PRINCEVILLE — Thursday was the first of the month and on the island of Kaua‘i that means siren testing.
By now, people are accustomed to the outdoor siren. This is due to Hawai‘i having the largest single integrated Outdoor Siren Warning System for public safety in the world. The system was put into place after the devastating tsunami of 1946.
Hawai’i has about 400 sirens, and on Kaua’i there are a total of 55 siren towers. The sirens along with the Emergency Alert System (EAS) are tested monthly in collaboration with county emergency management and civil defense agencies and local radio, TV and cable broadcast partners. The siren test consists of a 60-second tone with the siren output at 121 decibels and propagates with a manufactured radius of 3,400 feet.
The Garden Island was invited to be part of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trailer testing in Princeville.
The CERT trailers are provided in the case of an emergency during any natural disaster and first responders cannot immediately respond to such emergency. Trained CERT volunteers can be proactive and respond to basic disaster responses and be equipped to assist the community until help becomes available.
Kaua‘i is equipped with three CERT trailers. Two are in storage in Kapa‘a and in Lihu‘e, which are on standby once volunteers are secured and trained. The other CERT trailer is located in Princeville at Hanalei perimeter and is maintained by its volunteers. The trailer training occurs quarterly island-wide to ensure equipment is up to date and ready for any disaster emergency.
However, only one out of the three CERT trailers has trained volunteers, and that is the Princeville CERT trailer. Testing the trailer has become an important task due to Princeville not having a siren tower in the perimeter.
The Princeville Hanalei Community Association has continued to push for a siren tower, but has had no luck in seeing the project through.
“The Princeville Hanalei Community Association (PHCA) Board of Directors and the community feel that having a siren installed in Princeville at Hanalei is an essential service for our residents and guests that the state should be providing in the event of any emergerceny, whether natural of otherwise. PHCA have been attempting to work with Kaua‘i Emergency Management (KEMA) for many years to see the project through,” said former interim general manager at PHCA Tom Lonigro.
On Thursday, volunteers gathered in the parking lot of the Princeville Community Center and set up practice. People in attendance included resident Maylette Garces, the executive director of the Kaua‘i North Shore Community Foundation.
She highlighted the importance of being properly prepared for any disaster that may arise.
“In the event that cell towers, the internet, and electricity are off line, amateur radio — sometimes called ham radio — would be the only way to communicate across the island, state, and beyond. The CERT trailer includes connections to the amateur radio network and a generator so we practice setting up the trailer regularly to assess the condition of the components that must work when most needed. The closest warning siren is located on Anini Beach and as we know from participating in the warning siren tests, it sounds very faint in the neighborhoods farther away from the coastline,” Garces said.
“Sometimes, we don’t hear the siren at all in Princeville. We need a siren inside Princeville to feel reassured that we will know when an emergency has occurred and be able to respond adequately. The community foundation North Shore Give is working collaboratively with the Princeville at Hanalei Community Association and Princeville 2 Community Association with the goal that the state of Hawai‘i will install a siren in Princeville.”
The goals for the day included access to the conditions of the trailer parts and amateur radio to allow volunteers to fix what was needed before the trailer is used in a real disaster or emergency, and make radio contact, which was a success.
The dedication of the Princeville community illuminates the importance of having active volunteers in these roles. Roles that equip participants with skills to help not only themselves, but their households and their communities.
“While the Kaua‘i Fire Department (KFD) has maintained essential supplies for the North Shore CERT trailer through dedicated community efforts, the success of the CERT program hinges on increased volunteer participation island wide,” said KFD Chief Michael Gibson.
“Although there is no County of Kaua‘i program to become CERT certified, we advocate for anyone interested in enhancing their lifesaving skills by seeking basic first aid training and CPR and AED training or certification.”
At the Kaua‘i County Council meeting on Wednesday, July 31, Kauai Emergency Management Agency (KEMA) Administrator Elton Ushio commented that there are other possible options to be better prepared.
He also mentioned at the meeting that KEMA is willing to provide outreach on hazard awareness and preparedness to community-based groups, such as community and resident associations, senior or faith-based organizations and private sector partners, such as Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative.
Individuals interested in basic disaster CERT training should visit https://www.fema.gov.
For links to other volunteer opportunities visit https://dod.hawaii.gov or https://www.hanaleiwatershedhui.org.
