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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, October 9, 2002

O'ahu Civil Defense ex-chief Joseph Reed, dead at 69

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Joseph D. Reed, former O'ahu Civil Defense administrator and retired Air Force pilot, died Thursday. He was 69.

REED
Reed was born on Oct. 11, 1932, in Truman, Ark. He joined the Air Force in 1953 as an airlift navigator and became a pilot for C-124 and C-97 aircraft.

During the Vietnam War, Reed piloted B-52 bombers. In 1976, he was assigned to Hickam Air Force Base. He retired six years later.

Reed began his second career in 1983 when he was hired as a hurricane planner with O'ahu Civil Defense. He was brought in less than a year after Kaua'i and portions of O'ahu were heavily damaged by Hurricane 'Iwa.

Among his positions at O'ahu Civil Defense, Reed served as disaster preparedness officer and plans and operations officer. He developed the hurricane plan used during Hurricane 'Iniki in 1992, a plan that continues to serve as the guideline for the agency.

Civil Defense public information officer John Cummings said Reed always put the safety of people first.

"He always wanted us to make sure we understood that," Cummings said. "He was really big on the public safety issue, especially evacuations, hurricane warnings, making sure people had the information they needed during a disaster that could help them save their homes or possibly save their lives."

Reed was named acting administrator in 1994 and became permanent director a year later. When he began his tenure, the agency was in turmoil following a nearly decade-long battle between then-Mayor Frank Fasi and Reed's predecessor, Malcolm Sussel.

But Reed was able to bring stability to the office, said retired O'ahu Civil Defense acting administrator Paul Takamiya.

"Joe was a very personable individual. He was a level-headed, cool individual. He handled the various emergencies that occurred during his watch very well," Takamiya said. "He had the respect of all the people on the staff."

Mayor Jeremy Harris said Reed was one of the "most devoted public servants and citizens" the city ever had.

"In dealing with all sorts of disasters, he was the consummate professional," Harris said. "He was thorough, decisive and had the ability to quickly bring both people and resources to bear as we dealt with storms, floods and high surf."

Reed retired from the agency in July 2001.

He is survived by his wife, Malee; sons, Joseph and John; daughters, Donna Reed-Hall, Diana Cannon, Debby Zangari and Victoria; brother Bob; and six grandchildren.

Visitation 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Nellis Chapel on Hickam Air Force Base, service 11:30 a.m.; burial 1 p.m. at Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery.