HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HOSTS THREE OPEN HOUSES TO GATHER INPUT ON STATE MULTI-HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE

News Release from HI-EMA, June 25, 2018

HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) is inviting the community to three open houses as it updates the Hawai’i State Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, which addresses ways to reduce the impact of natural hazards on the State. The open houses will be held on:

· Wednesday, June 27, 2018 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm in partnership with the City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management at the Neal Blaisdell Center Hawaii Suites, 777 Ward Avenue, Honolulu

· Tuesday, July 3, 2018 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm in partnership with the Kauai Emergency Management Agency at the Moikeha Conference Room, 4444 Rice Street, Lihu’e

· Friday, July 6, 2018 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm in partnership with the Maui Emergency Management Agency at the Maui Planning Commission Room, 250 South High Street, Wailuku

HI-EMA ‘s open houses will give the public an opportunity to hear about the planning process and the draft findings to date as they relate to natural hazards which may pose risk to the State of Hawai`i. Participants will also have an opportunity to ask HI-EMA representatives questions regarding the proposed update.

Hawaii’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, last updated in 2013, lays out the State’s blueprint for sustained actions to reduce or eliminate the long-term risks to people and property from natural hazards such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, severe flooding, wildfires and drought. A current, approved plan is among the conditions of eligibility for some Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance programs. Federal regulations require states to review and update their Plans at least every five years and to submit the Plan updates to FEMA for approval and to the Governor for adoption.

To view the current Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, and after June 27 the DRAFT Plan Update, please visit the HI-EMA site: https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/files/2017/03/2013-Hawaii-State-Mitigation-Plan-FEMA-Review-COMPLETE.pdf