Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service have praised
Hawaii's civil defense team for completing a set of rigorous
warning and evacuation criteria necessary to earn the distinction
of the entire state being TsunamiReady and StormReady.
All four counties in Hawaii have earned the TsunamiReady and
StormReady designation, making Hawaii the first state in the United
States to achieve this status.
"Through the StormReady program, Hawaii will be better prepared to
help protect the lives and property of its residents and visitors
during severe weather events,” remarked retired Air Force Brig.
Gen. David L. Johnson, director of NOAA's National Weather
Service.
Hawaii has actually experienced more tsunami threats than any other
state in the union.
“We know how devastating they can be,” noted Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.
“With the one-year anniversary of the greatest tsunami of our
lifetime, our hearts go out to those Indian Ocean countries who are
still recovering.”
Inouye pointed out that Hawaii has taken steps to be better
prepared for the next tsunami.
“We have an emergency operations center in every county, a
statewide siren system, evacuation maps in the phone books, regular
drills and public education programs,” he explained. “These
provisions and others helped the State of Hawaii become
TsunamiReady and StormReady."
http://www.tsunamiready.noaa.gov
