Living in Hawaiʻi means enjoying warm weather, beautiful coastlines, and close-knit communities. It also means making hurricane preparation part of caring for our homes and ʻohana.
Preparing does not need to feel frightening or overwhelming. A few small steps taken over time can make a household more comfortable, organized, and ready if a storm affects the islands.
The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, or HIEMA, recommends making a household plan, preparing emergency supplies, knowing local evacuation information, signing up for alerts, and following official forecasts. Here is a practical way to get started.
1. Make a simple household plan
Begin with a relaxed family conversation. Talk about where everyone may be during the day and how you will reconnect if phone service becomes unreliable.
Your plan should answer a few basic questions:
- Will you shelter at home or stay with relatives if conditions allow?
- Where will you meet if household members become separated?
- Who is your out-of-state contact?
- How will you assist children, kūpuna, pets, or anyone with medical or mobility needs?
- Which evacuation route will you use if officials ask you to leave?
Keep a printed copy of the plan with your emergency supplies. HIEMA also recommends knowing the hazards near your home and checking the evacuation and shelter information for your area.
2. Build your supplies a little at a time
Because Hawaiʻi depends heavily on goods shipped from outside the state, a major storm could interrupt normal deliveries. HIEMA recommends keeping two weeks of household emergency supplies.
That may sound like a big project, but it does not have to happen in one shopping trip. Add a few shelf-stable items whenever they are on sale, then rotate them into your regular meals before they expire.
HIEMA says the main categories to consider are water, food, medicine, power, and information. Its water recommendation is one gallon per person per day, or 14 gallons per person for two weeks.
Other useful supplies include:
- Shelf-stable foods your household already enjoys
- A manual can opener
- Prescription medicines and copies of prescriptions
- A first-aid kit
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Phone chargers and backup batteries
- Personal-hygiene products
- Pet food, water, medicine, and a carrier
- Some cash in small denominations
- Activities or comfort items for children
Check your supplies every few months. Use and replace older food, test batteries, and update medications as needed. HIEMA’s 2-Weeks Ready in Hawaiʻi guide offers additional guidance.
3. Pack a separate Go Bag
Household supplies help when you can remain at home. A Go Bag is a smaller, portable collection of essentials to take if you need to evacuate.
HIEMA suggests keeping Go Bag contents protected in plastic bags so they stay dry. Useful items include water, high-energy food, medicine, first-aid supplies, a radio, flashlight, backup phone battery, rain jacket, cash, local maps, hygiene items, and copies of important documents.
Remember to customize your bag. Include glasses, infant supplies, mobility items, pet necessities, or anything else your household would find difficult to replace quickly. HIEMA’s Go Bag checklist is a helpful starting point.
4. Give your home a seasonal checkup
A calm afternoon of home maintenance can reduce last-minute work later.
Walk around your property and:
- Clear gutters and drains
- Trim weak or dead branches
- Identify outdoor furniture, planters, tools, and decorations that would need to be secured
- Test flashlights and other emergency equipment
- Check doors, windows, and screens
- Review where important documents are stored
- Photograph rooms and valuable belongings for your home inventory
If your home is older or you are unsure how well it may handle strong winds, speak with a licensed contractor about appropriate improvements. An insurance professional can also help you understand your hurricane and flood coverage. HIEMA notes that homeowners should understand their property’s exposure to wind, flooding, and storm surge.
5. Stay connected to trusted information
Sign up for emergency notifications from your county before severe weather approaches. Know which local radio station you can use for emergency information, and keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio available.
When a storm is being monitored, follow HIEMA, your county emergency management agency, and the National Weather Service. Forecasts can change, so rely on current official instructions rather than rumors or unverified social-media posts.
If officials issue an evacuation or shelter-in-place order, follow it promptly. Keep your Go Bag, household plan, and essential supplies easy to reach.
Preparedness is an act of care
Hurricane preparation is not about expecting the worst. It is about creating a little more confidence and flexibility for your household.
Choose one manageable task today: sign up for alerts, add a few gallons of water to your supplies, start a Go Bag, or talk through your family plan. Each small step helps build a more prepared home and a more resilient community.
As a Hawaiʻi real estate professional, Missy Elliott Realtor encourages residents to make seasonal preparedness part of regular home care. A ready home helps protect what matters most—your family, your neighbors, and the place you call home.
For official updates and detailed preparedness resources, visit the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s hurricane page and Get Ready guide.
Preparedness recommendations can change. Always follow current instructions from HIEMA, your county emergency management agency, and local public-safety officials.
