While emergency response personnel focused yesterday on the primary task of preparing for then-Hurricane Flossie, they also collected data that could help them better prepare for the next potential disaster.

At the National Weather Service, each new storm creates an opportunity to test computerized models against the real thing, and then to fine-tune the models.

Service meteorologist Ian Morrison said models are reviewed against actual storm information after each hurricane season. Meteorologists study which models worked, and try to tweak the ones that worked less well, to improve their predictions.

"Every year the models are updated, and they take in smaller and smaller features from the environment," he said.

During Hurricane Flossie, the weather service has been pleased with the guidance from its models of the hurricane's track. But predictions of changes in the storm's strength have been less accurate.

"The track forecasting has improved greatly, and now they're going to be focusing on the intensity forecasts" during the season-end updates of models, Morrison said.

Hawai'i civil defense authorities say each new storm or tsunami warning also is an opportunity to train both the emergency response teams statewide and the residents.

But they also recognize that there is potential danger that people will ignore warnings simply because there hasn't been a severe hurricane strike in many years, or a severe tsunami in several decades.

"There's always the fear about crying 'wolf,' " by issuing so many warnings that people stop responding to them, said Mark Marshall, administrator of Kaua'i Civil Defense.

On Kaua'i, which has gone through two severe hurricanes in the past quarter century, that's not so much of a problem. Most residents seem to be alert to dangers, stock up on supplies in advance of threats and pay attention to emergency announcements.

But on Maui, where there hasn't been a hurricane strike in most people's memory, officials must work hard at promoting emergency preparedness.

"Maui hasn't experienced any kind of severe weather in several decades. A number of people around here haven't experienced severe flooding and damage," said Gen Iinuma, Maui County's Civil Defense administrator.

"We need to raise awareness levels. What would have happened if this storm were one degree (60 miles) more north," he said.

O'ahu Civil Defense administrator Peter Hirai said that within the emergency response community, every storm is a training opportunity.

"It's improving the way we plan," he said. "Every time we pull out the contingency plan, we find something and say, 'Why didn't we think of that last time?" And we update the contingency plan."

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.