County offers virtual resource fairs on hurricane readiness
The Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development and Civil Defense Agency will be co-hosting virtual resource fairs about hurricane readiness through July.
The Big Island is no stranger to hurricanes. In 2018, Hurricane Lane hit the island as a powerful tropical cyclone that brought torrential rainfall and strong winds. The eastern slopes of Mauna Loa accumulated 58 inches of peak rainfall with winds peaking at 160 mph. As a result, several structures were damaged across the island, and multiple neighborhoods were flooded.
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It currently is the 2022 hurricane season, and the county administration is encouraging residents to be prepared.
The scheduled sessions will allow participants to hear from representatives of the NOAA National Weather Service/Central Pacific Hurricane Center, Hawaiian Electric, Civil Defense and the Office of Aging.
“It is too late to plan and prepare when a Tropical Cyclone is about to impact the island,” Talmadge Magno, Civil Defense administrator, said in a press release. “The time to prepare is now while the weather is calm. Residents should develop an individual or family plan that includes where to go for shelter, how to communicate with each other, and the necessary supplies you will need. Also include vulnerable neighbors or people you may know, so they are cared for. Don’t become a victim.”
Visit www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense for information on how to prepare for a hurricane.
There will be three sessions. The sessions and links to register are:
• 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on July 16 (https://tinyurl.com/hurricanereadinesssession1);
• 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on July 18 (https://tinyurl.com/hurricanereadinesssession2);
• 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on July 28 (https://tinyurl.com/hurricanereadinesssession3).
Those with questions can contact Marcia Yoshiyama by email at Marcia.Yoshiyama@hawaiicounty.gov or by phone at (808) 961-8379.
