HOSA Community Awareness · Moanalua High School · Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi

Ready to Respond

A student-led campaign helping Oʻahu families get ready for the next emergency, before it happens.

See why it matters

The Problem

About 90%4
of Hawaiʻi’s food is imported, and roughly the same share of energy comes from imported fuel10
5–7 days5
of food on store shelves statewide
19–30 days6
of lost mass importation if the Port of Honolulu takes major damage
About 1 in 812
Hawaiʻi households actually meet the 2 Weeks Ready standard

A University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu study of 1,006 Hawaiʻi households found that 56% believed they were prepared, but only 12% actually had 14 days of water, food, and medicine.12 Believing it and doing it are not the same thing.

Why Awareness Matters

About 1 in 4 unprepared households said they just weren’t properly informed, not that they didn’t care.2 Most people learn about preparedness from family and friends, not from a government flyer.3 That’s exactly why a student-led, peer-to-peer campaign can reach people official channels miss.

Why Hawaiʻi Is Different

Almost everything on the island arrives by sea. About 3,000 tons of food and 400 shipping containers land at Honolulu Harbor every day, and there is no alternate harbor that can unload freight at that scale.7

There is no warehouse backup. Food moves straight from the port to stores, so when ships stop, shelves drain within days. After 5 days without imports, stores are below 40% of normal stock.8

FEMA’s minimum is 3 days of supplies. That number was built for the mainland, where trucks can roll in from the next state. Hawaiʻi has no next state. That is why HI-EMA recommends 14 days instead.9

Know Your Hazards

Oʻahu faces a specific set of real risks. Here’s what to actually do about each one.

Hurricanes

Central Pacific season: June 1 – November 30

  • Know your evacuation zone before a storm is named
  • Secure or store loose outdoor items
  • Have your 14-day kit ready before peak season
HI-EMA hurricane guidance →

Tsunamis

Outdoor sirens sound monthly as a test

  • Know if you live, work, or go to school in an evacuation zone
  • If you feel a strong earthquake near the coast, move to high ground immediately, don’t wait for a siren
  • Know your evacuation route on foot
HI-EMA tsunami guidance →

Flash Floods

Can happen with little warning

  • Never drive through flooded roads, turn around
  • Move to higher ground during heavy, sustained rain
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof bag
HI-EMA flood guidance →

Wildfires

Risk rises during dry, windy conditions

  • Know your community’s evacuation routes in advance
  • Keep dry brush cleared near your home if you can
  • Have a go-bag ready, not just a stay-home kit
HI-EMA wildfire guidance →

Get official emergency alerts sent straight to your phone.

Official sign-up through honolulu.gov

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

Take Action

Pick one thing and start today, readiness builds step by step.

Step 1

Start here: take the 3-minute quiz to see how ready your household really is.

Take the Preparedness Quiz
Step 2

Use our calculator and checklist to put together water, food, and supplies for your household.

Build a 14-Day Kit
Step 3

Share it with a kūpuna or family member and fill out a check-in card together.

Pass It On

Partners

Interested in partnering? Contact us.

Sources