Maui Disaster Preparedness Expo, May 31

Emergency preparedness pamphlets are among the information that will be available at this weekend’s Disaster Preparedness Expo. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

The Maui County Civil Defense Agency hosts a Disaster Preparedness Expo this weekend at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center in Kahului.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, and includes displays and workshops to prepare the public for emergencies and disasters.

Workshops will be presented throughout the event on the 2nd level, next to Regis Salon. The “Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards,” by Dennis Hwang with the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, will be available at no cost to workshop attendees.

Individuals scheduled to present information include: Mike Cantin with the Nation Weather Service who will discuss Hurricanes in Hawaiʻi; Dennis Hwang with the UH Sea Grant College Program will discuss material in his book, “Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards”; Tim Waite with the Simpson Strong Tie will talk about how to strengthen your home; Dr. Lorrin Pang with the state Department of Health, Maui District office will discuss outbreaks in shelters; and Anna Foust with the Maui  County Civil Defense Agency will talk about practical steps to readiness, and what you can do now to prepare.

Exhibits and displays will be in the Center Court on the 1st level, including a display showing the actual size of a shelter space, and an American Red Cross presentation on what you would need to bring to a shelter.

Other exhibits include material from the Civil Air Patrol, the Community Emergency Response Teams, the Maui County Office on Aging, the Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety, the Maui County Health Volunteers, the Maui Humane Society, the Maui Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch, the Pacific Disaster Center, the Rotary Club of Upcountry Maui, and the Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster program.