MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- While Hawaii may not have been hit by the eye of a major hurricane since 1992, when Hurricane Iniki caused nearly $2 billion worth of damage to the island of Kauai, the Marine Corps Base Hawaii community should still be prepared.
Hawaii’s hurricane season spans from June to November and is a perfect time for service members and their families to prepare for a natural disaster. To begin preparing, they should build an emergency kit and make a family communication plan, a way for one’s family to communicate if they are separated when disaster strikes.
“Hurricanes can cause life and property-threatening (hazards) such as flooding, storm surges, high winds and tornadoes,” said the Hawaii Red Cross in a hurricane awareness press release. “(We) recommend that residents update their family evacuation plan, emergency preparedness kit and get better prepared. Preparation is the best protection against the dangers of a hurricane.”
“Ready,” a national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and help people prepare for all emergency situations, stated that one of the first things people should do when preparing for hurricane season is know their surroundings and the area around their property. This way, people may better understand how it will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.
“Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone, as well as identify levees and dams in your area and determine whether they pose a hazard to you,” the website states. “It’s also important to learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground, as those will help determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.”
For MCB Hawaii, the evacuation shelters include: the Chaplain Joseph W. Estabrook Chapel, the Semper Fit Center gym, the bowling alley, Kahuna’s and the base theater. Community members are advised to move inward, away from the coast.
“Ready” also stated that, should a natural disaster occur, it’s important to make sure personal property is secure.
“Cover all of your home’s windows,” the site states. “Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. Another year-round option would be installation of laminated glass with impact-resizing glazing. Bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.”
Members of the community should also make an emergency preparedness kit ahead of time, including a portable, water resistant container and enough supplies to last a week.
“Check your kit and replace perishable stock every six months,” the Hawaii Red Cross stated in their press release. “Whether you purchase a kit or choose to build your own, your seven-day kit should include: one gallon of water per person, per day; non-perishable food items, as well as a manual can opener; a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries; a first aid kit; prescription and non-prescription medication items, including medical supplies like extra hearing aid batteries or syringes; copies of important documents, including birth certificates, insurance policies, a medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed to the home and social security cards; extra cash; blankets or sleeping bags per person; pet supplies and maps of the area.”
It is recommended that every household meets together to develop a household disaster plan. The plan should include two meeting places, one outside your home and one outside your neighborhood, advanced preparations for your pets, an out-of-area contact person and an evacuation route.
“By taking a few simple actions like making an emergency kit and a family plan, you can prepare for hurricanes and other emergencies,” said Coralie Matayoshi, CEO of the Hawaii Red Cross. “Even if you took action to prepare last hurricane season, it’s important that you revisit and update your communication plan and check your kit for expired items. Being prepared in advance can be a lifesaving measure when a storm threatens our islands.”