John M. Cummings IIIJohn M. Cummings III

Public Information OfficerPublic Information OfficerDepartment of Emergency ManagementDepartment of Emergency Management

City and County of HonoluluCity and County of Honolulu

Peter B Carlisle, MayorPeter B Carlisle, Mayor

Department of Emergency Management Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Mission(DEM) Mission

Prevent or minimizePrevent or minimize loss of life and loss of life and alleviate suffering; alleviate suffering;

Reduce damageReduce damage or destruction to or destruction to property; property;

ProvideProvide for public safety, health and for public safety, health and welfare; welfare;

RestoreRestore disrupted public systems and disrupted public systems and services, and expedite recovery; services, and expedite recovery;

Implement Implement mitigationmitigation actions. actions.

We are partners in the We are partners in the Hawaii Civil Defense SystemHawaii Civil Defense System

Formed during the Cold WarFormed during the Cold War Each county has an emergency management Each county has an emergency management

office to coordinate disaster response – Four office to coordinate disaster response – Four counties totalcounties total

County emergency managers report to Mayor County emergency managers report to Mayor of their jurisdiction – Can activate 24/7of their jurisdiction – Can activate 24/7

County ultimately responsible for alert, County ultimately responsible for alert, warning and evacuation of residentswarning and evacuation of residents

Primary responders, Police, Fire, Ambulance Primary responders, Police, Fire, Ambulance etc. reside at County leveletc. reside at County level

Four County EmergencyManagement Offices

Kauai Civil Defense

Maui Civil Defense

Hawaii CountyCivil Defense

Department of Emergency Management

C&C Honolulu

Respond to multiple natural disastersRespond to multiple natural disasters

Tsunami Events

Hurricane EventsFlooding Events

Severe Weather Events

WORST DISASTERSWORST DISASTERSCost (2005$*)Cost (2005$*) EventEvent LivesLives YearYear Location(s)Location(s)

2.4 billion2.4 billion Hurricane Hurricane InikiIniki

33 19921992 Kauai/OahuKauai/Oahu

459 m459 m Hurricane Hurricane IwaIwa

11 19821982 Kauai/OahuKauai/Oahu

260.7 m260.7 m TsunamiTsunami 173173 19461946 StatewideStatewide

174.9 m174.9 m TsunamiTsunami 6161 19601960 StatewideStatewide

99.8 m99.8 m FloodsFloods 00 20002000 HiloHilo

65.4 m65.4 m Winds/floodsWinds/floods 00 19801980 StatewideStatewide

57.8 m57.8 m FloodsFloods 00 19881988 OahuOahu

40.3 m40.3 m Hurricane Hurricane DotDot

00 19591959 StatewideStatewide

11 m11 m FloodsFloods 77 20062006 Kauai/OahuKauai/Oahu

*John J. McCusker, "Comparing the Purchasing Power of Money in the United States (or Colonies) from 1665 to 2005." Economic History Services, 2006, URL : http://www.eh.net/hmit/ppowerusd/

More than 220 tsunami related deaths since

1946 including six on Oahu

Response ChallengesResponse Challenges Planning time – minutes vs. hoursPlanning time – minutes vs. hours Hawaii has unique evacuation issuesHawaii has unique evacuation issues Hurricane/tsunami evacuation is extremely difficultHurricane/tsunami evacuation is extremely difficult Approximately Approximately 78,00078,000 people reside in our people reside in our

evacuation zonesevacuation zones +/- 100,000 visitors+/- 100,000 visitors

Functional requirements and needs for Functional requirements and needs for local forecast guidancelocal forecast guidance

Timely forecast Timely forecast informationinformation

Plain EnglishPlain English We will ask for We will ask for

WAGsWAGs

Tsunami Evacuation ZonesTsunami Evacuation Zones Maps On-line and home or business phonebookMaps On-line and home or business phonebook If you are living in an evacuation zone you If you are living in an evacuation zone you MUSTMUST

evacuate for a hurricane or tsunamievacuate for a hurricane or tsunami

City and NOAA partnershipCity and NOAA partnership

We depend on NOAA data to save lives and protect property!

• Weather alerts • Updates • VTCs

An excellent partnership that we are very grateful for.

Kauai – Hurricane Iniki 1992

John M. Cummings IIIJohn M. Cummings III

Public Information OfficerPublic Information Officer

Department of Emergency ManagementDepartment of Emergency Management

City and County of HonoluluCity and County of Honolulu

650 South King Street650 South King Street

Honolulu, HI. 96813Honolulu, HI. 96813

808-723-8960808-723-8960

jcummings@honolulu.govjcummings@honolulu.gov