Tsunami events, whether originating from local sources, such as volcanic activity, or the pacific ring of fire encircling the archipelago, pose a threat to all hawaiian islands (international…

The Hawaii Department of Defense, Civil Defense Division, received a $225,405 Project Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Meteorologic and Hydrologic Modernization Development program (CFDA 11.467), effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. The award supports the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency's (HI-EMA) National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) FY25 initiative to enhance tsunami preparedness and mitigation efforts across the Hawaiian Islands. Key deliverables include tsunami modeling and mapping using the most recent available data to address gaps in local hazard mitigation modeling for the archipelago, installation of evacuation signage for Hawaii County, and community engagement programs with emphasis on educating Hawaii's youth in tsunami preparedness initiatives.

This comprehensive tsunami mitigation program strengthens collaboration among local communities, state agencies, and federal partners to reduce the impact of tsunami hazards on Hawaii's population, economy, and critical infrastructure. The project directly addresses Hawaii's vulnerability to tsunami events originating from both local sources such as volcanic activity and regional sources associated with the Pacific Ring of Fire. By validating and enhancing tsunami modeling capabilities and promoting community-level preparedness, the award supports the broader NTHMP objective of advancing tsunami resilience across U.S. coastal regions and Pacific territories.

Tsunami events, whether originating from local sources, such as volcanic activity, or the pacific ring of fire encircling the archipelago, pose a threat to all hawaiian islands (international tsunami information center, 2023). Due to the states vulnerability, specifically the risk of widespread loss to life and vital infrastructure, the hawaii emergency management agency (HI-EMA) has strengthened and enhanced its tsunami preparedness and mitigation efforts. Through the national tsunami hazard mitigation program (nthmp) FY25 proposal, HI-EMA hopes to implement a comprehensive tsunami mitigation program by strengthening collaboration with local communities, state agencies, and federal partners. Designed to reduce impact of tsunami hazards on hawaiis population, economy, and infrastructure, this years initiatives include tsunami modeling and mapping, community engagement programs, and evacuation signage for hawaii county. HI-EMA seeks to achieve several key objectives: address the GAP in local hazard mitigation modeling for the hawaiian archipelago. Validate and enhance tsunami modeling for hawaii using the most recent data available. Promote community engagement in tsunami preparedness initiatives, with a particular emphasis on educating and involving hawaiis youth (keiki).