DOH Partners With Longs Drugs for Emergency Preparedness
With the 2019 Central Pacific hurricane season upon us, the Hawai‘i Department of Health Public Health Nursing Branch is partnering with Longs Drugs to provide emergency preparedness guidance and materials at 14 locations across the state. On Monday, June 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., DOH public health nurses will advise shoppers on how to get their households ready for hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Available resources will include the “Take 10” guide for putting together an emergency kit and the “Plan To Be Ready” booklet to help families plan for emergencies. A children’s activity book that explains emergency preparedness to keiki will also be available. During the event, CVS will be offering discounted emergency supplies that can be used during natural disasters.
“We are grateful to our partners at Longs Drugs for their commitment to making Hawai‘i better prepared for disasters,” said Judy Kern, chief of DOH’s Office of Public Health Preparedness. “Government agencies cannot do this alone and need support from our partners in the private sector to ensure that we as a community are prepared. Because of Hawai‘i’s geographic isolation and susceptibility to extreme natural disasters, families are encouraged to have a plan and maintain an emergency kit with enough water, food, medication, and essentials to last for at least two weeks.”
The following Longs Drugs locations will be participating in this year’s event:
Kaua‘i
- Līhu‘e: 3-2600 Kaumuali‘i Highway, Suite 1100
- Kapa‘a: 645 Aleka Loop
- Hawai‘i Kai: 377 Keahole Street
- Moili‘ili: 2470 South King Street
- Kamehameha Shopping Center (Kalihi): 1620 North School Street
- Kāne‘ohe: 46-047 Kamehameha Highway, Suite C
- Wai‘anae: 86-120 Farrington Highway
- Pearl City, 850 Kamehameha Highway, Suite 107
- ‘Ewa Beach: 91-919 Fort Weaver Road, Space 106
Hawai‘i Island
- Kailua-Kona, 75-5595 Palani Road
- Hilo, 555 Kīlauea Avenue
- Pāhoa, 15-1454 Kahakai Boulevard
Additionally, DOH public health nurses on Lāna‘i will also be participating and handing out emergency preparedness resources at Pine Isle Market, located at 356 8th Street in Lāna‘i City.
Hurricane season in the Central Pacific region, which includes the Hawaiian Islands, began on June 1 and continues until Nov. 30, although hurricanes and tropical storms can occur at any time of year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting an above-normal 2019 hurricane season, with five to eight tropical cyclones expected for the Central Pacific hurricane basin. This makes emergency preparedness all the more important.
DOH advises residents and visitors to know how to protect themselves before, during and after a hurricane. To find more information and preparedness resources, visit DOH’s Office of Public Health Preparedness’ website at http://health.hawaii.gov/prepare/advisories/hurricane-season/. Always monitor local news broadcasts (radio, television or Internet) and sign up for local emergency notification systems ahead of time at the following webpages:
- County of Hawai‘i (Hawai‘i Island): countyofhawaii.bbcportal.com
- City & County of Honolulu (O‘ahu): hnl.info/alerts/login.php
- County of Kaua‘i: countyofkauai.bbcportal.com
- County of Maui: www.co.mauji.hi.us/list.aspx
Additional emergency preparedness information can be found at:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): www.ready.gov/hurricanes
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater/facts.html (food safety in the event of a power outage).
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