HONOLULU- Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu has become the first joint base in the country to be declared both storm ready and tsunami ready by the National Weather Service.
A plaque of certification was presented to joint base commander Capt. Jeff James during a short ceremony Friday at the facility’s Emergency Operations Center.
The designation means the facility, which houses personnel and assets for both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, is ready to meet the challenges of responding to just about any natural disaster.
“It represents a dedication of the base commanders and everyone involved that they’re really keeping everyone safe here on the joint base,” said Ray Tanabe, meteorologist in charge of the NWS office in Honolulu.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam met rigorous criteria in order to receive the recognition. The Storm Ready and Tsunami Ready program focuses on internal and external communication, alert systems, reception and understanding of hazardous weather alerts, community outreach, and a comprehensive natural disaster plan.
“We’ve got a solid communications vehicle in place, we’ve communicated with all of our folks, there’s a very solid training plan for the people that would be in charge of leading in an emergency and we have an awareness campaign across the base,” said James.
In the past 20 months Hawaii experienced two tsunami warnings that resulted in mass evacuations of susceptible coastlines. The first occurred on February 27, 2010 when an 8.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile. Then on March 11 of this year, a 9.0 earthquake struck the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan sending tsunami waves racing across the Pacific.
Hawaii State Civil Defense estimated loses from the Honshu event at $30.6 million, with most of the damage occurring on the Big Island.
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