In August 1871, a hurricane tore through Waipiʻo Valley, destroying nearly 30 homes in about 90 minutes. A storm so intense it’s still studied by meteorologists today. Hawaiʻi has weathered storms like this for centuries, but the way we live here is different from most of the country, and that means hurricane preparedness should look different too.
Plan for the whole household, not just a family of four. Hawaiʻi has the highest rate of multigenerational households in the nation, 9% statewide and 16-18% among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander families. A lot of mainland disaster advice assumes one small family unit. Here, an emergency plan often needs to cover grandparents, parents, and grandkids all under one roof.
List out every medication in the house, not just your own, and think through mobility differences. Can everyone in the house move quickly if you need to evacuate, and if not, what’s the plan? Decide in advance who in the household is responsible for helping an older or less mobile family member move quickly if evacuation becomes necessary.
Stock up like the barge might not come. Everything shipped to Hawaiʻi arrives by boat or plane, and a storm can disrupt that supply chain here or wherever the shipment is coming from. That makes “two weeks of food” more than a suggestion. Aim for at least two weeks of shelf-stable food per person – rice, oatmeal, canned goods, a manual can opener – plus one gallon of water per person per day. Rotate your supply so older items get used first and check expiration dates twice a year.
The same shipping risk applies to prescription medications. Ask your pharmacy about an early refill before a storm rather than waiting until supplies run low.
Know your one road out and know each other. Some communities, like Waipiʻo, have a single access road, no cell service, and terrain that washes out easily. In places like this, professional disaster relief can take longer to arrive than it would in town, with neighbors often ending up relying on each other first.
Know who has a truck, tractor, or chainsaw that could help clear a blocked road, who has medical training, and where people would gather in person if phones and power are both down. Talk about this with your neighbors now, not after the road is already gone.
Make sure everyone can reach everyone else. Write down phone numbers for your whole ʻohana, including hānai family and the aunties and uncles who are family to you. Give a printed copy to everyone in the household, so a dead phone battery doesn’t mean losing access to someone’s number. Also pick one contact on another island or the mainland. Local lines jam up after a storm, but a distant call usually still goes through. Other family members can then check in with that person for updates.
Hawaiʻi has weathered storms for centuries. Preparing for the next one means planning around how we actually live here.
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