Tsunami Preparedness Workshop Set for May 21

A tsunami preparedness workshop for businesses, families and the community at large will be held later this month in Hilo.

The workshop is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, at the Pacific Tsunami Museum at 130 Kamehameha Ave.

Featured speakers will include geophysicist Gerard Fryer of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center on Oahu, Bill Hanson of Hawaii County Civil Defense and Stafford Oyama, chair of the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association.

Sponsors said the workshop will provide information and tools for business owners to help protect their employees and customers in the event of a tsunami.

“Everyone will learn to protect irreplaceable assets and better prepare for the next tsunami warning,” said Alice Moon, the DIA’s executive director.

Hilo has been hit by damaging tsunami 16 times since 1837. That has included devastating events in 1946 and 1960 which together claimed 221 lives.

While those events were the result of earthquakes far across the Pacific basin, as was seen in 1868 and again in 1975 the Big Island is also susceptible to waves generated by local seismic events which can arrive very quickly.

Seating for the workshop is limited. Registration is required.

Cost is free to DIA members and $5 for non-members.

To register, email hiloimprovementprogram@gmail.com or call (808) 935-8850.

The workshop is sponsored by the Pacific Tsunami Museum, the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association and the Hilo Improvement Program.

HIP is a project of the DIA funded by a grant from the Hawaii Corporation for National Community Service through AmeriCorps.