WASHINGTON – The Hawaii Civil Defense Division will receive $1,312,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to upgrade tsunami sirens and fund education and outreach programs, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Daniel K. Akaka, U.S. Representative Mazie K. Hirono and U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa announced today.

The federal funds will be used to upgrade emergency sirens to ensure reliability and longevity and to support tsunami awareness through outreach campaigns that teach visitors and residents how to prepare for and respond to tsunami warnings.

“The earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan in March 2011 was a painful reminder that as an isolated island state we must be prepared to respond to the unpredictable dangers presented by the ocean. We need to educate our communities about disaster preparedness and prepare them to protect their families and property in the event of a tsunami. I would like to thank the Obama Administration for recognizing the importance of disaster preparedness in Hawaii,” said Senator Inouye.

“Our state has been fortunate in recent years to have avoided severe weather and serious natural disasters. However, our location in the middle of the Pacific means we remain vulnerable to these threats, so it is critical that we are prepared for what’s to come. The familiar cry of the warning siren alerts our residents and visitors of imminent events and encourages them to take safety measures. I would like to thank the administration for awarding this grant that will allow us to make much-needed upgrades to the sirens to ensure the safety of our communities and the longevity of this important warning system,” said Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.scd.hawaii.gov/preparedness.html