OAHU: Department of Emergency Management releases evacuation shelter list

HONOLULU - The Department of Emergency Management advises Oahu residents that the following American Red Cross hurricane shelters will be available and open for evacuees on Thursday, August 7 at 10:00 p.m.

SCHOOLS ADDRESS AREA    COMPLEX PET

• Campbell High School    91-980 North Rd Ewa Beach       Kapolei
• Kaimuki High School     2705 Kaimuki Avenue     Honolulu        Kaimuki YES
• Kaiser High School      511 Lunalilo Home Road  Honolulu        Kaiser
• McKinley High School    1039 South King St      Honolulu        McKinley
• Castle High School      45-386 Kaneohe Bay Dr   Kaneohe Castle
• Mililani High School    95-1200 Meheula Parkway Mililani        Mililani
• Pearl City High School          2100 Hookiekie Street   Pearl City      Pearl City      YES
• Waialua High School/Intermediate        67-160 Farrington Highway       Waialua Waialua YES
• Nanakuli High School/Middle     89-980 Nanakuli Avenue  Waianae Nanakuli        YES
• BYU-HAWAII      55-220 Kulanui Street   Laie    Kahuku  YES

The above shelters are designated as official shelter locations by the City and County of Honolulu. A hurricane evacuation shelter should be your refuge of last resort if you have absolutely no where else to go.

Who should evacuate? Residents in the coastal evacuation zones as shown in the yellow tabbed disaster preparedness section of your telephone directory.  Residents living in older homes built before 1995, on exposed ridgelines and anyone living in an area prone to or with a history of flooding.  Remember, if you choose to evacuate to a shelter you must bring all of your disaster supplies with you.

If you live in a home built after 1995 to current hurricane standards and you are not located in a coastal evacuation or flood zone you should consider Sheltering-in-Place in an interior room on a lower floor without windows.

Transportation

Special evacuation shuttles will begin operating at 10:00 p.m. tomorrow night to serve the designated shelter locations. If you need transportation to an evacuation shelter TheBus will provide free transportation. These buses will display an EVACUATION sign. Riders need only flag a bus down anywhere along the route they are traveling and they will be taken to the nearest evacuation shelter. Riders will be allowed to bring one bag and pets as long as they are on a leash or in a pet crate or carrier. Designated evacuation routing for each of the ten shelters will be issued soon.

Before leaving for a hurricane shelter, residents should close windows and doors and shut off/unplug all electrical items and shut off utilities if told to do so.

Residents bringing pets to designated pet friendly shelters will need to provide extra food and water for their pet, a pet carrier/cage for each pet that is large enough for them to turn around in as well as cleaning supplies.  You will be expected to assist with your pets care.

Keep in mind that the American Red Cross does not allow weapons, illicit drugs, alcohol, and smoking in shelters

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MAUI: Preparations Continue for Iselle’s Stormy Weather

WAILUKU, MAUI, Hawai‘i August 5, 2014 – Hurricane Iselle continues to march towards the islands. The latest models show Iselle reaching Maui County Thursday night as a tropical storm. However, right now the system is still classified as a hurricane with sustained winds near 110 miles per hour.

Even if Iselle weakens to become a tropical storm it will still bring high surf, strong winds and heavy rains. Coastal flooding is also possible as high surf begins to rise along east facing shores as early as Wednesday.

In anticipation of Iselle, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for the State of Hawaii today that goes into effect Thursday at 4 a.m. until Friday at 6 a.m.

According to the State Dept. of Education (DOE), all public schools in Maui County (Maui, Molokai, Lanai) will be closed on Thursday, Aug. 7. The schools in Maui County that are designated emergency shelters will remain closed on Friday, Aug. 8. Other school closures will be determined by the DOE as the situation develops.

Designated school shelters will open to the public at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7. The school shelters are:

• Baldwin High (Wailuku)
• Lokelani Intermediate (Kihei)
• Kekaulike High (Upcountry)
• Hana High & Elementary
• Molokai High
• Kilohana Elementary (Molokai)
• An additional shelter at Lahaina Civic Center is expected to open at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Maui Bus Paratransit Service will be available for same day reservations from home to shelter by calling MEO at 877-7651.

Residents are reminded once again to prepare for the storm by:

• · Securing loose objects in your yard and around your home that could potentially turn into flying debris.
• · Stocking up on food, water and medicine. The new recommendation by the state is to have SEVEN DAYS worth of supplies.
• · Boarding up or covering windows.
• · Bringing your disaster kit with you If you are required to evacuate to a designated shelter.
• · Fueling your vehicles.
• · Securely mooring or moving boats to a designated safe area well before the storm hits.
• · Continuing to monitor the news for storm updates from the weather service and Maui County at www.mauicounty.gov.

For emergency preparedness information, visit www.mauicounty.gov/civildefense.

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HAWAII COUNTY SCHOOLS CLOSED; SHELTERS OPEN

The state Department of Education (DOE) is scheduling closures at designated public schools in advance of storms Iselle and Julio.

On Thursday, Aug. 7, all public schools in Hawaii and Maui Counties (Maui, Molokai, Lanai) will be closed. All other public schools will remain open and continue their regular school schedule and afterschool activities.

“The force of these storms remain uncertain, however, we do not want to wait until last minute to close our schools,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said. “Additionally, many of our schools are designated emergency shelters and it is necessary to prepare these facilities as the storms approach.”

State and County Civil Defense officials expect Iselle to impact Hawaii Island and Maui County (Maui, Molokai, Lanai) on Thursday. Julio is currently forecasted to impact the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday.

School closures are being made according to the storms’ paths and in preparation of designated emergency shelter sites.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the following Hawaii County public schools, which are designated emergency shelters, will close at 2 p.m.

This means all afterschool activities for students and staff are canceled at these schools, as well as any scheduled public meetings.

Hawaii County designated shelters:

• Laupahoehoe
• Kohala High & Elementary
• Kealakehe High (pet friendly)
• Konawaena High (pet friendly)
• Hilo High (pet friendly)
• Waiakea High (pet friendly)
• Keaau High (pet friendly)
• Pahoa High & Intermediate (pet friendly)
• Honokaa High & Intermediate (pet friendly)
• Kau High (pet friendly)
• Waikoloa Elementary

Also, all public schools in Hawaii and Maui Counties (Maui, Molokai, Lanai) will be closed Thursday, Aug. 7.

The schools in Hawaii and Maui Counties that are designated emergency shelters will remain closed Friday.

In Hawaii County, three complex areas serve more than 23,000 students: Hilo-Laupahoehoe-Waiakea (7,864), Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena (10,167), Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa (5,414). There are more than 21,000 students in Maui County on three islands. Statewide, the DOE serves about 185,000 students at 255 public schools.

DOE officials continue to meet with State Civil Defense and are closely monitoring the storms’ patterns.

Information regarding public schools and afterschool activities will be announced as needed.

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Kauai County not expected to experience tropical storm-force winds.  No shelters currently set to open.