1. John M. Cummings III Public Information Officer
Department of Emergency Management
City and County of Honolulu
Peter B Carlisle, Mayor
DEM committed to developing a disaster resilient County.

2. Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Mission
Prevent or minimize loss of life and alleviate suffering;
Reduce damage or destruction to property;
Provide for public safety, health and welfare;
Restore disrupted public systems and services, and expedite recovery;
Implement mitigation actions.

3. We are partners in the Hawaii Civil Defense System
Formed during the Cold War
Each county has an emergency management office to coordinate disaster response – Four counties total
County emergency managers report to Mayor of their jurisdiction – Can activate 24/7
County ultimately responsible for alert, warning and evacuation of residents
Primary responders, Police, Fire, Ambulance etc. reside at County level

4. Four County Emergency Management Offices Kauai Civil Defense
Maui Civil
Defense
Hawaii County
Civil Defense
Department of
Emergency
Management
C&C Honolulu
Four County Emergency
Management Offices

5. Respond to multiple natural disasters
Tsunami Events
Severe Weather Events
Flooding Events
Hurricane Events

6. More than 220 tsunami related deaths since 1946 including six on Oahu
WORST DISASTERS
Cost (2005$*)
Event
Lives
Year
Location(s)
2.4 billion
Hurricane Iniki 3
1992
Kauai/Oahu
459 m
Hurricane Iwa 1
1982
260.7 m
Tsunami
173
1946
Statewide
174.9 m 61
1960
99.8 m
Floods
2000
Hilo
65.4 m
Winds/floods
1980
57.8 m
1988
Oahu
40.3 m
Hurricane Dot
1959
11 m 7
2006
More than 220 tsunami related deaths since 1946 including six on 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 :

7. Response Challenges Planning time – minutes vs. hours
Hawaii has unique evacuation issues
Hurricane/tsunami evacuation is extremely difficult
Approximately 78,000 people reside in our evacuation zones
+/- 100,000 visitors

8. Functional requirements and needs for local forecast guidance
Timely forecast information
Plain English
We will ask for WAGs

9. Tsunami Evacuation Zones
Maps On-line and home or business phonebook
If you are living in an evacuation zone you MUST evacuate for a hurricane or tsunami

10. City 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

11. Mahalo! John M. Cummings III Public Information Officer
Department of Emergency Management
City and County of Honolulu
650 South King Street
Honolulu, HI