HI-EMA to Receive Nearly $500K in Tsunami Funding

The State of Hawai’i will receive nearly half a million dollars in grant funding to provide support to the Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency’s mission to keep the public informed and prepared for tsunamis.

United States Senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, made the announcement of the funds Friday.

“In Hawai’i, being well-prepared for natural disasters like tsunamis can mean the difference between life and death,” said Senator Schatz. “This critical funding will help improve our tsunami disaster planning so we can better protect Hawai’i’s coastal communities and save lives.”

The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program has faced attempts at defunding in Congress, according to officials in Senator Schatz office. However, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has put effort into restoring the funding in the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill.

Hawai’i became one of the first states in the country to be named ‘Tsunami Ready’ after the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program provided funding that assisted in preparedness activities, including inundation mapping, disaster planning, and education.