One of two emergency sirens planned to be installed in Waikoloa Village this fall has been postponed to 2024.
In August, following the devastating Lahaina wildfire, Waikoloa Village residents raised concerns about whether their community — located in an area at high risk for wildfires — has sufficient emergency response measures should disaster strike.
Talmadge Magno, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, said in August that the village could get two emergency sirens, one of which he said could be installed in the fall.
However, Magno said Thursday that both sirens now are not expected to be installed until some time next year.
The siren that was to be installed this fall is part of a Hawaii Emergency Management Agency program, Magno said.
“The way I understand it, it dropped off of their priority list,” Magno said, adding that now he isn’t expecting either siren to be ready until the summer of next year or later.
HI-EMA Communications Director Adam Weintraub said supply chain and procurement issues have delayed plans for the siren.
“We are aware that there is a need for this in the area,” Weintraub said. “But contracting can be hard in the middle of the Pacific.”
While Weintraub acknowledged that Waikoloa Village is a particularly at-risk community — the village only has one way in or out for about 7,000 residents — he added that HI-EMA, responding to personnel shortages, has prioritized installing emergency sirens for coastal communities that currently do not have redundant sirens in case of tsunami.
However, Weintraub said that HI-EMA is planning to expand its Hawaii Hazards Awareness and Resilience Program, which helps communities prepare and become self-reliant in case of disaster, to more communities throughout the state. He hinted that Waikoloa could be a good fit for that program, but made no specific announcements.
Meanwhile, a second siren planned for the area still requires plans to be drawn up and approved by the Hawaii County Council, Magno said.
“It would make the most sense for them to be installed at the same time,” Magno said. “That’s what I’m hoping will still happen.”
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
