Posted on: Thursday, January 20, 2005

Tsunami readiness focus of briefings

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Prompted by the recent devastation in countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, two state legislative committees will hear testimony this morning on Hawai'i's readiness to survive a tsunami.

"What would you do if the siren went off right now?" asked Rep. Ken Ito, D-48th (Kane'ohe). "I'm not sure I'd know what to do. Those maps (in the phone book) are 10 years old."

Ito, chairman of the Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee, and Rep. Jerry Chang, D-2nd (Hilo), chairman of the Tourism and Culture Committee, have asked Civil Defense officials and others to brief their committees about the state's ability to warn and protect the public in the event of a tsunami.

The briefings are to be informational, Ito said, but service providers also will be asked whether legislation or money might be needed to better educate the public and make the state more tsunami-ready.

"What are the plans for the schools?" Ito said. "How about the tourists in Waikiki? The elderly? Do we need more public service announcements? Do our first responders have what they need?"

Because of high levels of volcanic activity in the Pacific region, Hawai'i needs to be prepared for the possibility of a tsunami, Ito said.

"We face a threat from Chile, Alaska — the Big Island itself," Ito said.

The briefings are 8:30 to 11:30 this morning in conference room 309 at the state Capitol.

Reach Karen Blakeman at kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2430.