Hawai‘i Island Residents Urged to Prepare for Darby

In partnership with the Hawai‘i County, Hawai‘i Red Cross volunteers will be opening shelters on Hawai‘i Island today in response to Tropical Storm Darby.

Evacuation shelters are scheduled to open on Friday, July 22, at 4 p.m. at the following sites:

• Laupahoehoe High – 35-2065 Old Mamalahoa Hwy., Laupahoehoe
• Kohala High & Elementary – 54-3609 Akoni Pule Hwy., Kapa‘au
• Konawaena High (pet friendly)– 81-1043 Konawaena School Rd., Kealakekua
• Hilo High – 556 Waianuenue Ave., Hilo
• Waiakea High (pet-friendly) – 155 W Kawili St., Hilo
• Kea‘au High (pet friendly) – 16-725 Kea‘au-Pahoa Rd,. Kea‘au
• Pāhoa High & Intermediate (pet-friendly) – 15-3038 Pāhoa Village Road, Pāhoa
• Honoka‘a High & Intermediate (pet-friendly) – 45-527 Pakalana St, Honoka‘a
• Ka‘u High & Elementary (pet-friendly) – 96-3150 Pikake St., Pahala
• Kalanianaole Elementary (pet-friendly) – 27-330 Mamalahoa Hwy., Papaikou
• Mountain View Elementary – 18-1235 Volcano Hwy., Mountain View

Due to Hawai‘i’s isolation and vulnerability, the Red Cross recommends that people prepare their emergency kits for seven days and bring their emergency supplies with them to shelters.

Airports and ports may be damaged by the storm and slow down the resupply process for local stores.

The Red Cross encourages everyone to be prepared before disasters strike: Get a disaster kit, make a plan and be informed.

GET A DISASTER KIT PREPARED

Every family should have their own disaster kit. As other emergency response organizations have reported, families are asked to bring their own disaster supplies kit to a shelter, if asked to evacuate.

Have seven days’ worth of supplies at home to shelter in place or in a compact portable container to take to a shelter.

Full details about what the kit should contain are available online.

• Water – 1 gallon per person per day
• Food – non-perishable
• Flashlight
• Radio -NOAA Weather Radio
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Medications & Medical items
• Manual Can opener
• Multi-purpose tool
• Personal hygiene items
• Copies of Documents (prescriptions, proof of address, deed/lease to home, insurance policies and proof of identity
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family Contact Information
• Cash
• Bedding
• Change of clothes
• Towels
• Dishes

other possible needs

• Baby supplies – bottles, baby food & diapers
• Games and activities
• Comfort items
• Pet supplies – collar, leash, ID, food, water, carrier, bowl and medications

MAKE A PLAN

All members of the household should work together on the family disaster plan. A Family Disaster Plan Template is available on redcross.org that people can download and complete to make or update their plan.

Planning together is important so everyone in the household knows what they should do if something occurs. The plan should include ways to contact and find one another in an emergency, including two places to meet—one near the home in case of a sudden emergency like a fire and one outside the neighborhood in case circumstances prevent people from returning home.

Choose an out-of-area emergency contact person. It may be easier to text or call long distance if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service.

STAY INFORMED

Listen to local media to keep updated on the status of Tropical Storm Darby. Evacuation shelter locations and opening times will be shared by local media. Do not automatically go there.

Download free Red Cross mobile apps. Have safety and first aid information at your fingertips. The hurricane app features weather alerts, information on open Red Cross shelters, a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and alarm, and a one-touch “I’m Safe” button that lets you use social media outlets to let family and friends know you are okay. The apps can be downloaded by visiting redcross.org/apps.