Disasters can strike without warning. The devastating January wildfires in Los Angeles destroyed 17,000 structures, left thousands homeless, and claimed 29 lives. At one point, more than 200,000 people were forced to evacuate with little time to prepare.
Closer to home, the tragic Lahaina fire also serves as a painful reminder that Hawaii is not immune to catastrophe. Yet despite the growing risks, most residents remain unprepared.
Hawaii’s geography makes emergency preparedness especially critical. Being located in the Pacific Ocean, we are susceptible to food scarcity, hurricanes, flash floods, earthquakes, severe winds and tsunamis. The effects of global climate change exacerbate the risk of natural disasters.
In an emergency, critical resources such as food, water and medical aid can become scarce, and emergency services may also be overwhelmed.
“We do try to get to you within five or six minutes, but the fire department cannot be everywhere, every time, every second of the day,” said Carl Otsuka, fire inspector for the Honolulu Fire Department. He said this is especially true during emergencies or natural disasters, when blocked roads, strained resources and power outages can delay response times and disrupt communication.
In this situation, will you be able to care for yourself and your loved ones until help arrives? For many, sadly, the answer is no.
“A lot of people out there think ‘I’ve never had a fire. It’s not going to happen tomorrow,’ but it could,” Otsuka warned.
The standard for emergency preparedness according to the American Red Cross is having shelter, first aid, food, water and sanitation that lasts at least 14 days. However, only about 12% of Hawaii households meet the standard for emergency preparedness.
Many residents underestimate the risk of a disaster, possibly because Hawaii has not faced a major hurricane since Iniki, which hit Kauai in 1992. However, those who were affected by Iniki likely did not expect it to happen either.
Do not let the time since the last disaster lull you into a false sense of security.
The time to prepare is now, and there are valuable resources available to help.
Start by assessing your own preparedness and take inventory of resources. The Honolulu Emergency Management Department’s website is packed with helpful information, including a step-by-step guide to assembling your own emergency kit and plan.
As for training, the Honolulu Fire Department runs free educational programs and presentations on fire safety, kupuna care and community life safety. The city Department of Emergency Management also sponsors Community Emergency Response Team training, which teaches essential disaster response skills.
Preparedness isn’t about stockpiling like doomsday preppers. It’s about having the right resources, skills and plan so that when disaster strikes, you can act decisively. As Otsuka put it, preparation is key to staying calm and in control during a crisis rather than reacting impulsively and freezing.
The devastation caused by recent natural disasters is tragic and will surely leave a lasting scar on the hearts of affected communities. There are many lessons to be learned — about government mismanagement, resource allocation and leadership failures. These discussions matter, and better policies and response strategies are needed.
But beyond the systemic issues, the one thing we can control is our own readiness. Resources and information are available to help us prepare — but it’s up to us to make use of them before the next crisis strikes.
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Jewel Guillermo and Bailee Chang are seniors at McKinley High School.
Raise Your Hand,” a monthly column featuring Hawaii’s youth and their perspectives, appears in the Insight section on the first Sunday of each month. It is facilitated by the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders.
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