE LOOKS LIKE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR ‑ HOW MANY OF US HAVE THESE RESOURCES ON HAND?

WE’RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

KAKOU MEANS ALL OF US, AS IN – WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

WHAT HAPPENED ON MAUI REMINDS US OF JUST HOW CONNECTED HAWAII REALLY IS ‑ WHEN ONE COMMUNITY IS HURT, WE ALL FEEL THAT PAIN.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

WE’RE ALSO STREAMING LIVE AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND ON THE PBS HAWAII FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE PAGES.

IN OUR TOWN HALL, WE HAVE A FORMER MAYOR, THE HEAD OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

A QUICK NOTE ON WHO IS NOT HERE: WE INVITED MAUI COUNTY LEADERSHIP TO ATTEND, BUT UNDERSTANDABLY COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.

WE ALSO INVITED HAWAII COUNTY'S EMERGENCY MANAGER – BUT BECAUSE OF TODAY?S RED FLAG WARNINGS, HE TODAY'S RED FLAG WARNINGS, HE WAS ALSO UNAVAILABLE.

NOW LET’S BEGIN.

IT’S HARD TO KNOW WHAT WILL COME OUR WAY, BUT CLEARLY HAVING A PLAN AS A FAMILY, PLANNED INN MONTHS AGO.

BEFORE WILDFIRES.

MINDS AN HEARTS ARE WITH MAUI.

START THERE.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS BROADLY.

BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T START WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

HOW IS YOUR COMMUNITY DOING TONIGHT?

>> YOU KNOW, WE'RE SLOWLY GETTING THINGS BACK.

GOT POWER BACK IN MAJORITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

COMMUNICATIONS IS MORE WIDESPREAD.

BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS INTERNET OR TELEPHONE ACCESS YET.

THERE IS A COUPLE OF GROCERY STORES OPEN.

ONE PHARMACY ROAD IN AND OUT IS PRETTY MUCH OPEN FOR RESIDENTS.

BUT IT'S KIND DAY‑TO‑DAY.

I SAW THE RED CROSS SHELTER COUNT IS AT ABOUT 4800.

HOTELS ON THERE DON'T REPRESENT ALL THE HOTELS WHERE DISPLACED FAMILIES ARE STAYING AND PERSONAL FAMILY TAKING IN OTHER FAMILIES.

SO WE STILL DON'T HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNT OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED.

WHICH STILL DON'T HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNT OF HOW MANY PEOPLE PASSED AWAY.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

I WANT TO MOVE NOW TO CLAY PROFESSOR AT U.H.

MANOA.

STUDIES FIRE ECOLOGY.

WE TALK ABOUT THREATS TO HAWAII, I DON'T KNOW THAT WILDFIRES WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST.

OBVIOUSLY NOW THAT BROUGHT INTO SHARP FOCUS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE ISLANDS, HOW BIG OF A THREAT ARE WILDFIRES?

>> PRETTY PERSISTENT THREAT ESPECIALLY LEEWARD AREAS.

ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT EVEN IN WINDWARD AREAS, DURING TIMES OF DROUGHT, WE'VE GOT REALLY HUGE PROBLEM WITH FUEL.

THESE ARE GRASS LANDS THAT OCCUPY A LOT OF ABANDON AGRICULTURE LANDS.

A LOT OF UNCARED FOR LANDS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.

SEEN THE THREAT AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES GROW IN RECENT DECADES.

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING THE SAME KIND OF LAND CARE, LAND MANAGEMENT THAT WE USED TO.

SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH ON EVERY ISLAND.

PROBABLY MORE FREQUENT.

>> OBVIOUSLY CONDITIONS ARE TIED TO WEATHER.

RISK IS TIED TO REMEMBER THE MORE FREQUENT LEEWARD AREAS.

BUT WE'VE SEEN LARGE FIRES ON EVERY ISLAND.

AND ON WINDWARD AND LEEWARD SIDES.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO MOVE TO HAWAII COUNTY NOW.

MAYOR HARRY KIM ON THE PHONE TONIGHT.

FIRES DEVASTATED LAHAINA AND OTHER PARTS OF MAUI, THERE WERE OTHER FIRES ON HAWAII ISLAND.

MAYOR KIM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WILDFIRE THREATS TO YOUR COMMUNITY, WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND?

>> 40 YEARS.

FIRES SOMEWHERE ON ISLAND.

VERY DRY.

HAWAII, AUDIO DIFFICULTIES) MOVED INTO AREAS NOT HAVE PEOPLE BEFORE.

SO ONE OF THOSE AREA THAT‑‑PUNA.

TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ‑‑ PEOPLE.

PLEASE KNOW HAZARDS IN THE AREA.

(AUDIO DIFFICULTIES) FOR YEARS, SO MUCH PAIN.

SUFFERING.

PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ‑‑ INSURANCE COVERAGE THEY HAVE.

DO NOT HAVE.

TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, (AUDIO DIFFICULTIES)SEVERAL HOUSES DESTROYED.

TELL PEOPLE MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE AGENT.

PEOPLE REALIZE WHAT THE INSURANCE WILL COVER.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU LISTENERS, WHICH ISLAND, KNOW THAT HOME INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER ‑‑ DAMAGE OR ‑‑ DAMAGE.

TSUNAMI, OR ‑‑ WHATEVER.

‑‑ INSURANCE.

KNOW THAT BECAUSE HORRORS OF THIS INSURANCE AGENT.

AND I'M SORRY.

YOU ARE NOT COVERED BY EARTHQUAKES.

I'LL END THAT.

KNOW HAZARDS OF YOUR AREA.

KNOW RISK TO YOU.

‑‑ BE PREPARED.

>>Yunji: CLEARLY YOU'RE BACKGROUND IS FORMER CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATOR COMING THROUGH TONIGHT.

MR. MAYOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHTS FOR JOINING US LAST MINUTE ON THE PHONE.

REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

I WANT TO MOVE NOW TO THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

TOYA DIRECTOR OF THE AMONG MANAGEMENT FOR THE CITY & COUNTY.

THINK ABOUT ALL PAYING ATTENTION NOW TO THE FIRE RISKS ON EVERY ISLAND.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE FACING HERE ON OAHU.

>> SO FOR OAHU, WE ARE HAZARDS HERE HISTORICALLY FOCUSED ON IN TERMS OF GREATEST DAMAGE, HURRICANES, TSUNAMIS AND FLOODS.

GREATEST DAMAGE.

LOOK AT THE FIGURES, HAD THE GREATEST FATALITIES FROM TSUNAMIS.

>> WILDFIRES HAVE NEVER REALLY GOTTEN RISEN TO THE TOP OF THAT LIST IN TERMS OF HAZARDS THAT MOST IMPACT US.

CERTAINLY, AS MAYOR KIM MENTIONED, COMMUNITIES PROFILE CHANGING.

OUR CLIMATE IS CHANGING AS WE WELL.

DO NEED TO THIS THREAT MORE SERIOUSLY.

TAKES AS YOU MENTIONED, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS ALSO KAKOU.

ALWAYS SAY IT'S WHOLE COMMUNITY.

SO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE IN WHICH A COMMUNITY PREPARES FOR, MITIGATES AGAINST RESPONDS TO AND RECOVERS FROM LARGE SCALE EMERGENCIES.

REALLY TAKES ALL OF US.

NOT ONLY GOVERNMENT LEVEL.

>> CITY AND COUNTY, BUT STATE LEVEL, FEDERAL LEVEL, PRIVATE SECTOR, PARTNERS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.

>>Yunji: LET'S GO TO KAUAI COUNTY NOW.

ELTON IS ON ZOOM WITH US TONIGHT.

COULD MAKE IT HERE TO OAHU BECAUSE OF ACTUAL RED FLAG WARNINGS IN YOUR COUNTY JUST TODAY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

IMPRESSION OF KAUAI IS THAT'S VERY LUSH ENVIRONMENT.

MT.

WAIALEALE WETTEST PLACE ON THE ISLAND.

PLACES AROUND THE ISLAND, SEVERE FIRE DANGER.

TELL US WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.

>> SO AS A COMMUNITY, WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HAWAII WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, AND KAUAI FIRE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND OTHER PARTNERS.

>> WE HAVE WORKED IN PRIOR YEARS KAUAI COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.

AND ENGAGED PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, THOSE WHO WOULD BE ACTIVE IN WILDFIRE FIGHTING, RISK MITIGATION, ET CETERA.

WITH THE TRAGIC EVENTS ON MAUI, AND THE WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCTS PRECEDED THAT AND CONTINUED OFF AND ON UNTIL TODAY.

WE'VE TAKEN A MUCH HARDER LOOK AT MANY OF OUR PLANNING DOCUMENTS.

>> PROCEDURES IN PLACE EVERYTHING FROM FUEL REDUCTION AND FIRE BREAKS, CREATING DEFENSIBLE SPACE ENGAGING PROPERTY OWNERS, VERY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERS AND PEOPLE OF KAUAI.

FOR THE ACTION THAT IS HAVE BEEN TAKEN JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

TO TRY TO BE BETTER PREPARED.

AND OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY TEAM, ALL OF LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR COMMUNITY‑BASED PARTNERS IN PREPARING AND VARIOUS AREAS, INTERNAL PROTOCOLS TRYING TO FINETUNE AND MAKING SURE WE'RE READY.

I WILL SAY THAT WITH THIS RED FLAG WARNING IN THE PAST, RED FLAG WARNING.

MORE STAND BY MODE AND REACTIVE.

CHANGED OUR POSTURE.

ISSUANCE OF RED FLAG WARNING.

EMERGENCY ACTIVATED TO LEVEL 2.

WHICH IS PARTIAL ACTIVATION.

STAYED ACTIVE ALL NIGHT AND THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE RED FLAG WARNING EVENT.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

JOHN IS HERE FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

METEOROLOGIST THERE.

SEEN YOU ON TELEVISION.

MANY TIMES TALKING ABOUT WATCHES AND WARNINGS HEADING OUR WAY.

AS I MENTIONED AT THE TOP, REALLY PLANNED THERE SHOW TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON.

WE KNOW THAT HURRICANE DORA PLAYED A PART IN WHAT HAPPENED ON MAUI.

TELL US ABOUT HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE TO THESE WEATHER SYSTEMS THAT ARE COMING OUR WAY SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC?

>> ONE THING WE'VE SEEN THAT WE ARE REALLY VERY SMALL TARGET.

MIDDLE OF VERY BIG OCEAN.

A LOT OF NEAR MISSES.

HURRICANE DOUGLAS PASSING FEW DOZEN MILES NORTH OF THE STATE IN 2020.

SEEING NOTHING.

IN THIS CASE, HURRICANE DORA PASSING 500‑MILES SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS SEEING ENHANCED WINDS AND DRY STABLE CONDITIONS FUELED THESE MASSIVE FIRES.

WEATHER EVENTS THEY'RE VERY VARIABLE.

LIKE THAT.

SO SOMETHING COULD COME CLOSE BY.

AND NOT IMPACT AS MUCH OR BE FAR AWAY AND HAVE VERY BIG IMPACT.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE WORK OF EVERYBODY DOING HERE HELPING TO GET PREPARED FOR THOSE EVENTS.

AND HELPING EDUCATE EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

SO REALLY I GUESS THE KEY TAKE AWAY.

MY WIFE ALWAYS SAYS, BY THE TIME YOU SEE US TALKING ON TV, TOO LATE TO PREPARE.

NEVER WANT TO SEE THAT EVENT.

GETTING READY AHEAD OF TIME, GIVES YOU THAT LITTLE SAFETY.

>>Yunji: THAT'S A NATURAL SEGUE TO DENNIS WONG.

COASTAL HAZARD MITIGATION SPECIALIST WITH THE U.H.

SEA GRANTS COLLEGE PROGRAM.

YOU LITERALLY WROTE THE BOOK ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

COAUTHOR OF HOMEOWNERS HANDBOOK TO PREPARE FOR NATURAL DISASTER.

LINK TO THAT ON THE PBS.ORG WEBSITE.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT BECAUSE IT COVERS SO MANY THINGS.

WHEN WE CONSIDER THE THREATS WE LAID OUT AT THE TOP, WILDFIRES, TSUNAMIS, LAVA FLOWS HURRICANES, AND THE LIKE, OF THOSE, WHICH CONCERNS YOU MOST?

>> ALL CONCERNING AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ANY HAZARD THAT MAY BE THEIR WAY, SAY BE PREPARED, THAT'S USUALLY SYNONYMOUS WITH BEING PROACTIVE.

PROACTIVE, GO OUT, GET THEIR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES.

CRATING EVACUATION PLAN.

ER BASED ON THE HAZARD IN THEIR LOCATION.

AND THEN ALSO, ONCE THEY KNOW THE HAZARD RISK, THEN APPRECIATE THE RISK AND BEING MORE MOTIVATED TO DO OTHER THINGS.

LIKE MAYBE STRENGTHEN THEIR HOUSE.

OR GET INSURANCE.

BUT VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE RISK SO THAT THEY PROACTIVE AND TAKE MEASURES BEFORE THERE IS A WARNING AND WATCHES.

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD WARNINGS AND WATCHES AND TV SHOWS HAVE COME TO INTERVIEWS US AND THEY GO, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOUR HOUSE?

A LOT OF TIMES TOO LATE BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN DO, THEY MAY TAKE A CONTRACT OR MAY TAKE TWO MONTHS TO LINE UP.

SO REALLY BEING PROACTIVE.

>>Yunji: ON THAT PROACTIVE FRONT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ED SNIFFEN, HEAD OF STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ALL OF THESE THREATS PUT TOGETHER, YOUR AGENCY IN CHARGE OF AIRPORTS, ROADS AND HARBOR.

WE THINK ABOUT WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT.

TSUNAMI OR HURRICANE HEADING OUR WAY.

AND TAKING OUT HONOLULU HARBOR OR MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF CONTINGENCY PLANS THAT THE STATE HAS, TALKED ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING LIKE A TSUNAMI OR HURRICANE?

>> TSUNAMI HURRICANES, GREAT THING IS WE TRAIN WITH OUR STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT QUITE OFTEN TO ENSURE WE'RE READY FOR THOSE SITUATION.

FOR US, BIGGEST PRIORITIES TO MAKE SURE WE GET PORTS UP.

>> AIRPORTS OPEN AND PORTS OPEN GET PEOPLE OFF THE ISLAND.

VISITING HERE.

GET THEM OUT TO FOCUS ON THE EVENT.

GET PEOPLE IN TO PROVIDE THAT AID THAT WE NEED.

PORTS, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE SHORT OFTEN RESOURCES BECAUSE WE HAVE SHIP EVERYTHING IN.

WE GET THOSE PORTS UP IMMEDIATELY.

ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SHIPPING, LARGE SHIPPING AGENCIES MATSON AND PASHA BACKUPS.

BETWEEN THEM.

KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CRANES AVAILABLE.

EVEN IF THOSE CRANES GO DOWN, TWO BACKUP CRANES FOR BOTH OF THEM.

BOTH OF THEM ARE ON ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCES.

ALWAYS UP IF THE GRIDS GO DOWN.

COMFORTABLE THAT THE FACILITIES WILL BE THERE.

HARBOR IS BLOCKED, SHIPS THAT CAN COME IN AND REMOVE THOSE BLOCKAGES TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP THOSE PORTIONS OPEN.

EVEN IF THEY CANNOT COME IN, WE HAVE AREAS THAT THEY CAN OFFLOAD ON PIER ONE WITH ALTERNATIVE MODES OF SUPPORT.

SO WE HAVE BACKUPS ON BACKUPS AND BACKUPS TO ENSURE WE CAN GET RESOURCES IN AND PEOPLE IN TO GET THE AID THERE.

ON THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, WE MAKE SURE WE CLEARED DEBRIS ON THE HIGHWAYS TO OPEN UP ACCESS TO THE PORTS.

AND THEN TO EMERGENCY OPERATING CENTERS.

TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THE CRITICAL ACCESS TO EVERYONE BEFORE WE START GOING TO OTHER AREAS.

>>Yunji: THINK ABOUT THE THREE SYSTEMS AIRPORT HARBOR AND ROAD, WHICH OF THOSE DO YOU THINK IS THE ONE THAT YOU FEEL IS MOST VULNERABLE OR THE ONE THAT YOU WORRY THE MOST ABOUT GOING DOWN?

>> SO BIGGEST ONE FOR US IS HARBORS.

THAT AREA WE HAVE FOCUS TO ENSURE THAT STAYS OPEN.

GET GOODS AND RESOURCE IN, EVERYBODY NEEDS.

COMFORTABLE WE HAVE BACKUPS FOR ALL OF THEM.

ENSURE THAT WE'LL KEEP THEM OPEN.

>>Yunji: GO THE MACRO DOWN TO THE MICRO.

PROFESSOR OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS AT U.H.

WEST OAHU.

HIRO TALKING ABOUT ALL THE SYSTEMS KIND OF NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

WHY WE HAVE ALL OF THIS FOOD LAID OUT HERE.

SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR FOR 2 WEEKS.

HOW REALISTIC DO YOU THINK IT IS IT AND HOW MANY PEOPLE IN HAWAII DO YOU THEY HAVE THIS KIND OF STOCKPILE READY TO GO.

>> >> JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED STUDY ON THIS, LEVEL OF HOUSEHOLDS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RELATIVE TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STANDARD.

WHAT WE FOUND IS STATEWIDE, ABOUT 12% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE THAT 14 DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE.

COUPLE OF OTHER IMPORTANT DATA POINTS WE DERIVE FROM THE STUDY IS APPROXIMATELY ONLY HALF OF HAWAII HOUSEHOLDS ARE AWARE OF THAT 14 DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE RECOMMENDATION.

SO WE'RE NOT DOING ADEQUATE JOB OF EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE NEED FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

AND THEN ONE OTHER THING I'LL SHARE IS THERE'S SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SELF‑PERCEPTION AROUND PREPAREDNESS, AND ACTUAL LEVELS OF PREPAREDNESS AT THE HOUSEHOLD LEVEL.

I THINK THE LAST POINT I WOULD SHARE IS THAT OF OUR RESEARCH, FOUND THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE AWARE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OR THE VOLUME OF FOOD THAT IS REQUIRED FOR FAMILY OF FOUR, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY FOUND BOTH COST AS WELL AS THE STORAGE SPACE LIMITING FACTOR IN THE ABILITY TO ADHERE TO THAT STANDARD.

>>Yunji: MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

SPACE AT PREMIUM.

I LIVE IN APARTMENT.

DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A GARAGE WHERE WE CAN STORE ALL OF THESE KIND OF GOODS.

>> TELL ME AGAIN ABOUT THAT DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN PERCEIVED, PREPAREDNESS AND ACTUAL PREPAREDNESS?

>> OVER A THOUSAND HOUSE HOLDINGS.

WHAT WAS THEIR PERCEPTION OF LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS FOR SIGNIFICANT NATURAL DISASTER.

HOUSEHOLDS RESPONDED 60% ON AVERAGE SAID THEY WERE PREPARED FOR NATURAL DISASTER.

THE SIGNIFICANT NATURAL DISASTER.

THEN WE ASKED SERIES OF QUESTIONS TO ACTUALLY DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD THAT 14 DAY SIMPLIFY OF FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE.

SUPPLY.

OFTEN 50% DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SELF‑PERCEPTION OF PREPAREDNESS AND THEIR ACTUAL LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

I WANT TO MOVE NOW TO AMY MARVIN HERE FROM THE HAWAII FOOD BANK.

WHEN COVID HIT AND SO MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS, OVERNIGHT, SAW THE FOOD BANK STAND UP WITH ALL OF THOSE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS AND REALLY HELP THE COMMUNITY IN DISASTER DIFFERENT KIND.

TALK ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT THE FOOD BANK HAS IN IF HE WERE TO HAVE A NATURAL DISASTER AND HOW LONG COULD YOU HELP OUR COMMUNITY IF THAT WERE THE CASE?

>> DAY‑TO‑DAY WORK IS TO SUPPORT ONE IN SIX PEOPLE HAWAII RESIDENTS FOOD INSECURE.

DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CONSISTENT ACCESS TO SAFE AND HEALTHY FOOD FOR EVERYONE IN HOUSEHOLD TO LIVE ACTIVE HOUSEHOLD.

ONE?

SIX PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT REGULAR BASIS.

FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE PREPARED.

AND EVEN AFTER COVID, WE'RE STILL SERVING 50% MORE PEOPLE THAN WE WERE PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

SO WE KNOW THAT THE NEED IS THERE.

THE NEED IS REAL.

AND MANY HOUSEHOLDS LIVE RIGHT ON THE THIS EDGE OF DISASTER WHERE ONE CAR ACCIDENT, ONE JOB LOSS, SOMETHING, CAN REALLY PUSH FOLKS OVER THE EDGE.

WE PARTNER WITH MANY FOLKS IN THIS ROOM TO SEEK AGAIN, REALLY ABOUT COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.

SO WORK CLOSELY WITH CITY AND COUNTY DEM TO BE SURE THAT WE COULD BE READY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE FOOD BANK DOES HAVE IS RELATIONSHIPS WITH ABOUT 200 PARTNER AGENCIES ON THE GROUND.

WE KNOW HOW TO GET FOOD TO THOSE MOST VULNERABLE.

SO OUR JOB WOULD BE TO REALLY STAND UP AND MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THE FOOD IN AND OUT TO THOSE MOST VULNERABLE FOLKS.

>>Yunji: I MEAN, IF YOU'RE SAYING ONE IN SIX DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE FOOD IN PANTRY FOR THAT DAY, SEEMS PRETTY UNREALISTIC.

>> FAMILY OF FOUR.

MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLDS IN HAWAII.

HOUSING SUCH AN ISSUE.

RIGHT ON, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPARED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, TRIED TO GET PRIOR TO HURRICANE SEASON, LET'S GET EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS BOXES, FOOD BOXES OUT.

PEOPLE ATE IT.

EVERY DAY, REALLY DAILY EMERGENCY IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE AND HEALTHY FOOD.

SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP PEOPLE BE PREPARED.

AND I THINK PART OF WHAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT IS HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN HELP EACH OTHER.

WORKPLACE, GOVERNMENT, IF YOU HAVE MEANS TO HAVE FOOD IN YOUR HOME, IF THINKING ABOUT PROBABLY WANT TO BE SHARING THAT WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH.

>>Yunji: BRING OF DENISE AMERICAN RED CROSS IN HAWAII.

WORK ON THE GROUND IN LAHAINA AND THROUGHOUT MAUI.

GIVEN ALL THAT YOU'VE HEARD SO FAR, ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL PREPAREDNESS, WHAT DO YOU THINK INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE DOING TO BEST PREPARE?

>> SO REALLY LIKE TO FOLKS ON THE INDIVIDUAL PREPAREDNESS.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS.

YOU CAN PREPARE FOR ALL EMERGENCIES.

THIS IS OVERWHELMING A LOT OF TIMES FOR PEOPLE TO START.

SO I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, START WITH TWO THINGS.

WE HAVE EMERGENCY APP.

GET IT AT THE APP STORE.

CALLED RED CROSS EMERGENCY APP.

OTHERS OUT THERE.

DOWNLOAD AN APP.

UPLOAD YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

PUT A PAIR OF SHOES BY YOUR BED.

THAT'S THE FIRST STEP THAT YOU CAN TAKE TO START ON A PATH TO PREPAREDNESS.

START STOCKPILING FOOD.

START LOOKING THROUGH THE LIST.

LOOKING THROUGH THE CHECKLIST.

ONE OF THINGS WE OFTEN SEE WITH PEOPLE COME TO OUR SHELTERS AFTER A DISASTER.

DIDN'T HAVE A KIT.

GO BAG.

>> FLED WITH CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK.

ANYTHING CAN DO STAGE THEMSELVES OF DISASTERS AND BE AWARE OF EMERGENCY ALERTS GOING ON AROUND THEM, SIGN UP LOCAL EMERGENCY ALERTS REALLY JUST START ON THE JOURNEY.

DON'T HAVE TO GET ALL THE WAY THERE RIGHT AWAY.

>>Yunji: GREAT ADVICE.

GO BACK TO DENNIS PLANNING ON INDIVIDUAL LEVEL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, JUST TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THIS.

NOT TO OVERWHELM FOLKS.

REALLY JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHAT WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO HAVE.

FULL DISCLOSURE.

I DON'T HAVE THIS IN MY HOUSE.

FOUR PEOPLE I GOT TWO KIDS.

WE HAVE WATER, WE HAVE PLETHORA OF FOOD.

THERE'S ALSO GENERATORS.

CLEANING SUPPLIES.

TOILET PAPER, MORE WATER.

DIAPERS.

>> FOR INSTANCE.

THEN THIS KIND OF STRUCK ME.

PHONE THAT REALLY ON CELL SERVICE.

ANALOG PHONE.

RADIO.

FLASHLIGHT.

WHAT HAVE YOU.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS, AND KEEPING IN MIND WHAT DENISE WAS SAYING ABOUT JUST GETTING STARTED, WHERE DO YOU START IN THIS PILE?

>> WELL, ABOUT THE COMMENT ABOUT THAT.

DOES LOOK OVERWHELMING.

TIPS IN THE BOOK ON HOW TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE THINGS.

LIKE WATER FOR INSTANCE, FAMILY OF FOUR, TWO WEEKS FOR TWO WEEKS, ONE GALLON PER PERSON PER DAY.

THAT'S 56‑GALLONS.

THAT'S LIKE 11 CASES OF WATER.

AT COSTCO.

BUT INSTEAD OF THAT, THEY COULD GET LIKE A WATER BOB FOR $29.

PUT IN THE BATHTUB AND IT WILL HOLD 100‑GALLONS OF WATER RIGHT THERE.

AND SELL THEM ALL THE HARDWARE STORES.

CITY HILL.

HARDWARE HAWAII.

ALL OVER.

THEY'RE SOLD.

TIPS ON THE BOOK IN HOW TO COLLECT YOUR FOOD.

I NEVER BUY FOOD FOR MY EMERGENCY KIT.

I'M NOT GOING TO USE IN DAILY LIFE.

SO IF I DON'T EAT VIENNA SAUSAGE, NOT GOING TO BE IN MY EMERGENCY KIT.

I'LL BUY CASE OF IT.

EXPIRE IN 3 YEARS.

BUT ONE YEAR, BEFORE STARTS TO EXPIRE, I'LL START TO EAT IT.

THERE'S A LOT OF TIPS IN THE BOOK AND HOW TO TRY AND ADDRESS WHAT APPEARS TO BE LIKE AN OVERWHELMING CHALLENGE.

>>Yunji: WE'VE GOT A FOLLOW‑UP QUESTION.

FOR ED SNIFFEN.

MIKE IN KAKAAKO.

WANTS TO KNOW, CAN AND SHOULD WE REINSTATE THE SUPERFERRY TO HELP OUT NATURAL DISASTER.

FOCUSED HONOLULU HARBOR.

WHAT NEIGHBOR ISLAND COMMUNITIES.

HOW WOULD YOU SHUTTLE SUPPLIES TO THEM.

>> LOOKING AT THE SUPERFERRY DURING THIS EMERGENCY.

HAPPENED IN PORT IN PEARL HARBOR AT THE TIME OVER HERE.

SO WE LOOK AT THAT.

ALSO HAVE OTHER RESOURCE.

PRIDE OF AMERICA IN SPORT, THAT'S ANOTHER VESSEL THAT WE CAN USE IN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

NOT JUST FOR SHUTTLING SUPPLIES OVER.

>> BUT ALSO FOR USING ROOMS AS FOR PEOPLE FOR SHELTER.

DURING EVENTS.

WE HAVE BACKUPS ON THOSE.

OUR SHIPPING COMPANIES ALSO HAVE BACKUP SHIPS.

AS WELL.

WE HAVE BARGES WE CAN SEND OUT.

SO WE'RE NOT SHORT OF RESOURCES TO GET RESOURCES TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

ESPECIALLY IN A BIG SITUATION LIKE THAT.

>>Yunji: THERE'S A FOLLOW‑UP QUESTION FOR THE EMERGENCY MANAGER.

DARYL HAWAII ISLAND WANTS TO KNOW, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

BIG ISLAND ESTABLISHED VOLUNTEER FIGHTING NETWORK ISLANDWIDE.

HOW VALUABLE IS THIS FOR THE OTHER COUNTIES.

IS THERE SOMETHING SIMILAR?

>> SO FOR OAHU, DO NOT HAVE A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE RELY ENTIRELY ON HONOLULU FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR OUR FIRE RESPONSE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEY ALSO HAVE SOME MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS WITH STATE AIRPORT FIRE, AS WELL AS WITH FEDERAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.

OR SERT.

PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THIS.

ACTUALLY THREE SATURDAYS.

TWO SATURDAYS AND CLASSROOM.

AND ONE SATURDAY DOING FIELD EXERCISE.

CERT.

SOME SEARCH AND RESCUE COMPONENTS LEARNING HOW TO USE FIRE EXTINGUISH.

THINGS INDIVIDUALS TO DO TO PREPARE, LESS THAN JOINING FIRE DEPARTMENT.

CERT TEACHES A LOT OF OTHER VALUABLE SKILLS.

>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO COUPLE OTHER POINTS INDIVIDUAL PREPAREDNESS IF I COULD.

AMY MENTIONED, ONE IN SIX FAMILIES ARE FOOD INSECURE HERE.

THAT LEAVES EVERYBODY ELSE WHO HAVE MAY HAVE ABILITY TO PREPARE, REALLY PUTS ONUS BACK ON US.

THOSE WHO CAN TO BE PREPARED SO THAT ASSISTANCE FROM RED CROSS OR FOOD BANK OR GOVERNMENT CAN FOCUS ON THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO PREPARE FOR THEMSELVES.

ANOTHER THING THAT DENISE MENTIONED, HAVING STARTING POINTS FOR THESE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

CAN'T DO 14 DAYS.

DO TEN.

>> CAN'T DO TEN.

DO 7, 5, 3.

DO SOMETHING.

SO AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT PREPARED.

ONE LAST POINT I WANT TO ADD, FROM DENISE, MENTIONED SOME EVACUEES RELIEVE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK.

STARTED PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON MORE GO BAG SO THAT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, YOU CAN JUST GRAB THIS BAG AN GO.

OBVIOUSLY NO WAY YOU'RE GOING LEAVE WITH ALL OF THESE 14 DAYS WORTH OF SUPPLIES WHEN YOU HAVE SHORT FUSE EMERGENCY.

I WANT TO GIVE SHOUT OUT TO JOHN CUMMINGSING PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR PUBLISHED THIS GUIDANCE.

ACTUALLY RETIRED EFFECTIVE TODAY.

WANTED TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS EFFORTS BEFORE HE RETIRED.

HAVING THAT LITTLE BIT OF GO BAG, ESSENTIAL ITEMS LIKE CLOTHES, LITTLE BIT OF WATER AND ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS CAN HELP YOU A LOT ON YOUR WAY TO RECOVERY.

>>Yunji: POSE THOSE QUESTIONS TO YOU.

REALLY QUESTION FOR THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM.

CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE BEING HAD.

AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.

TWO QUESTIONS HERE ABOUT SIRENS.

WHO IS GOING TO RETAIN US EMERGENCY FOR FIRE?

AWARE OF SIRENS FOR HURRICANES OR MISSILE BOMB ALERTS ANOTHER PERSON JOHN SAYS, CAN THE CIVIL DEFENSE SIRENS BE RETROFITTED TO TRANSMIT VOICE ANNOUNCEMENTS SIMILAR TO THE SYSTEMS FOUND ON AIR FORCE BASES.

WHAT IS THE CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW HAPPENING FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE SIRENS?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, HELP EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE SIRENS ARE JUST ONE TOOL OF MANY THAT WE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PARTNERS CAN USE FOR PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND WARNING.

THERE'S THE LONGSTANDING AND TRADITIONAL EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM THAT DOES TV AND RADIO CUT‑INS.

MORE RECENT WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS THAT TRANSMITS MESSAGES TO CELLPHONES AND EFFECTED AREA.

WEATHER RADIO.

SIREN NETWORK AND PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENTAL APPS NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS.

EACH COUNTY HAS THEIR OWN SYSTEM THAT CAN DO LAND LINE AND OPT‑IN.

CELLULAR, TEXT, EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS.

SIRENS THEY'RE NOT REALLY MEANT FOR JUST ONE OR TWO HAZARDS.

THEY'RE REALLY ALL HAZARD SYSTEMS.

AND WHEN WE USE THAT ALERT TONE, THAT IS REALLY TELLING PUBLIC TO TUNE INTO LOCAL MEDIA.

GET YOUR ATTENTION AND GIVE YOU INFORMATION.

BY THE TIME THE SIRENS SOUNDS, THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING ON YOUR TV, RADIO, WEBSITES FROM APPROPRIATE ENTITIES.

ET CETERA.

REALLY IS A WHOLE PACKAGE.

>> SOMETHING THAT FEMA CALLS THE INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM.

WE DO ADVISE THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T RELY ON SINGLE SYSTEM.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NOT DISABLED EMERGENCY ALERTS ON YOUR PHONES.

DO SUBSCRIBE TO LOCAL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.

SIREN NETWORK DOES NOT COVER ANYWHERE NEAR 100% OF POPULATED AND FREQUENTED AREAS.

BUT IT IS A POWERFUL TOOL ONE OF MANY WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL.

>>Yunji: GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS AS WELL.

I KNOW THAT ALL OF THIS, YOU'RE DEALING WITH SO MUCH IN SO FRESH FOR YOU.

IF I ASK YOU ANYTHING, PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER OR FEEL IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.

IS THERE A QUESTION CAME IN ON FACEBOOK.

IF A SITUATION NEARS MAXIMUM CAPACITY FOR THE ON ISLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WOULD YOU THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR YOUR COUNTY?

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, WHEN DISASTER HAPPENED, A LOT OF COMMUNITY STEPPED UP, AND SPONTANEOUSLY CREATED COMMUNITY HUBS, AND GROCERY STORE ALL THE GROCERY STORES WERE CLOSED BECAUSE THERE'S NO POWER, NO COMMUNICATIONS, AND GROCERY STORE RIGHT NEXT TO OUR FIRE STATION IN NAPILI, PEOPLE STARTED DROPPING OFF DONATIONS.

AND THE FIRE CAPTAIN THERE WAS TRYING TO ANSWER THE 911 CALLS AND MANAGE THE DONATIONS.

AND A LOT OF FIREFIGHTERS WERE OTHER COUNTIES AND STATE FIREFIGHTERS, EVEN FROM CONTINENT CAME AND THEY RAN THAT DISTRIBUTION HUB BECAUSE THERE WERE STILL A LOT OF 911 CALLS GOING ON.

JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO RESPOND TO THE 911 CALLS.

AND DO THE MANAGED DISTRIBUTION.

BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE COMPONENT OF PREPAREDNESS THAT I SAW IS REALLY COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND EVEN NEIGHBOR ISLAND RELATIONSHIPS.

IN THE FIRST WEEK, REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET THE SUPPLIES AND TO GET THE COMMUNICATION BECAUSE ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION IN WEST MAUI WAS PRETTY MUCH DOWN.

THERE WERE CERTAIN PLACES WHERE YOU COULD SOMETIMES GET RECEPTION.

AND YOU WOULD SEE LIKE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE LIKE 20 TO 50 PEOPLE HUDDLED IN ONE AREA ON THE SIDE OF HIGHWAY.

AND NO ONE REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

LIKE MEDIC WAS SAYING I SAW 50 PEOPLE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES ON SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.

THAT WAS ONE AREA WHERE YOU COULD GET RECEPTION.

HE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF EMERGENCY.

HE CAME UP AND SAID, I'M A MEDIC.

DO YOU GUYS NEED HELP?

JUST LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES BECAUSE THEY COULD GET RECEPTION THERE.

REALLY, THE FASTEST RESPONSE I SEEN WAS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE SET UP NAPILI PARK.

AND AFTER HURRICANE LANE IN 2018, WHERE WE WERE EXPECTING KIND OF DIRECT HIT FROM A CATEGORY 5, THAT WAS A WILDFIRE AS WELL, I HAD SPOKEN WITH OUR PREVIOUS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKS ARE REALLY GOOD PLACE TO BE SET UP FOR EVACUEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WHEN I COULDN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH ANYONE, I FIGURED, OH, WELL, I ALREADY TALKED WITH HIM ABOUT IT.

AND ME AND BUNCH OF MY NEIGHBORS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE SET UP TENTS AND DISTRIBUTION AND JUST GREW AND GREW AND GREW.

NOW WE HAVE LIKE TESLA WALLS IN THE PARK.

40‑FOOT CONTAINERS.

REFER FOR PRODUCE.

REFER FOR AMENDMENTS AND IT'S MOSTLY RUN OFF OF SOLAR AND 3 PHASED GENERATOR.

A LOT OF THE EARLY SUPPLIES CAME IN BY BOAT AT FAMILY BOAT RAMPS.

FROM MOLOKAI, MOLOKAI WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO CROSS THE CHANNEL.

EVEN FROM HAWAII ISLAND, AND KAUAI, ACROSS THE ALANUIHAHA FROM OAHU, PEOPLE WERE BRINGING IN SUPPLIES BY BOATS.

THIS ORGANIZATION CALLED RED LIGHT THING FLEW IN.

MAYBE THE FOURTH DAY THROUGH KAPALUA AIRPORT.

AND THEY TOOK ME AND WE JUST STARTED GOING AROUND TO DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND PUTTING UP STAR LINKS.

SO PEOPLE COULD IF THEY'RE WITHIN 100 OR 200‑YARD RADIUS OF THE STAR LINK, THEY COULD MAKE A PHONE CALL.

AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE OKAY.

OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO REALLY NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER ISLANDS, I THINK, THAT MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT TO ME, IN THE FIRST WEEK.

AND CONTINUED TO MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT.

KIND OF OUR COMMUNITY AID CENTER EXPECTED THE HUBS TO LAST 7 DAYS ONLY.

WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS COMING IN FROM THE OTHER COUNTIES AND JURISDICTIONS, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE LIKE, WE LIVE HERE.

WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO?

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE COMMITTED TO STAYING THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

PLANS IF WE GET PERMISSION TO START SEPTEMBER 11, BUILDING 12 CLASSROOMS AT OUR PARK.

BUILDING, MANY OF OUR KIDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AREN'T GOING SCHOOL STILL YET.

KIND OF FREE RANGE.

BUT ONE OF THE I GUESS SILVER LININGS OF IT IS WITH NO INTERNET AND COMMUNICATION, THEY NOW KNOW EVERY KID IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND BASKETBALL COURT IS PACKED ALL DAY.

RIDING THEIR BIKES AROUND.

TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER.

FACE‑TO‑FACE.

AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY A HEARTWARMING SIDE EFFECT OF DISASTER.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, I KNEW ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS.

BUT NOW, MY NEIGHBORS ARE LIKE MY FAMILY.

WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS, OUR PLACE IS CALLED NAPILI NOHO.

RESIDENTS OF NAPILI.

EVERY DAY, WE JUST SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER.

SHOW UP TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND BE THERE FOR THEM.

A LOT OF THEM, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY.

THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH SUCH A TRAUMA.

THAT IT'S HARD TO ASK FOR ANY KIND OF HELP FROM FOLKS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.

EVEN THE RED LIGHT THING FOLKS, THREE DAYS I HAD TO TAKE THEM AROUND PEOPLE WERE SUPERPARANOID.

PEOPLE RATTLED UP.

SET YOU GUYS UP WITH INTERNET.

THEY WANT TO SET YOU UP WITH INTERNET.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

NO.

DISASTER RELIEF SERVICE.

STOOD UP PHARMACY AT HONOKOWAI.

SOME ADA APARTMENT BUILDINGS, ALL KINDS, INDIVIDUAL, POLICE OFFICERS, LIFEGUARDS, EMTs.

BIG TRAGEDY, THERE IS A LOT OF HIDDEN BLESSINGS THAT ARE COMING UP.

AND THINGS TO TEACH OTHER COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING, OR IF TRAGEDY HAPPENS, EXAMPLES TO FOLLY THINK.

>>Yunji: LET'S BRING YOU BACK IN.

RAISING SOME REALLY INTERESTING POINTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY AND ALSO KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS.

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THAT IS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PREPARING FOR DISASTER?

>> WELL, I THINK IF WE, WELL, THE POINT IS THAT I THINK IS CRITICAL TO MAKE IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE SYSTEMICALLY.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO TAKES MULTIPLE STRATEGIES INTO ACCOUNT IN ORDER TO BUILD FUNCTIONAL REDUNDANCY IN THE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO CREATE RESILIENCE.

FOOD SECURE COMMUNITIES THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE BETTER WITHSTAND SOME TYPE OF INTERRUPTION TO THE SYSTEM.

IF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE THAT 14 DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD, AND WATER ON HAND, THEY'RE MORE RESILIENT.

IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF NATURAL DISASTER, THOSE HOUSEHOLDS ARE THAT PREPARED CAN ACTUALLY SHARE AND SUPPORT THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT.

I THINK I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD, HASN'T REALLY BEEN DISCUSSED YET, IS THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF PRIVATE SECTOR IN ALL OF THIS.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LIKE CHAD BUCK AND HAWAII FOOD SERVICE ALLIANCE WERE TAPPED AT THE START OF THE EMERGENCY TO BRING ASSETS, FOOD, WATER, ICE AND OTHER MATERIALS, ON SITE, ON THE BEHEST OF THE GOVERNOR, AND THE MAUI MAYOR, AND THEY DELIVERED I UNDERSTAND, SOMEWHERE AROUND 3 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD AND WATER AND OTHER GOODS TO THE IMMEDIATE DISASTER AREA.

SO THESE WERE THINGS THAT THE PUBLIC SECTOR CANNOT DO AS NIMBLY.

WE NEED TO TAKE INTO A RANGE OF STRATEGIES.

CODIFIED IN SOME KIND OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN.

MULTIPLAYERED STRATEGY THAT I THINK IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.

>>Yunji: AMY, CAN YOU BUILD ON THAT?

IMPORTANCE OF PRIVATE SECTOR AND ALL OF THIS AND HOW THE PRIVATE SECTOR BEST ENGAGED?

>> SURE.

HAWAII FOOD BANK, WE HAVE HERE ON OAHU, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1 AND 1‑AND‑A‑HALF MILLION POUND OF FOOD ANY GIVEN TIME.

HOW LONG DOES THAT LAST?

ABOUT 3 WEEKS.

IN THE DAY‑TO‑DAY WITH FOLKS THAT WE SERVE NOW.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IF ALL OF A SUDDEN, HUGE NEW SWATH OF PUBLIC WERE AT RISK, THAT IS GONE IN ONE DAY.

HOW MUCH FOOD WE EAT ON THIS ISLAND ABOUT A DAY.

WHAT HE SAYS EXACTLY CORRECT.

REALLY IS JUST ABOUT BUILDING ALL OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

HOW DO WE HAVE THOSE CONNECTIONS.

HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLY TOO.

SO YOU'RE NOT TAKING UP THE PHONE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DISASTER BUT HAVING THIS CONVERSATIONS, HOW MIGHT WE WORK TOGETHER, HOW CAN WE GET FOOD, BOTH IN AND OUT THROUGH THE NETWORK TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

>>Yunji: WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ABOUT FIRE.

THAT I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN TACKLE.

READ THROUGH OF THEM OF THE YOU CAN KIND OF ANSWER EVERY ONE OF OUR FELLOW CANE FIELDS POTENTIAL DISASTER.

MANAGE THEM NOT OVERRUN WITH GRASS.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE PROPER FORESTRY MANAGEMENT.

DRY BRUSH IS FIRE HAZARD MANY WILDFIRESES CAUSED BY MORE MAINTENANCE AND VEGETATION.

SPECIFIC QUESTION.

KIND OF BROADEN IT OUT.

SAYING IF A NEIGHBORHOOD ON A HILL WITH ONLY ONE NARROW WINDING ROAD SUCH AS PACIFIC HEIGHTS CAUGHT FIRE, HOW WOULD A FIRE TRUCK GET UP ONE ROAD WHILE RESIDENTS ARE TRYING TO EVACUATE COMING DOWN?

>> RIGHT.

WHERE TO BEGIN.

SO THE FUELS PROBLEM REALLY TODAY TO WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT.

PREPAREDNESS.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE SAW IN MAUI, WAS THE WORK THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

IT WAS NOT A QUESTION OF SHIPPING IN FIREFIGHTERS FROM OTHER ISLANDS.

THIS WAS JUST FUELS MANAGING FUELS.

TALKING ABOUT THE VEGETATION, DRY GLASSES SURROUND SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

THAT'S THE CRUX OF IT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TIME THAT FIREFIGHTERS ACTUALLY TO RESPOND ANY OF THESE FIRES, SPEEDS AND INTENSITIES VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

AND SO OTHER THING ABOUT THE VEGETATION, WE CAN DO LOTS OF OTHER THINGS WITH IT.

TALKING ABOUT FORESTRY NEEDS.

RESOURCES ARE PROPER.

FORESTRY MANAGEMENT.

REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THE SCALE.

I THINK DIVISION OF FORESTRY MANAGES ABOUT 1.6 MILLION ACRES.

AND BUDGET THAT THEY GET TO DO THAT IS PRETTY, PRETTY SMALL.

SO YEAH, WE NEED TO BE THINKING AND TAKING VERY SERIOUSLY OUR SOCIETAL INVESTMENT IN RESOURCES THAT WE CAN USE TO MANAGE THESE.

ALSO NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT, WHAT PEOPLE ON MAUI ARE TALKING ABOUT, VERY DIRECTLY, WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE LAND AND WATER.

WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO LOOK AT LANDSCAPE AROUND LAHAINA AND THEN DRIVE RIGHT NORTH ON KA'ANAPALI SEE WATERWAYS AND GREEN LAWNS IN THE SAME THING I WAS IN A FIRE MIDDLE OF MAKAHA VALLEY IN 2018.

ONLY THING NOT BURNING IS THE GOLF COURSE.

SO THERE'S LIKE TWO SIDES OF THAT.

ON ONE HAND, WE CAN MANAGE VEGETATION MUCH MORE CREATIVELY AND WE CAN DO LOTS OF THINGS FROM TRADITIONAL FARMING TO GRAZING.

>> I THINK RANCHERS ARE HUGE PARTNER IN ALL OF THIS.

WE NEED TO BE DOING THIS AT LARGE SCALE.

AND WE CAN ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE ARE THESE RESOURCES GOING TO.

WHAT ARE WE INVESTING IT.

WHO DOES IT SERVE?

HONESTLY, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDST OF FIRE, HELICOPTERS TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRES AROUND OUR HOUSES, PEOPLE ARE PLAYING GOLF THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE VALLEY, CONTRADICTION THAT WE LEGAL REALLY NEED TO FACE IN ORDER TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING IN QUESTION HERE FROM RON.

I WANT TO HAVE ACTUALLY JOHN AND THEN ED ANSWER THIS.

KIND OF GO HAND IN GLOVE.

IF THERE IS A TSUNAMI, ALL OF OUR ROADS ARE ON THE OCEAN SIDE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG TRAFFIC JAM.

HOW WILL THEY HANDLE THAT?

I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO ANSWER THE TRAFFIC QUESTION.

IF THERE WERE TO BE A TSUNAMI, HOW MUCH WARNING DO WE HAVE?

THOSE OF US GONE THROUGH TSUNAMI THREATS, EVERYBODY GOES UP PALI.

THOSE ARE REAL SERIOUS TRAFFIC JAMS FOR THE EVACUATIONS.

NEVERMIND HAVING AN ACTUAL INCIDENTS.

>> TWO DIFFERENT TSUNAMIS.

DISTANT OR LOCAL.

LOCAL YOU MIGHT HAVE 15, 20 MINUTES LEAD TIME.

BIG ISLAND, EVEN LESS.

IN THOSE CASE, IF YOU FEEL THE GROUND SHAKE, HEAD INLAND.

GET AWAY FROM THE WATER.

DISTANCE TSUNAMI, COMING FROM EVERYWHERE ELSE AROUND THE RING OF FIRE.

COULD VARY FROM FIVE OR SIX HOURS TO TEN TO 12 HOURS.

SO FOR THOSE MORE TIME, MORE VALUATION.

MORE TIME FOR EVACUATION.

AND WITH THE WAY OUR ROADS GO ALONG THE COASTLINE, A LOT OF TIMES THAT EVACUATION IS STILL GO UP INTO THE VALLEY.

THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS, KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE A EVACUATION, KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD OF TIME SO YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT GOOGLE MAPS.

I CAN MAKE IT HERE.

IN THIS TIME.

KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD OF TIME AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

WHAT YOU'LL TAKE WITH YOU.

GO INLAND WHERE IT'S SAFE OUT OF THE TSUNAMI ZONE.

AND PLAN DO I GUESS SHELTER THERE.

>>Yunji: GET YOUR TAKE ON THE EVACUATION PART OF IT.

ALSO, IF THERE WERE TO BE INCIDENT ALL THOSE ROADS COULD BE OUT FOR SOME TIME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

JOHN HAD TALKED ABOUT, TALK TO ANYBODY LIVES NEAR THE COAST.

THEY KNOW, SITUATION LIKE THERE, THEY LIVE MAUKA.

GOING TO AUNTY'S HOUSE TOP OF THE HILL.

HANG OUT OVER THERE.

EVERYONE IS READY FOR THAT KIND OF SITUATION WHEN WE HAVE TIME TO PREPARE.

ROADS ARE OUT, TRY TO GET IN QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

CLEAR EVERYTHING OUT.

WAIT FOR THE EVENT TO COMPLETE.

IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WORK CITY DIRECTING OPERATIONS TO MAKE SURE TARGETING RIGHT AREAS PRIORITIZING AREAS.

OPEN UP CRITICAL ACCESS FIRST.

ENSURE EVERYBODY CAN GET TO THE PORTS AND GET TO EMERGENCY ACCESS LOCATION FIRST.

START OPENING UP ROADS FROM THERE.

COMMUNITY SHOULD ASSUME THAT IN AREAS WHERE WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, COULD BE 3 DAYS BEFORE WE CAN OPEN UP ROADS.

CONSIDERING POWER LINES COULD FALL.

STILL LIVE, GOT TO MAKE SURE WE CLEAR THEN FIRST BEFORE WE CAN OPEN EVERYTHING UP.

IN KAUAI, WORKED WITH ELTON, 14 LANDSLIDES.

TOOK US SIX DAYS TO GET EMERGENCY ACCESS THROUGH THAT AREA.

ABOUT 3 WEEKS IN ORDER TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC TO GET THROUGH.

FORTUNATELY DURING THAT TIME, PUBLIC STEPPED UP BIG TIME GETTING RESOURCES TO EACH OTHER.

MILITARY AND ELTON GROUP STEPPED UP BIG TIME TO GET EVERYTHING IN.

3 DAYTIME TIME EVERYBODY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR.

YOU MIGHT GET STUCK OF AN AREA.

>>Yunji: BRING YOU BACK IN.

TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THAT INCIDENT.

WHAT THE REST OF US SHOULD TAKE AWAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO KAUAI.

FOR FOLKS DON'T REMEMBER.

SOME PRETTY MASSIVE LANDSLIDES THERE.

MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS CERTAIN PARTS OF THAT ISLAND.

QUITE SOME TIME.

>> YEAH.

SO A LOT OF TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT HISTORIC 2018 FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE DISASTER.

FOR THE VIEWING AUDIENCE, DOESN'T KNOW.

THAT SET THE ALL TIME U.S. 24‑HOUR RAINFALL RECORD WITH 49.69 INCHES.

IN 24‑HOUR PERIOD.

HAD SEEN FLOODING IN AREAS AND TO EXTENTS THAT WE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

AS ED MENTIONED, NUMEROUS LANDSLIDES COMPLETELY BLOCKING KUHIO HIGHWAY.

HEROIC EFFORTS MADE TO RESTORE EMERGENCY ACCESS, AND PUBLIC ACCESS, HIGHWAY WAS NOT FULLY REOPENED FOR EVERYONE'S ACCESS FOR OVER A YEAR PLANNING WISE NEVER ANTICIPATE THE SOMETHING THAT MAGNITUDE.

EMERGENCY MANAGERS, AS WE HAVE MORE OF THESE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, WE NEED TO START THINKING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CALL THE BLACK SWAN SCENARIO.

BAD STUFF HAPPENING.

THAT YOU WOULD NOT THINK WOULD NORMALLY OCCUR.

IT REALLY DID TAKE A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH TO TAKE ON THAT CHALLENGE.

WE HAD BROUGHT IN ASSETSES THAT WE NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD BEFORE MILITARY LANDING CRAFT TO INSERT HEAVY EQUIPMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

INTO THE IMPACTED AREA.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDES OF LANDSLIDES.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZED WELL.

AND WE LEVERAGED THAT COMMUNITY‑BASED ORGANIZATIONS VOLUNTEERS, ET CETERA.

AGAIN, ALL GOVERNMENTAL NONGOVERNMENTAL PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS REALLY DID TAKE EVERYONE TO RESPOND ADEQUATELY TO THAT AND TO WORK ON THE LONGTERM RECOVERY.

>>Yunji: GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

>> I WANTED TO POINT OUT TOO WHEN YOU SAID THAT IT TOOK SO LONG FOR COMMUNITY TO RECOVER, KAUAI BRANCH OF HAWAII FOOD BANK WAS STILL PROVIDING FOOD TO THE COMMUNITY FOR 18 MONTHS.

PEOPLE CAN BE VERY IMPACTED FOR A LONG TIME.

AFTER IMMEDIATE SIDE OF THE DISASTER.

THAT IS ANOTHER PIECE OF PLANNING.

BE READY TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY FOR A LONGTERM.

>>Yunji: THERE'S A QUESTION HERE FROM ALICIA ON FACEBOOK.

ONE IN SIX PEOPLE FOOD INSECURE.

AND IN ADDITION HAVING SO MANY OTHER IS NOT PREPARED, AS YOUR RESEARCH SHOWS FOR FOOD AND EMERGENCY, WHAT KIND OF FOOD SUPPLY IS ON ISLAND NOW?

HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO BRING IN SUPPLIES FROM THE CONTINENT TO FILL THE GAP?

>> ESTIMATED ACCORDING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, SOMEWHERE FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS SUPPLY OF FOOD IN THE STATE.

THAT IS ESSENTIALLY EITHER BEING OFF LEADED AT THE PORT OF HONOLULU OR IT'S BEING EN ROUTE TO THE GROCERY STORE.

OR GROCERY STORE SHELFS.

OR IT'S IN PEOPLE'S HOUSE.

WE DON'T STORE A GREAT DEAL OF COMMERCIAL OR EMERGENCY FOOD STORES IN STATE.

THAT'S WHY THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR US TO HAVE THAT 14 DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STORAGE.

IN THE PORT OF HONOLULU IS SIGNIFICANTLY DISRUPTED, IT COULD EXCEED THAT 14 DAY SUPPLY.

SO THE 14 DAY SUPPLY IS CRITICAL FOR ALL HAWAII HOUSEHOLDS.

ONE OF THE OTHER STRATEGIES THAT NOT REALLY BEEN MENTIONED, GETTING SOME TRACTION, IS THAT BEYOND THE 14 DAY SUPPLY, OF FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE, WE'RE RECOMMENDED TO STORE FOR OURSELVES, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE VULNERABLE COASTLINES, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALREADY FOOD INSECURE, IDEA OF PREPOSITIONING EMERGENCY FOOD PODS AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, THAT MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO ISOLATION AND CASE OF SIGNIFICANT NATURAL DISASTER, THAT RESEARCH IS NOW UNDERWAY.

CHAD BUCK AND THE FOLKS AT THE WAIANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER INSTALLED EMERGENCY FOOD POD THERE.

FOR EXAMPLE, AND MYSELF, MY COLLEAGUE, AND PEOPLE AT THE NAVAL POST‑GRADUATE ACADEMY IN MONTEREY, ARE BEGINNING TO PROCESS OF RESEARCHING EXACTLY WHERE IN THE STATE WE COULD PREPOSITION SOME OF THESE EMERGENCY FOOD PODS UNDERSTANDING THAT COMMUNITIES MIGHT BE ISOLATED WHO DON'T OR BOTH FOOD INSECURE AND DON'T HAVE THAT 14 DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD.

>>Yunji: THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING POINT.

WE ACTUALLY DID SEND A PHOTOGRAPHER TO GO OUT AND SHOOT SOME OF THE LARGE CONTAINERS THEY HAVE AT THE WAIANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER.

JUST SEEING THESE ENORMOUS STOCKPILES OF FOOD.

THAT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

SORT OF MARVELING AT THAT PREPAREDNESS.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS IT PRETTY UNIQUE.

WHERE ELSE DO YOU THINK WE NEED SYSTEMS LIKE THIS?

>> THAT'S THE RESEARCH WE WANT TO DO NEXT.

WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE POPULATIONS OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND OUR NEXT PHASE OF THE RESEARCH IS TO ESSENTIALLY DO LAYERS OF ANALYSIS.

LOOKING AT EXISTING RATES OF POVERTY, EXISTING RATES OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY, EXISTING RATES OF LOW LEVELS OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND LOOK AT COASTAL VULNERABILITIES.

AND WHERE THEN WE SHOULD POSITION THESE EMERGENCY FOOD PODS AND TURN THE RESPONSIBILITY OVER TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IN THE CASE OF NATURAL DISASTER.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU.

I THINK THERE IS THE IMPRESSION BECAUSE THE RED CROSS DOES SUCH TREMENDOUS WORK, IF SOMETHINGS, RED CROSS WILL HELP ME.

I'LL GO TO A SHELTER.

FEED ME AND TAKE CARE OF ME.

HOW IMPORTANT COME WITH YOUR OWN SUPPLIES AND MEDICINE, WHEN YOU COME TO EVACUATION SHELTER.

WHAT SHOULD YOU COME WITH.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT WHEN HE OPEN A SHELTER, HURRICANE MIGHT HAVE ADVANCED NOTICE OR WILDFIRE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'RE STARTING WITH LOCAL RESOURCES.

>> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS OFFERING PEOPLE A SAFE PLACE TO STAY.

OFTENTIMES GIVE THEM A COT.

BLANKET, PILLOW.

ESPECIALLY IN HAWAII, TELL PEOPLE TO BRING THEIR OWN SUPPLIES.

BECAUSE ABILITY TO GET SUPPLIES OUT COULD BE A CHALLENGE ESPECIALLY IF WE WERE HUNKERED DOWN DURING A STORM OR AFTER EVACUATION.

POST‑STORM, WHAT WE DO IS WORK WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

NOT JUST THE RED CROSS.

WE KIND OF SERVE AS A FACILITATIVE LEADER.

REALLY TRYING TO WORK WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS, LOCAL RESTAURANTSES, TO HELP THE COMMUNITY GET BACK UP.

SO BRINGING YOUR OWN FOOD AND HAVING YOUR OWN SUPPLIES AND/OR IF YOU'RE IN A SAFE PLACE, STAYING THERE, LEAVE US THE ABILITY TO SERVE MOST VULNERABLE.

PEOPLE CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

NEED THAT EXTRA BIT OF HELP.

WHAT WE DO AFTER DISASTER IS WE DO LOOK AT THE POPULATION AND WE START TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN FEED THEM THREE MEALS A DAY.

THAT IS NOT A LONGTERM PLAN FOR EVERYBODY ON HAWAII.

WHAT IT IS LONGTERM PLAN FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED UNTIL OTHER SYSTEMS CAN GET IN PLACE, FOOD BANKS, OTHER IT COULD BE FEMA ASSISTANCE, WHAT OTHER ASSISTANCE CAN COME INTO PLAY HELP PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.

THE SHELTER TEMPORARY SOLUTION NOT PERMANENT.

>>Yunji: WHERE DO YOU GO IN A HURRICANE?

FACILITIES UP TO DATE?

WHAT DO WE DO IN A BIG HURRICANE.

DON'T SAY GO TO LOCAL SCHOOL.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT.

RYAN IS SAYING THAT.

ALL SERIOUSNESS, WHERE SHOULD WE BE GOING.

>> HAVE DENNIS WEIGH IN ON THIS.

HURRICANE SHELTER PROBLEM IN THE STATE OF HAWAII.

WE DO NOT HAVE A LARGE INVENTORY BUILDINGS DESIGNED FOR RETROFIT THE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS.

NOT SAYING THEY'RE GOING FOR CHANCE.

BUT SPECIFICALLY BUILT WITH THAT KIND OF DESIGN CRITERIA.

DONE RECENTLY IN THE CITY & COUNTY OF HONOLULU, HURRICANES SHELTERS JUST BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.

>> WE PRIMARILY USE STATE OF HAWAII D.O.E.

SCHOOLS FOR THE PURPOSES OF HURRICANE SHELTERS.

SO THESE ARE STATE FACILITIES.

AND HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FORMALLY STATE CIVIL DEFENSE RETROFITTING SCHOOLS FOR MANY YEARS NOW TO TRY TO MAKE THEM MORE SURVIVALLABLE AGAINST HURRICANES.

PROCESS VERY SLOW AND EXPENSIVE.

SCHOOLS ARE PRIMARY FUNCTION IS FOR EDUCATION.

SO ALL OF THESE RETROFIT WORK HAS TO FIT WITHIN THE SCHOOL CALENDAR NOT DISRUPT EDUCATIONAL CALENDAR FOR THE STUDENTS.

ADDITIONALLY HAS TO GO THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND CAPITAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

>> LENGTHY PROCESS.

DIFFICULTY AND COSTLY.

EVEN DURING THE ASSESSMENT THE, LAST FIGURE I HEARD WAS COST ABOUT $20,000 PER BUILDING JUST TO ASSESS FOR WHAT RETROFITS ARE NEEDED FOR THAT BUILDING.

WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE CITY & COUNTY OF HONOLULU RECOGNIZING LIMITATIONS WHAT THE STATE CAN DO FOR THIS.

NOT CRITICISM.

REALITY WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF HOW SURVIVABLE BUILDS WE WERE GOING TO USE AS HURRICANE SHELTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

ACTUALLY SET ASIDE SOME FEDERAL FUNDS DURING COVID TO DEVELOP A NEW METHODOLOGY, CALL IT BEST AVAILABLE REFUGE AREA.

SO HURRICANES SHELTERS SPECIFIC ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING DEFINITION.

MOST OF OUR BUILDINGS DON'T MEET THAT.

WE WANT TO FIND WHAT THE BEST BUILDINGS WERE OUT OF INVENTORY WE HAVE ON ISLAND.

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

AND SO WHAT WE DID, WAS WORK WITH ENGINEERS, ENGINEERING FIRM AND ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TO CREATE NEW METHOD TO DO FASTER AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO IDENTIFY THESE BUILDINGS THAT WE CAN USE AS HURRICANES REFUGE AREAS.

RIGHT NOW, HAVE 38 FACILITIES IDENTIFIED ISLAND OF OAHU.

MOST D.O.E.

SCHOOLS.

NOT ALL OF THEM.

THEY HAVE BEEN ASSESSED TO BE THE BEST AVAILABLE REFUSE THAT WE HAVE AS PUBLIC FACILITY.

OUT OF FLOOD ZONES.

IN HURRICANES, NUMBER ONE KILLER FROM HURRICANES IS STORM SURGE.

AND WATER.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S FIRST PRIORITY IS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY FROM WATER.

ALL OF THESE FACILITIES OUT OF FLOOD ZONES OR STORM SURGE ININUNDATION ZONES.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE MORE SURVIVABLE AGAINST WIND THAN TYPICAL SINGLE WALL CONSTRUCTION HOME YOU MIGHT SEE IN HAWAII.

SOME OTHER VULNERABLE FACILITIES THAT WE, RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HERE.

OUR LAST ESTIMATE IS THAT 64% OF THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON OAHU, LACK ANY KIND OF HURRICANE PROTECTION.

>>Yunji: IS 64%.

>> THAT'S 125,000 HOMES ON OAHU THAT ARE VULNERABLE AGAINST HURRICANE FORCE WINDS.

AGAIN, THAT'S NOT TO SAY ALL OF THESE HOUSES WOULD NECESSARILY FELL IN GIVEN STORM.

THEY ARE VULNERABLE.

ONE THE BIG CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN HAWAII, ANY ISLAND COMMUNITY HURRICANES EVACUATION IS ON ISLAND.

MAINLAND GULF COST, EVACUATE TO NEIGHBORING STATE.

BUT THAT PRESENTS BIGGER CHALLENGE FOR US IN TERM OF ACCOMMODATING EVACUEE POPULATION.

DENISE TALKING ABOUT HURRICANE SHELTERS HERE.

HAVE HARD TIME RESOURCING IT ADEQUATELY.

BRING THEIR OWN SUPPLIES TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS RATHER THAN DEPENDING ON HELP COMING FROM RED CROSS OR GOVERNMENT.

IN THOSE EVACUATION SCENARIOS.

WHAT WE BEEN TRYING TO PROMOTE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IS FOR INDIVIDUALS PREPAREDNESS AND TAKING ACTION AT YOUR OWN HOME, MITIGATION MEASURESES YOU CAN TAKE TO HARDEN YOUR HOME AGAINST THESE NATURAL HAZARDS.

NOT ONLY AGAINST HURRICANES AGAINST WILDFIRE TOO.

I WANT TO HAND IT OFF TO DENNIS TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.

>>Yunji: HEAR ABOUT THAT.

I CAN'T IMAGINE 30 BUILDS CAN HOUSE 60 PLUS PERCENT OF HOUSES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY ABLE TO STAND THIS.

>> YEAH.

FIRST OF ALL, IN TERMS OF EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLANNING VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CONSIDER THE HAZARDS SO ACTUALLY NEED A DIFFERENT PLAN FOR TSUNAMI.

VERSUS HURRICANE AND NOW, DURING A WILDFIRE, FOR THESE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT BEFOREHAND.

GETTING TO THE HURRICANE, TRIPLE THREAT.

FLOODING, STORM SURGE, AND WIND.

YOU DON'T WANT TO SHELTER WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO FLOODING FOR STORM SURGE.

VERY IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FIRST BEFORE YOU EVACUATE.

BECAUSE YOU NEED JUST PROPER CONDITIONS TO CREATE THIS STORM SURGE WHICH IS DANGEROUS.

BUT OTHER THING YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER IS WIND.

ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SHELTER IN PLACE.

IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW IF THEIR HOUSE IS STRONG ENOUGH, IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF THEY CAN SHELTER IN PLACE, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF IT'S NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO SHELTER IN PLACE.

SO A LOT OF IT, AGAIN, IN HANDBOOK.

BUT A LOT OF IT IS RELATED TO BUILDING CODES AND LIKE SAY, FOR INSTANCE, ON OAHU, CERTAIN THRESHOLD DATES LIKE HOUSEHOLDS BUILT BEFORE 1988, ONE LEVEL OF STRENGTH.

HOUSEHOLDS BUILT AFTER '95.

ANOTHER LEVEL OF STRENGTH.

AND IF YOU'RE LIKE IN ONE OF THESE OLDER HOUSES, YOU CAN RETROFIT IT TO MAKE IT STRONGER.

AND IF IT'S NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO STAY THERE FOR THE WIND, GO TO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE.

SAY YOUR HOUSE IS BUILT IN 1930.

SON'S HOUSE IS BUILT IN 2000.

GO TO HIS HOUSE.

AND THEN THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO GO TO A HIGHRISE BUILDING MADE OUT OF CONCRETE.

STEEL REINFORCED CONCRETES BUILDINGS.

THREE LITTLE PIGS, STRAW, WOOD AND STONE.

STONE IS ALWAYS STRONGEST.

WE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN A TSUNAMI, GO TO THE FOURTH FLOOR AND ABOVE TEN STORY REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDING.

THAT'S OTHER ALTERNATIVE.

KNOW SOMEONE, FRIEND OR RELATIVE IN HIGHRISE, CAN GO THERE.

CAN'T FIND ANYONE AFTER THAT, PUBLIC EMERGENCY SHELTER LAST RESORT.

ALWAYS HAS AN ALTERNATIVE.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING IN AS QUESTION FROM LAHAINA.

IF YOU COULD ANSWER THIS ONE.

HOW SOON OR CAN VERY MILITARY ON STANDBY TO GET QUICKER RESPONSE FOR HELP?

I NOTICE THAT IN THAT LITANY OF RESOURCES THAT YOU WERE LAYING OUT, IN TERMS OF ALL THE PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER, MILITARY WAS NOT ON THAT LIST.

HOW ACTIVE HAS THE MILITARY BEEN IN THE RESPONSE AND WITH THAT FOR LAHAINA, HOW SOON CAN WE HAVE THE MILITARY OR CAN WE HAVE THE THEM ON STANDBY FOR QUICKER RESPONSE.

>> FOR THIS DISASTER, I WAS IN LAHAINA, IN NAPILI FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS.

AND I WAS KIND OF IN THE SAME BOAT AS EVERYONE ELSE.

I WASN'T GETTING MUCH INFORMATION.

I WAS EXPECTING THE MILITARY AND THEY DIDN'T COME.

I WAS EXPECTING THEM TO KIND OF LAND AT KAPALUA AIRPORT AND KIND OF BRING SUPPLIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY DIDN'T COME.

OR IF THEY HAD BEEN ASKED FOR.

I'M SORRY I CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION.

I KIND OF DID EXPECT SOME ASSISTANCE FROM THE MILITARY.

ESPECIALLY WITH COMMUNICATIONS DOWN, FOR WHOLE WEST SIDE.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY NEVER ACTIVATED.

PRESIDENT CAME.

FEMA CAME.

WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE MILITARY BASES ON OAHU.

NOT TOO MUCH ON MAUI.

BUT I WAS WONDERING THE SAME THING.

>>Yunji: LET'S GET TO ANOTHER QUESTION.

TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT MAUI.

THE PALI ROAD TO LIHUE FROM MA'ALAEA NO PLACE TO GO.

JUST TWO LANES GOING EITHER WAY.

WHERE DO WE GO?

>> THAT AREA LOOKING AT, EXTENDING BYPASS FOR WAIALUA NOW.

IN THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING BYPASS FROM OLOWALU TO UKUMEAMA.

5‑MILE STRETCH.

GETS THE ROAD AWAY FROM THE OCEAN.

GIVES US ANOTHER ACCESS IN THAT AREA.

NEXT PHASE LOOK AT GOING FURTHER NORTH.

TOWARDS KA'ANAPALI.

IN GENERAL LOOKING EIGHT GETTING TO THE PALI.

BIGGEST DIFFICULTY GETTING TO THE PALI IS THROUGH THE PALI.

LOOKING AT THE SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD GET US, GIVE US ACCESS THROUGH THAT TUNNEL, 800 MILLION.

JUST LOOK AT OPTIONS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN AFFORD AND HOW WE DO IT.

>>Yunji: CLEARING FIRE FUEL.

IF THE OWN OF NEIGHBORING PROPERTY SUCH AS CONSERVATION ZONEND ACREAGE TALL GRASS.

REFUSE TO CLEAR IT.

IT THE DOES THE STATE HAVE REGULATIONS TO ENFORCE CLEARING.

>> BRUSH ABATEMENT LAWS COUNTY LEVEL PROBLEM COMES DOWN TO ENFORCEMENT FALLS ON COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO ENFORCE THESE.

RESOURCE LIMITED COMES TO INSPECTIONS FALL ON TO THE SAME GUYS DOING ALL THE HOME INSPECTIONS FOR BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND SO IT'S I GUESS LOWER PRIORITY BUT ALSO, JUST THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TEETH TO THOSE CODES.

SO YOU CAN REPORT.

BUT IT'S REALLY FALLS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO TEND TO BE PRETTY LIMITED IN THEIR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY CITE AND ENFORCE THOSE.

>> WE WERE KIND OF LOOKING AT I THINK IT'S HRS132, 6 AND 7, FIRE CHIEF ENFORCING AROUND SCHOOLS AND BUILDINGS AT THE EXPANSE LANDOWNER IF THEY DON'T CLEAN UP THE PROBLEM WITHIN 30 DAYS OR SO.

DISCUSSING IN COMMITTEE YESTERDAY ABOUT ADDING FALLOW AG LANDS AND THINGS LIKE IF.

IF THEY'RE WITHIN A CERTAIN YARD OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSINGS.

BUT IT'S COMPLAINT DRIVEN AS WELL.

AND I THINK OUR FIRE CHIEF SAID WE HAVE $50,000 UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE SO IF THEY'RE GIVING WARNING AND WITHIN 30 DAYS, DON'T COMPLY, THEN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WOULD FRONT THE MONEY TO CONTRACT SOMEONE TO CLEAR UP THE BRUSH OR THE CONDITION, AND THEN THEY TRY TO COLLECT FROM THE LANDOWNER OR PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY.

BUT BRUSH AND FALLOW AG LANDS WEREN'T SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT.

SO WE WERE DISCUSSING PROPOSING STATE LEGISLATION TO INCLUDE THAT.

>> BIG SITUATION.

REALLY DIFFICULT TO LOOK AT THE SCOPE OF THE FUEL THAT IS OUT THERE, AND TRY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HIT IT.

AS YOU HEARD TALKED ABOUT FOR THE 14 DAY SUPPLY, WE JUST GOT TO START.

WE'RE REACHING OUT TO FIRE CHIEFS ON ISLAND.

GOT ALL RESOURCES FROM THE HIGHWAY SIDE.

LANDSCAPING AND CONTRACTORS.

JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT AREAS THEY SEE AS HOT SPOTS.

IN THOSE AREAS, STATE OR COUNTY PRIVATE LANDS START CLEARING IT.

SETTING THE FIRE BREAKS, OR CLEARING FUEL TO MAKE SURE WE HIT THESE AREAS THAT COULD AFFECT PEOPLE OR PROPERTY.

JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A START.

I THINK AFTER THAT, A LOT EASIER FOR PRIVATE LANDOWNER TO DECIDE HOW TO MAINTAIN IT FROM THERE.

FIRE CHIEFS TO DECIDE HOW TO GOING FOR ENFORCE IT FROM THERE.

IF WE LOOK AT PROBLEM WITHOUT STARTING IT, BIG ONE.

>>Yunji: THAT WOULD BE VERY WELCOME.

GREAT TO HEAR.

JOHNNY WANT TO BRING YOU BACK IN.

TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS.

WE HEARD ELTON TALK ABOUT THAT FLOODING ON KAUAI.

WHICH WAS HISTORIC EVENT.

OF COURSE, FIRES ON MAUI.

ARE ANOTHER HISTORIC EVENT.

WE HAVEN'T HAD WHAT HURRICANE DORA DID THAT HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE.

WE HEAR ABOUT THIS NOT JUST IN HAWAII, HEAR ABOUT HISTORIC NATURAL WEATHER DISASTERS HAPPENING ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY.

AND ALSO, ALL OVER THE CONTINENT.

ALL OVER THE THE WORLD.

HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE EXPECT OF THIS, SHOULD WE THINK ABOUT KING TIDES.

>> I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT ALL THINGS WE NEVER REALLY GREW UP HEARING ABOUT.

AND NOW WE HEAR ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME.

>> THAT IS IMPORTANT ASPECT FOR PEOPLE TO CONSIDER.

YOU CAN'T GO BY PAST EXPERIENCE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS AREA FLOOD.

DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

NEVER HEARD OF HURRICANE HITTING THIS AREA.

WE DON'T HAVE FOR WORRY ABOUT THAT.

MENTIONED RARE EVENTS ONES THAT YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE.

JUST BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO INFREQUENTLY.

DON'T HAVE THAT HISTORICAL RECORD OF THEM.

THAT IS I GUESS THE CHALLENGE TO GET EVERYBODY TO TAKE THESE EVENTS SERIOUSLY.

UNTIL YOU HAVE OVER 49 INCHES OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS.

MARCH 2012, 4‑INCH HAIL FALLING IN KAILUA.

UNTIL WILDFIRES WIPING OUT A TOWN.

THESE ARE EVENT THAT IS PEOPLE JUST DON'T PICTURE HAPPENING.

SO THEY DON'T PREPARE FOR THEM.

AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT CAN'T HAPPEN.

IT JUST WE'VE BEEN LUCKY UP UNTIL THIS POINT.

LIKE YOU SAID, NAME OFF THE WEATHER DISASTER.

IT COULD HAPPEN.

AND THAT IS WHERE THE I GUESS THE UNIVERSALITY OF SOME OF THESE PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS WE'RE DISCUSSING COME INTO PLAY.

AND WORK TO OUR BENEFIT.

GETTING PREPARED FOR ONE HELPS PREPARE FOR MANY.

>>Yunji: ADD ON TO THAT, AMERICAN RED CROSS WE RESPOND ACROSS AMERICA AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN SIX FOLD INCREASE IN DISASTER RESPONSES.

USED TO BE THAT WE WERE RESPONDING ON AVERAGE EVERY 3 MONTHS TO MAJOR DISASTER.

NOW WE'RE RESPONDING ON AVERAGE EVERY 45 DAYS.

SO RATE OF DISASTERS ARE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AFFECTED AND PEOPLE MOST VULNERABLE ARE INCREASING.

WE'RE HAVING MORE PROBLEMS WITH HOMELESS.

AND FOOD INSECURITY.

AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

SO PART OF PREPAREDNESS MESSAGING IS IF YOU CAN GET PREPARED, START THAT PREPAREDNESS, PATH NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING BY STARTING TO GET PREPARED IS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR AGENCIES TO HELP THOSE WHO CANNOT BE GET PREPARED.

CAN'T RELY ON THE PAST.

SEEN HURRICANES MISS HAWAII.

IT TAKES ONE.

FOR IT TO HIT.

TAKES ONE WILDFIRE TO GET OUT OF CONTROL AND PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION.

GOT TO HAVE THEIR PHONES ON.

GOT TO PAY ATTENTION TO NEIGHBORHOODS.

HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION WEATHER ALERTS.

WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO GET YOURSELF MORE PREPARED, THAN YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING, CAN I ADD SOMETHING.

>> ONE DIFFERENCE, THERE'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRE AND THESE OTHER DISASTER.

THESE OTHER DISASTERS ARE TYPICALLY RELATED TO WEATHER ITSELF.

OR THINGS THAT REALLY BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES.

REACHING OUT TO ME.

>> VERY WORRIED.

RIGHTLY SO.

FIRE IS THE VEGETATION AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES THAT MAKES US SENSITIVE TO THE CLIMATE AND WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT DRIVE RISK.

SO WE HAVE REALLY DIRECT CONTROL AND IN FACT, LIKE SOME OF MY COMMENTS PICKED UP ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE DENIER.

NOT THAT WE ARE NOT CLIMATE.

IT'S NOT CLIMATE CHANGE.

THAT'S INCREASING THE RISK.

WE HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER THE VEGETATION AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE CAN CHANGE THAT WHICH WOULD MAKE US LESS SENSITIVE TO THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE GOING BECOME ALREADY ARE BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO FIGHT THESE FIRES.

REALLY HOT, DRY WINDY CONDITIONS.

IF THAT LANDS WERE MANAGED AND BY FARMING, BY WHATEVER YOU WANT, GRAZING, AND OUR COMMUNITIES, RISK WOULD BE FAR, FAR LESS.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING YOU BACK IN.

QUESTION FROM JACK IN MILILANI.

HAVE A LOT OF ELDERS.

WHERE DO YOU EVACUATE TO.

I LIVE IN SENIOR LOW INCOME APARTMENT.

A LOT OF US DON'T DRIVE.

TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN IN YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT THE VULNERABILITY OF OURSONS IN OUR COMMUNITY?

>> THAT QUESTION WOULD BE BEST FOR SOME OF PEOPLE FOR THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

I DON'T REALLY DEAL WITH THAT.

PREFER TO TURN IT TO THEM.

>>Yunji: BRING YOU IN ON THAT.

>> THAT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT AREA.

BEING ON KAUAI, WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING SMALLEST COUNTY WITH THE SMALLEST POPULATION.

WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR OFFICES ON AGING.

AGENCY AFFAIRS COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AGENCY HAS 100% LIFT EQUIPPED BUS FLEET.

AND IN TYPES WHEN WE HAVE REQUIRED EVACUATION TSUNAMI WARNING BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THOSE OF OTHER PARTNERS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY AND HELP EVACUATE THOSE PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

OFTENTIMES FAMILIES DO STEP IN AND ASSIST.

AND WE TRY TO TARGET AHEAD OF TIME RESIDENTIAL FACILITY IN TSUNAMI EVACUATION ZONE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE.

>> ADEQUATE NOTIFICATIONS IN CASE TSUNAMI.

LOCALLY GENERATED, GOING TO BE SO SO FAST.

SO RAPID.

EVEN MORE SO QUICK NOTIFICATION BY MULTIPLE MEANS AND PLAN TO GET IT DONE.

NOW, I'M TALKING TSUNAMI.

HAVEN'T ADDRESSED HURRICANES.

BEHOOVE ANY RESIDENTIAL FACILITY TO HAVE PLANS MADE WELL AHEAD OF TIME, COMMUNICATE FAMILIES OF PERSONS IN THOSE FACILITIES AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO HELP SUPPORT THEM AS WELL.

>>Yunji: LET'S TOSS THIS ONE TO HERO.

WHAT IS THE PLAN TO EVACUATE WAIANAE IF NEEDED?

ONLY HAVE ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR WHOMEVER HOLDS KEY TO QUICKLY OPEN THE MILITARY ACCESS ROAD?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK IT RELATES ONE OF THE EARLIER QUESTIONS COMMUNITIES HAVE ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

PACIFIC PALISADES.

SO THAT IS A BIG ABOUT CHALLENGE FOR US.

IN TERMS OF OUR EVACUATION PLANNING.

AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF COMES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE COMMUNITIES AND TRANSPORTATION THAT WORKS WITH THEM.

MAYBE ED CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS LATER.

PARTICULARLY FOR WAIANAE COAST, SIGNIFICANT POPULATIONS THERE.

AND TRAFFIC IS THERE, BAD ON A DAY‑TO‑DAY BASIS TRYING TO GET IN AND OUT OF WAIANAE.

HAVE WHAT'S CALLED WAIANAE COAST EMERGENCY ACCESS ROAD.

AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A NETWORK OF EXISTING ROADS AND FOUR SEGMENTS OF SPECIFICALLY BUILT CONNECTORS ESSENTIALLY DETOURS FROM FARRINGTON HIGHWAY.

IN THE EVENT THAT CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF FARRINGTON HIGHWAY ARE BLOCKED OFF.

FOUR SEGMENTS ARE BLOCKED OFF DAY‑TO‑DAY BASIS.

CAN BE OPEN DURING EMERGENCY AT THE DISCRETION HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT OR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

THAT ALSO RATHER RESOURCE INTENSIVE PROCESS TO OPEN THOSE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE TRAFFIC CONTROLLED PERSONNEL AND PEOPLE DIRECTING PEOPLE TO THOSE APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE INTERSECTIONS ARE SAFE.

ALTERNATE ROUTE OF WAIANAE COAST, KOLEKOLE PASS CONNECTING NANAKULI TO SCHOFIELD BARRACKS.

ISSUE THERE IS THAT ROAD IS ACTUALLY IS PRONED TO LANDSLIDES AND NOT A SAFE ROAD FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.

WHAT WE DO HAVE IS AGREEMENT WITH THE MILITARY FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO TRANSIT BETWEEN WAIANAE COAST AND CENTRAL OAHU.

SO IN THE EVENT FARRINGTON HIGHWAY IS COMPLETELY CUT OFF, WE HAVE SOME MEANS OF GETTING IN AND OUT OF THAT COMMUNITY.

THINK IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED LAHAINA, THIS JUST PUTS EVERYTHING INTO PERSPECTIVE RISK OF LANDSLIDE ON A ROAD, DOES THAT OUTWEIGH NEEDS OF COMMUNITY TO EVACUATE QUICKLY DURING AN EMERGENCY.

CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WANT TO VISIT REVISIT WITH THE MILITARY TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS AND MAYBE CERTAIN TRIGGERS WE CAN BUILD IN IT TO HAVE THOSE OPEN FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.

IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

NOT A SIMPLE QUESTION OR NO.

AND ALSO, SOMETHING THAT WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT.

NOT ONLY FOR WAIANAE.

BUT ISLANDWIDE AND ALSO STATEWIDE.

IN TERMS OF HAVING ADEQUATE INGRESS, EGRESS POINTS FOR EACH COMMUNITY.

I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM, BEST THING IS REALLY TO STAY INFORMED ALL TIME ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR OFFICIAL EVACUATION ORDERS TO LEAVE.

IF THERE IS A FIRE THREAT IN YOUR COMMUNITY, DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL YOU DO GO.

SHOULD HAVE PLANS AND KIND OF OWN TRIGGERS IN PLACE SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE ACTION.

I THINK SAME THING WITH HURRICANES.

THIS IS THERE'S MANY CHALLENGES DEALING WITH A HURRICANE.

ONLY THING WE HAVE GOING FOR US IS THE FACT THAT THERE IS ENOUGH WARNING TIME FOR YOU TO PLAN AND TAKE ACTION.

SO DON'T WAIT TO TAKE ACTION DURING HURRICANES.

IF YOU NEED TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, THIS IS WHERE THAT COMMUNITY RESILIENCE COMES INTO PLAY.

HAVING THOSE SOCIAL OR FAMILY NETWORKS HELP NEW IT'S TIME OF EMERGENCY.

ACTIVATE THOSE NETWORKS EARLY ON DURING HURRICANE EVENTS.

TALKED ABOUT TSUNAMIS.

CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US.

SHORT FUSE, AND WITH SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS TO EVACUATE.

AGAIN, THAT IS EARLY EVACUATION.

HAVING RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, DO THE BEST WE CAN TO USE OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.

HANDY‑VAN SYSTEMS TO MOVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.

SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS THERE.

>>Yunji: GET YOUR THOUGHTS.

CALLER ASKED ABOUT WAIANAE.

NOT JUST WAIANAE.

ANY NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY ONES IN THE MORE RURAL AREAS.

THAT HAVE ONLY ONE ROAD IN AND OUT.

>> QUITE A FEW IN HAWAII.

WITH SINGLE ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

FOR SITUATIONS WE KNOW DISASTERS ARE COMING, PREP TIME.

YOU SHOULD KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

SHOULD KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING WHEN ALERTS COME.

GET TO THOSE LOCATIONS.

WAIANAE COAST IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE PEOPLE GO MAUKA.

ENSURE THAT THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD ZONES.

AREAS THAT THEY KNOW PEOPLE LIVE IN THOSE AREAS.

>> DON'T KNOW IN ANYBODY LEAVING EARLIER.

>> INCIDENT COMMANDERS POLICE HELP OUT WITH THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SITUATION.

BEFORE THAT COMMUNITY DAILY.

THREE LANES IN AND OUT EASY WAY TO DO IT.

DO IT THAT WAY AS WELL.

GIVEN THE FIRE SITUATION, TOTALLY DIFFERENT TYPE OF HAZARD.

NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AN ACCESS ANY TIME SOON.

GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.

BEST WAY FOR US TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT NOW TAKE CARE OF THE FUEL.

MAKE SURE WE GET RID OF THE MITIGATE THE REASON FOR THE HAZARD.

ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE TIME TO PLAN OUT THOSE INGRESS AND EGRESS IF NECESSARY FOR COMMUNITIES.

>>Yunji: COMING UP ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO FOR FOLKS WATCHING THIS TONIGHT, AND FEEL LIKE, OH, MY GOODNESS HEARD SO MANY THINGS.

FEELING A LITTLE OVERWHELMED.

WE DO HAVE LINK TO YOUR HANDBOOK ON OUR WEBSITE.

PBS HAWAII.ORG.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE FIRST STEPS THAT YOU SUGGEST PEOPLE TAKE?

I THINK KNOWING AGE OF YOUR RESIDENTS REALLY GOOD ONE.

ANNOYING HOW PREPARED YOU ARE.

FOOD IS ONE THING.

KNOWING HOW PREPARED YOU ARE.

CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE A WILDFIRE.

NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

>> IT WILL HELP YOU PREPARE FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT HAZARDS.

YOU'LL KNOW WHEREBY YOU GET YOUR EMERGENCY INFORMATION FROM.

FROM THE COUNTY.

HAVE YOUR EVACUATION PLAN.

A LOT OF IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT TO DO.

BUT IT'S LIKE A CONTINUOUS PROCESS.

YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO ‑‑ EVERYONE KNOWS TRIES TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES.

ALWAYS TRY TO IMPROVE YOUR SITUATION.

IN TERMS OF PREPAREDNESS.

AND THE GOAL IS TO BE PREPARED AND PROACTIVE AND IF YOU CAN'T BE, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME LIMITATIONS, TRY TO DO IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BECAUSE ONCE YOU'RE PREPARE AND PROACTIVE, YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

IT'S LIKE WHEN THEY SAY, AIRLINE, PUT YOUR AIR MASK ON BUT YOU HELP OTHERS YOU CAN'T REALLY HELP OTHER PEOPLE IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARED.

SO LIKE IN OUR EDUCATION OUTREACH, WITH THE UNIVERSITY, TRYING TO DO THIS HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, TRYING TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, SO PEOPLE MOVE UP THE PREPAREDNESS LADDER.

GOAL IS TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE PREPARED AND PROACTIVE AND THEN THEY CAN HELP VULNERABLE ASSISTED GROUP.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THAT.

GIVEN THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF FOLKS VERY LIMITED RESOURCES, WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR THOSE FOLKS?

>> RESOURCE CENTER ON WEBSITE.

HOW TO PREPARE ON A BUDGET.

THINGS YOU CAN PURCHASE.

THOUGHT OF PURCHASING FOOD THAT YOU WILL EAT ANY WAY.

WATER BOB I WOULD GUESS EVERYONE AT THIS GONE OUT AND BOUGHT A WATER BOB.

COST THIRTY DOLLARS.

PUT IN YOUR BATHTUB.

THERE'S SOME OBVIOUSLY SOME EMERGENCIES THAT THAT MIGHT NOT HELP WITH.

EARTHQUAKE OR SOMETHING HAPPENS RIGHT AWAY.

I THINK IT CAN BE HELPFUL.

JUST DOING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

AND THEN BEING READY TO THINKING ABOUT HELPING OTHERS.

LIKE WE LIVE IN COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE REALLY DO HELP EACH OTHER.

I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT OVER AND OVER.

IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS, BUY EXTRA.

BE PREPARED.

BE READY TO BRING IN OTHER FOLKS AND HELP OUT YOUR NEIGHBORS.

>>Yunji: HEAR FROM YOU.

>> SORRY.

>> I JUST REALIZED THAT I MISSPOKE ON THE MILITARY QUESTION EARLIER.

THE NATIONAL GUARD DID COME IN FAIRLY EARLY.

THEIR PRIMARY RESPONSE WAS TO SET UP A PERIMETER AROUND THE BURN ZONE.

BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF TOXIC CHEMICALS.

>> ALTHOUGH AS WE SAW, I THINK ON DAY 3, AS TOURISTS WERE WITH RESERVATIONS WERE LET IN, INITIALLY, THAT PERIMETER WAS NOT SECURE ENOUGH TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT.

MORE HAD TO COME IN AND WE ALSO HAD THE CIVIL AIR PATROL FLYING PLANES TO TELL PEOPLE WHICH AREAS WATER WAS OKAY TO DRINK, AND WHICH AREAS WATER WAS NOT OKAY TO DRINK.

THEY WENT A LITTLE BIT DOOR‑TO‑DOOR TOO, TO REACH OUT TO RESIDENTS THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS.

I WAS THINKING OF DIFFERENT KIND OF MILITARY WHEN I INITIALLY ANSWERED THE QUESTION.

I DID WANT TO THANK THOSE BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY FOR RESPONDING AND NOT NEGLECTING TO SAY THAT THEY WEREN'T THERE.

>>Yunji: RIGHT.

I WANT TO STAY WITH YOU FOR JUST A MOMENT.

SHIFTING GEARS.

ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

THIS IMPULSE FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO REALLY WANT TO HELP MAUI RIGHT NOW.

AND I'M JUST WANTING TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT WHAT MAUI NEEDS.

WE SAW THIS RUSH OF PEOPLE DONATING.

HOME GOODS AND CLOTHING AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

BUT IN THIS MOMENT, FIRST OF ALL WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY NOW AND HOW CAN WE ALL BEST HELP.

>> GIVING LAHAINA A LITTLE BIT OF TIME RECOVER OPENING BACK UP TO TOURISM WOULD BE A BIG HELP.

RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAVE A SECOND HOME, OR SHORT‑TERM RENTAL IN LAHAINA, UPPER WEST SIDE, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO OFFER IT.

ON THE GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL, WE'RE WORKING PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT.

BECAUSE YOU GOT TO PASS AN ORDINANCE WHICH TAKES NINE OF US AND MAYOR TO SIGN OFF ON.

BUT REALLY, CASH DIRECTLY TO THE DISPLACED FAMILIES SO THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE CONCERNED THEY LOST THEIR HOUSE.

DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR LAND.

AND STILL PAYING THEIR MORTGAGE FOR A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN'T STAY.

LOOKING FOR PLACES FOR LONGTERM HOUSING.

I KNOW THINGS ARE IN THE WORKS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

BUT THAT DAY‑TO‑DAY UNCERTAINTY IS REALLY WEARING ON FOLKS.

SUPPORT AT THE SCHOOL LEVELS.

SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE OUR KIDSES IN WEST MAUI ARE GETTING BEHIND AND A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T WANT TO SEND THEIR KIDS FAR AWAY FOR SCHOOLING.

SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS A LOT OF FAMILIES LOST EVERYTHING.

COMPUTERS IF YOU KNOW OF A FAMILY PERSONALLY, SUPPORTING THEM INDIVIDUALLY IN TRYING TO FIND LONGTERM HOUSING AND I REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE LOMILOMI PRACTITIONERS AND HEALING ARTS.

WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS SOME SORT OF GRIEF THERAPY, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY THE CULTURE TO LIKE LINE UP FOR A PSYCHIATRIST OR THERAPIST.

LOMILOMI OPENS THE DOOR FOR PEOPLE TO LET GO A LITTLE BIT.

>>Yunji: THANK SO MUCH.

FOR THAT, ALL WONDERFUL SUGGESTIONS.

IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT WILL COME OUR WAY AS WE HEARD TONIGHT.

BUT CLEARLY, HAVING A PLAN FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND A STATE IS SO IMPORTANT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE HAVE LEARNED.

AS WE THINK ABOUT PREPARING FOR NATURAL DISASTER, WE ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO TAMAR IS TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.

VERY MUCH STILL LIVING THROUGH THE DEVASTATION OF THE FIRES ON MAUI.

HEARTS ARE WITH ALL OF YOU FIRES AT MAUI.

MAHALO TO BEING PART OF TONIGHT'S TOWN HALL.

BACK WITH ANOTHER COKE USE IN OCTOBER.

HOME PRICE NEARLY THREE TIMES NATIONAL AVERAGE.

GOVERNOR HAS A BOLD PLAN.

CRITICS SAY IT GOES TO FOR.

WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUT AT WHAT COST?

WE DO HOPE YOU JOIN US THEN.

I'M YUNJI DE NIES.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, ALOHA.

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