Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $225,405 to the Hawaii Department of Defense Civil Defense Division (operating as HI-EMA) under the Meteorologic and Hydrologic Modernization Development Program (CFDA 11.467) effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. This Project Grant supports Hawaii's comprehensive tsunami mitigation and preparedness initiatives addressing the significant tsunami risk posed by volcanic activity and Pacific Ring of Fire seismic events. The award funds three primary deliverables: (1) tsunami modeling and mapping to validate and enhance hazard assessment capabilities for the Hawaiian Archipelago using current data, (2) community engagement programs with emphasis on educating Hawaii's youth (keiki) in tsunami preparedness, and (3) evacuation signage installation for Hawaii County to enhance public safety infrastructure.

The program is designed to close critical gaps in local hazard mitigation modeling for the islands while strengthening collaboration among local communities, state agencies, and federal partners. Through this funding, HI-EMA advances NOAA's broader objective to promote tsunami resilience and mitigation measures across state and territorial governments, reducing potential impacts to Hawaii's population, economy, and critical infrastructure from tsunami hazards.