Temperature Equipment Installed at KOA, Other Major Hawai‘i Airports

Thermal Screening Equipment installed at airports. PC: HDOT

Hawai‘i’s five busiest airports are now equipped with thermal temperature screening equipment at all relevant gates. This marks the end of phase two of the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation’s (HDOT) project.

A total of 133 cameras statewide are operational and available to detect people with a body temperature of 100.4°F and above. The equipment is now installed at all gates and departure security checkpoints at the HNL, OGG, LIH, KOA, and ITO airports on the four main Hawaiian Islands.

HDOT and the NEC team, including NEC Corporation and NEC Corporation of America, have completed phases one and two of the project. Phase one installed 36 cameras and equipment at the gates currently in use for trans-Pacific flights. Phase two installed 97 more cameras and equipment at all remaining gates and departure security checkpoints, HDOT announced Thursday.

Not all gates are currently in use due to lower than normal flight volume. However, the equipment is ready and available when the gates return to use, HDOT said. Phase three will add the facial imaging technology and is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020.

Members of the Hawai‘i National Guard and HDOT employees have been trained statewide to operate and monitor the equipment. Passengers used to stop to have their temperature taken by handheld thermometers. They are now able to deplane the aircraft without stopping. An alert on the monitor will appear if someone is detected to have a temperature above the acceptable threshold. The Hawai‘i National Guard member or an airport representative will then pull that passenger aside for further evaluation.

American Medical Response (AMR) paramedics or the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) units stationed at the airport will verify the passenger’s temperature. The passenger will be offered a COVID-19 test and the person’s contact information will be collected to provide to the Hawai‘i Department of Health for contact tracing, if necessary.