Dennis Hwang holds a bachelor’s degree in geology, a master’s in geology and geophysics, and, just to keep things interesting, a juris doctor. He’s a coastal hazard mitigation specialist for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program and counsel with the Hawaii-based law firm O’Connor Playdon and Guben.

He is, in short, the guy to speak with about coastal hazards and how to keep yourself and your property safe in the event of a natural disaster.

What is not listed on the curriculum vitae, however, is Hwang’s acquired insight within the field of psychology.

It does not escape him, for example, that some Hawaii residents maintain a rather, um, relaxed attitude about approaching hurricanes.

“You can categorize people as either proactive, or at least receptive to the message you’re trying to share, or skeptical,” Hwang said. “The percentage of people who are proactive is a lot less on Oahu than it is on any other island.”

Those Oahu folks.

Generous by nature, Hwang allows that people on the overcrowded, overly busy metropolitan center of the state may not be aware that there is a 70 percent chance that the 2019 Pacific hurricane season will coincide with an El Niño cycle (and that El Niño years typically produce increased hurricane activity). He politely assumes that most people here don’t realize that a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane, like 1992’s Iniki, could mean the destruction of some 50,000 homes on the island. He tries to be understanding of the errant assumption that major storm activity is mostly a Kauai-Hawaii island concern.

“The first thing people need to realize is that the risk is real,” Hwang said. “It can happen on Oahu and people need to prepare now.”

And nobody knows better about what being prepared means than Hwang.

Born and raised in Nassau County, New York, to a printing shop operator (his father’s business was best known for producing A-1 Steak Sauce labels) and a former concert pianist, Hwang spent his childhood pursuing passions in sports and science. He earned a BS in geology from the University of Rochester then traveled across the country to work on his master’s in geology and geophysics at UH. He followed that with law studies at the University of Houston, focusing his efforts on environmental law and land use issues, before returning to Hawaii.

Hwang emphasizes that there is no way to prevent or avoid all the potential hazards a hurricane or other natural disaster might pose for a community, but he has devoted more than 20 years of his professional life to helping people and organizations do as much as they can to ensure their safety and mitigate the negative effects.

To that end, Hwang co-authored, with Darren Okimoto, the Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards, a free publication distributed via Hawaii Sea Grant that has gone through 10 print runs and has been widely distributed nationally and internationally. (He previously had published the Hawaii Coastal Hazard Mitigation Handbook.)

The book provides an overview of potential hazards — from tsunamis to earthquakes — and extensive tips for protecting life and property.

For Hwang, who regularly visits and evaluates sites of significant natural disasters, including Houston and Puerto Rico, proper preparation is a matter of three action items: 1) have supplies that can be stored and maintained; 2) have an evacuation plan that accounts for where shelter is available if needed; and 3) strengthen your home.

Hwang said fortifying one’s home to withstand nature’s forces requires the most time and planning.

Following the near-miss of the island by Hurricane Lane in August, several Oahu residents moved from the “skeptical” to “proactive” category, meaning that the demand for contractors and materials like hurricane clips has increased.

Hwang said single-wall homes older than 30 years (the point at which hurricane clips became mandatory) are the most vulnerable to damage from a major storm and the least safe for those who wish to shelter in place. However, he said, even these homes can be made to withstand a Category 3 or 4 hurricane with hurricane clips, window protection and foundation upgrades.

“The best time to prepare is when the weather is good, not when there’s an incoming event,” he said.

Hwang will be a featured speaker — along with David Lopez of the state Emergency Management Agency, Pono Cancungan of Be Ready Hawaii and Katherine Noir of the Honolulu Association of Insurance Professionals — at 2018 Urban Survival – A Disaster Preparedness Community Fair, Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Manoa Valley District Park gym and multipurpose room. The free event, sponsored by Be Ready Manoa and the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, includes exhibits, demonstrations, free samples, giveaways and chances to win go-bags, water catchment barrels and more.

To download the latest edition of the “Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards” for free, visit bit.ly/2C47NaB. To view a chart that can help determine if your house is safe enough for you to shelter in place during a storm, visit bit.ly/2PxATno .

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.