New website/app crowd sources stock of supplies at stores across Hawaiʻi before, during, after storms

With ongoing storms impacting Hawaiʻi this year, a computer engineer in Pāhoa has created a website to help residents quickly find supplies.

After Hurricane Lala severely damaged parts of the Big Island, Sean Repanshek, 34, reached out to friends across the island to assess their well-being and inquire about their preparation experiences.

“I work in tech, so I started thinking about what I could do and how I could use my skills to help people in these intense storm situations,” Repanshek said. “One friend told me he went to five stores looking for ice as the rain worsened but had to give up. He wished he hadn’t left the house.”

Repanshek developed a platform allowing people to swiftly check where necessities are available. In recent weeks, he launched Help Me Find, a website that helps users locate supplies more efficiently.

“It’s a simple site where people can find and report the stock of supplies across categories like water, ice, propane and gas,” Repanshek said. “If someone sees something is in stock, low stock, or out of stock at certain stores, they can quickly update the website with that information to help others.”

Repanshek said the website is inspired by Waze, a community-driven GPS navigation app that provides real-time traffic updates.

For example, if someone is searching for ice on the Big Island, they can visit Help Me Find to see which stores have a stock, low stock, or no stock of ice. If they buy the last bag of ice from a store, they can update the site with that information.

Currently, the website offers information on 10 categories of items: ice, water, gas, propane, butane, generators, charcoal, firewood, pet food and feminine products.

“As we continue in the hurricane season, with Nolo potentially impacting the state, I think this tool is helpful during major weather events,” Repanshek said. “I wanted to spread the word before the next storm to keep the information current. It only works if people use it.”

Living in a rural area, Repanshek also sees the benefit of the website for residents remote from towns who want to use their time and gas efficiently.

“This is still new, so I definitely want feedback on the categories and if the website is missing any major ones I can add,” Repanshek said. “I want this to be helpful for everyone, so all ideas and comments are welcome.”

The website includes a tab for community and official resources, linking to Hawaiian Electric’s power outages. Repanshek plans to expand the list and will accept user suggestions.

“It’s not much, but this is my way to give back to people and hopefully make life easier as we continue facing storms and their aftermath,” Repanshek said.

Help Me Find requires no account or payment and is available at helpmefind.app. To send feedback or suggestions, email hello@helpmefind.app.