HONOLULU (KHON2) — The July 29 tsunami warning sent thousands of people scrambling to higher ground.
2 Hawaiʻi island collapses unleashed 2,000-foot tsunamis across the Pacific
During an advisory overview and response briefing with the Honolulu City Council on Thursday, Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management and Honolulu Police found early alerts worked as intended, but communication and traffic management fell short.
“What we know in emergency management is the circumstances that exist on a normal day are only amplified on a disaster day,” explained Dr. Randy Collins, Honolulu DEM’s Director.
The slideshow from different agencies (including HPD, HFD, DTS, EMS, and Ocean Safety) stated HPD’s Emergency Operations Center was overwhelmed with calls and texts, causing delays in briefings. Officials also cited communication gaps between state and city agencies — and the need for a dedicated public information officer to unify messaging…