This week, Hawaii is hosting an international tsunami science symposium, on the 50th anniversary of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System — a coordinated effort by member nations to advance tsunami hazard assessment, warning and preparedness across the Pacific Rim.

This is the first time a diverse, international team of scientists, policymakers and emergency managers from among the 46-member nations of the system will converge to recognize past achievements and forge new priorities for improving tsunami safety across the Pacific.

Hawaii is vulnerable to tsunamis from multiple sources throughout the Pacific Basin, and this gives the Aloha State a pivotal role in helping the Pacific Tsunami Warning System continue to evolve. Hawaii has long recognized the tsunami threat, and is well prepared to protect the lives of local citizens and tourists. Hawaii serves as a shining example of how local investment in warning and communication systems and education works to safeguard against tsunamis.

The United States, through NOAA’s National Weather Service, is a major supporter of the international Pacific Tsunami Warning System — providing warnings and training, as well as pioneering new tsunami detection technologies.

The system was developed under the United Nations in response to a tsunami generated off Chile in 1960 by a magnitude 9.5 earthquake, which killed hundreds of people across the Pacific. It struck Hilo with no notice, killing 61 people. After that loss, six nations recognized the need to work together to develop a Pacific-wide warning system for tsunamis that would facilitate consistent information sharing and forecasts across international boundaries.

The will of those initial partner countries to invest in the Pacific Tsunami Warning System was born out of sheer determination to prevent further deaths from an undetected tsunami. The system has continued to advance and save lives over the past 50 years.

Today’s warning system is good, but we know that more can be done. That’s why NOAA continues to make improvements and investments in our network of observational platforms to keep pace with modern technology and societal demands for environmental data and analysis that informs critical decisions to save lives and property, and enhance the national economy.

Being able to harness this technology more quickly and effectively is part of our ongoing effort to evolve the National Weather Service into an organization that is second to none. As communities across the nation become more vulnerable to extreme events, the National Weather Service must be able to meet the nation’s growing needs for weather, water and climate information. We must become more nimble and adaptable to change. It all begins with our goal to build a "weather-ready nation" in the United States and "weather-ready nations" across the Pacific — communities that are ready, responsive and resilient to extreme events.

The pressing need now is to develop the next generation of tsunami detection and warning systems that will maximize financial efficiency while improving performance. We must lean forward on our vision and investment in the future of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System, and not wait for the next tragedy to spur action.

On that front, the United States will be engaging partner countries this week to help us shore up this warning system to protect future generations from the tsunami threat.

The symposium begins Monday at the NOAA Inouye Regional Center on Ford Island; it will be followed by an intergovernmental coordination group for the warning system meeting to develop recommendations to the United Nations on the future of the system.