Red Road Community Emergency Response Plan

INTRODUCTION

In a disaster, we may be on our own for some time

As shoreline communities along HWY 137, known locally as the Red Road, we face the very real potential of natural disasters (tropical storms, tsunamis and lava flows).  During such incidents, outside help is likely to be delayed by damage to access roads and outside responders may be overwhelmed responding to other communities and we may need to take care of ourselves for at least 14 days before help arrives.   In the past we have also experienced even longer delays in the reestablishment of power and communication. We must be prepared to help each other when an emergency occurs. Once help arrives, we will work with local officials and other groups to ensure everyone’s safety.

Our emergency plan

This plan, a guide for preparation, response and recovery, was created by community volunteers who identified potential risks that could impact our community, identified people and places that may require extra assistance and compiled a list of essential supplies and resources for emergencies.

 It is a living document, open to revision by community members following simulated exercises involving all our communities and following any actual disaster.

The plan has 3 parts: Part 1, for all residents, looks at the disaster phases of our three potential disasters (tropical storms, tsunamis and lava flows)

• “Blue Skies” (Normal times) – PREPARATION – time to share information, make plans, gather resources
• Anticipatory – GETTING READY – with advanced warning, a time for reviewing plans, deciding to evacuate or stay-in-place as long as possible, gathering or refreshing needed supplies;
• Impact – HUNKER DOWN
• Response – IMMEDIATE ACTION – emphasizes tending to medical and psychological needs of people and animals, clearing roads, finding housing for displaced persons, maintaining communication links
• Recovery – BUILD BACK BETTER and CARING for the ĀINA – longer term planning and action to build  more sustainable and resilient communities and restore our natural land and seascapes

Parts 2 and 3 of the plan are a handbook for community members who are willing to volunteer their time and energy during disasters.  It is the “what, when, who and how” of our disaster management effort.

The success of our Emergency Plan depends on community members who volunteer.  There’s a role for everyone – those with special skills and those who would just like to help.  But it is critical to understand the first priority of all community volunteers is their own and their family’s wellbeing and no volunteer will be responsible for assisting in conditions that imperil their own safety.

BASIC TERMS USED IN THE PLAN

Individual/Family Emergency Plan
Go Bag
Evacuation
Stay-in-Place
Vibrant Hawai’i
Civil Defense

Local Hub – community/neighborhood gathering point to plan localized disaster preparation and response

Specialized Response Hub – a hub offering a range of response services to all (eg., communications, planning, resource distribution, triage and information). Location determined by post-impact survey of facility condition and road access.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Civil Defense and locally at a designated specialized hub
Emergency Command Group – community volunteers who take on the role of leading the Red Road disaster response

DISASTER PHASES

An emergency event can be described as having phases:

Blue Skies Preparedness – Anticipatory – Impact – Response – Recovery

Normal “Blue Skies” Phase

______________/_______________/______/________/________________

Blue Skies               Anticipatory             Impact    Response           Recovery

BLUE SKIES

BLUE SKIES = PREPARATION  = time to share information, make plans, gather resources

The FIRST step is always being informed and prepared for all types of emergencies.  This step is really a continuing process taking place during normal or “blue skies” period.  Preparedness makes the difference on how well you and your family fare in any emergency.  It also can lessen the destruction of residences during hurricanes. Some emergencies like local residential fires, earthquakes, explosions, even now active-shooter situations, have no advanced warning phases and all members of the community are advised to monitor and follow the specific directions of emergency notifications.

YOUR PREPARATION PLANNING – SUCCESS DEPENDS ON MULTI-LEVEL PLANNING

We are located in an area vulnerable to disasters and at a distance from any outside help.  Advanced multi-level planning can dramatically affect how we fare in disasters. 

You with your Family – identifies what steps to take, where to meet if separated, who to contact…

You with your Neighbors – how to check on & help each other, how to share resources, how to coordinate clean-up

 You with your Community –  join a team to assist in evacuation, do damage assessments & wellness checks… 

You with the designated specialized response hub – distribute food/water, provide 1^st aid/trauma support, provide information…

DETERMINE YOUR OWN AND OUR COMMUNITIES STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

HOW VULNERABLE AM I? 

Location: tsunami zone, lava zone , level with ocean or on crumbling cliffs, surrounded by large trees…
Structures:  main residence hurricane strapped, coverings for openings; additional buildings structural condition – greenhouse/shade house, workshops, storage/equipment sheds.
Personal/Family: health and medical needs, young and elderly family members who need assistance or have medical device needs
Pet and other Animal Needs
Amount of preparation done
Alternative housing option
Cash availability

  OUR COMMUNITY – STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES

Our Red Road Communities are small, connected to each other by one shoreline road, vulnerable to storm and tsunami damage.  We have no professional or volunteer fire/EMT department and police and other services are 15-20 minutes away by one of two access roads.  With long commuting distances to Hilo, the majority of residents are retired, requiring more medical services as they age.  We are also home to many vacation/second-home residences used sporadically or often rented.

Yet, with long travel distances, we are more self-sufficient, with many homes off-grid generating their own power through solar with generator back-up.  Growing food crops is an ever-increasing activity.  The SPACE facility has long been a center for learning and social gathering for all ages.

DECIDE, WHAT DO I NEED TO EITHER EVACUATE OR STAY-IN-PLACE? 

BECOME PART OF A COMMUNITY DISASTER TEAM 

Our community is dependent on neighbors caring for neighbors by volunteering to prepare, train, and respond to emergencies.  We will to recruit, train, organize and facilitate local community/neighborhood responses as well as organizing specialized response hub centered services for the Red Road community.  In emergencies, community team volunteers fulfill the critical role of “being-on-the ground” to provide assistance as outside 1^st responders are delayed by road closures or are overwhelmed responding to the needs of multiple communities. 
But it is critical to understand the first priority of all community volunteers is their own and their family’s wellbeing and no volunteer will be responsible for assisting in conditions that imperil their own safety.

Possible Local Community/Neighborhood Volunteer Opportunities :

Damage Assessment/Welfare Check –  Responsible for an initial damage assessment and welfare check.  [Civil Defense trained];

Evacuation –  Responsible for assisted evacuations;

Road Clearing  –Responsible conducting road assessments and clearing community roadways of obstructions such as fallen trees and other debris that prevent access from 1^st responders and for residents who are in need of emergency services or an escape route.  [chainsaw training advised]

Specialized Response Hub-Centered Volunteer Opportunities

Emergency Command Group – Overall responsibility for disaster response, simulation exercises and plan revisions

Search and Rescue – Conducts search, rescue and triage operations including initial medical treatment of victims at the scene. This should be limited to team member’s abilities and training.  [CERT members]

Medical – Primarily responsible for medical aid for injured and ill incident victims, maintaining a triage area, communicating with and assisting  1^st responders and the preparation of reports and records.  [CERT members and those trained in first aid]

Animal Rescue

Access Road Clearing – Responsible for clearing major access and the emergency-only access road

Traffic and Transportation – Responsible for traffic management and the ground transportation of personnel, supplies, and equipment as necessary

Distribution – Distributes supplies from local and outside sources

Communications – Maintains communications throughout an emergency, informs residents, facilitates resident contacts with out-of-area families, provides a charging station

Facility Maintenance/Security – Assures the facility is maintained in order and all are safe

Āina Care – Works to remove harm, rebuilds pre-existing capacities and build additional capacities for environmental stability

SPECIFIC TASKS

What should community members do?

Even when “skies are blue” make basic preparations:

• Assess vulnerability, make a personal/family plan, understand the collective capacities/vulnerabilities of close-by family, neighbors/friends. Help others understand how to stay safe and assist them in making emergency plans.
• Stay aware of possible disasters and changing conditions. Monitor the County of Hawai’i Hazard Impact Map (bit.ly/coh-hazards) and sign up for alerts (biy.ly/coh-alerts)
• Scan important documents, make a photo record of residence and contents…
• Prepare at least 1 go bag per person (another for car if commuting daily.)
• Prepare a pet go bag with ID, leashes, bowls, wipes; have carriers and crate train and socialize…
• Assess structural condition of residence and any additional buildings, make improvements, prepare storm coverings for residence openings, buy tie downs, covers, ropes, needed locks, make a plan to store outdoor furniture, trash cans…
• Get involved in projects that strengthen community resilience and readiness.
• Work with others to protect the ā

What will each local community hub do?

• Identify at-risk community members, assist with personal evacuation plans, assist in evacuations
• Distribute preparedness information
• Organize community volunteers

What will the Red Road Resilience network do?

The emphasis is on maintaining a culture of preparedness by:

• Offering leadership and volunteer training and opportunities through Vibrant Hawai’i and the hubs
• Maintaining a dedicated Resilience Website
• Providing Disaster Prevention talks and workshops
• Offering resource fairs and events
• Maintaining alternative evacuation and connectivity routes
• Promoting care and protection for the āina

What will the Emergency Command Group (ECG) do:

• Provide annual tabletop and community simulation (Exercise of the Plan)
• Collect feedback and modify the plan

Anticipatory Phase

______________/_______________/______/________/________________

Blue Sky Prep        Anticipatory             Impact    Response           Recovery

The following  addresses the anticipatory phase (when an event is expected) of three emergencies – hurricanes, tsunami, lava flow – that have impacted our community in the past and can be expected in the future and that each have offered a degree of advanced warning.

I. HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM WITH STRONG STORM SURGE AND PERSISTENT HEAVY RAINS POSSIBLE

Civil Defense will begin tracking and sending notifications in advance. We may have up to 5 days to prepare.  The storm category listing is an indication of wind velocity only.  Recent storms in the Atlantic seem to suggest climate changes result in strong storm surges and persistent heavy rains regardless of the wind velocity.  Storms coming from the south over our warmer waters may remain at strength or strengthen unless impacted by wind shear conditions.  Also check on a storm progress through Civil Defense notifications and Hawaii Tracker on Facebook.  Additionally, apps such as Zoom Earth can provide graphic information.

__!____________________!_________________!________________!_____________!________Impact
72 hours                                    48 hours                        36 hours                       24 hours              12 hours

What should community members do?

What will each community hub do?

What will the ECG at the specialized response hub do?

 II. TSUNAMI

Tsunamis, or seismic sea waves, are caused most frequently by earthquakes, but may be caused by submarine landslides or submarine volcanic eruptions.  They are more frequent in the Pacific Ocean because of the many large earthquakes along the ocean’s margins. A tsunami is a series of waves with crests arriving every 10-60 minutes.  The first wave may not be the largest and may continue over several hours.  A tsunami coming from the north could give us as little as 5 hours’ notice.  A tsunami coming from the south might provide 14 hours’ notice.  Some events, like earthquakes and local tsunamis, can happen without warning.

Know your vulnerability – Check the Tsunami Zone Map

What should community members do?

Local Earthquake: You may have only 15 -30 minutes.

• Leave the shoreline immediately if you feel an earthquake – even before a notification or siren warning.
• Do not go near the shoreline to watch the water start to recede.
• Head for the designated specialized hub (out of the tsunami zone)
• Only if handy, bring your go bag.
• ALWAYS WAIT FOR THE ALL-CLEAR NOTIFICATION BEFORE REENTERING THE TSUNAMI ZONE
• Exercise extreme caution near any damaged shoreline cliff face.

Distant Earthquake:  Civil Defense will continually provide information on the expected arrival time based on data from tsunami detection buoys.

• Do not ignore warnings or mandatory evacuation.
• Do not go near the shoreline to watch.
• If your home is in the tsunami zone, pack your vehicle with go bags, snacks/drinks and take your family and pets to the designated specialized hub
• If separated from family, notify them when you are in a safe place.
• If you are in the area but not in the tsunami zone, stay away from the shoreline and the Red Road which is in the zone
• ALWAYS WAIT FOR THE ALL-CLEAR NOTIFICATION BEFORE REENTERING THE TSUNAMI ZONE
• Exercise extreme caution near any damaged shoreline cliff face.

What will each local community hub do?

• Notify any community resident in a tsunami area of warning
• In the case of a local earthquake (little warning time), provide nearby parking/support
• Prevent “look-a-loo” traffic from entering the tsunami area.

What will the ECG at the designated specialized response hub do?

• Make the parking lot and bathrooms available to those waiting for the all-clear notification. Prepare for short-term “parking lot” facility assistance: communication, water, snacks, parking and pet control, restroom
• Coordinate with the local community hubs on controlling access control to tsunami areas.
• Notify residents not in tsunami zone to stay away from Red Road and tsunami areas.
• Make plans to coordinate local community hubs in doing damage assessment after all-clear
• Provide drinking water
• Convey Civil Defense information
• Arrange for those without phones to contact family.
• Provide situation reports to Civil Defense through the Survey 1-2-3 app

III. Lava Flow

The Red Road communities are all located below the East Rift.  All except an area in Kehena are in Lava Zone The most recent flow in 2018 underscored the continual threat of possible total destruction.  Even though our area was spared, we all faced significant air pollution, the possibility of all access roads, communication and power lost, and the stress of waiting.

Possible early warning signs:

• Frequency of small earthquakes
• Lava filling the caldera
• Signs magma is moving in the East Rift

What should community members do?

• Review emergency plans
• Continually monitor information
• Refill go-bags for each person and for pets
• Have pet crates and supplies ready
• Confirm alternative housing options
• Update copies of documents and recent photo files of the residence and contents
• Closely monitor family members with asthma or other breathing/medical problem
• Monitor and keep confined pets who may be stressed
• If possible, provide evacuation help for neighbors with elderly, young, or with medical issues.
• If inundation a strong possibility, plan removing to safety: immediate evacuation supplies, then items essential to living elsewhere, then items of personal and family importance
• Keep family and friends aware of your status and plans.

What will each local community hub do?

• Assist in the early evacuation of at-risk residents
• Provide orderly evacuation-traffic control
  

What will the ECG at the specialized response hub do?

• Continually provide accurate information
• Post air quality advisories

Impact/Onset Phase – a “hunker-down” period

______________/_______________/______/________/________________

Blue Sky Prep        Anticipatory             Impact    Response           Recovery

During this phase no hub/ 1^st responder activities will take place.

What should community members do?

Community members will remain in place until the onset period has ended.  If possible, call 911 with any serious medical injury.  Provide what info to give

What will each local community hub do?

Alert community teams of standby status

What will the ECG at the specialized response hub do?

The ECG will:

• Monitor notifications from Telegram Emergency Channel, Civil Defense and Hawai’i Tracker and as long as feasible, monitor and report relevant changes to on-the-ground conditions through Telegram Emergency Channel using the Survey 1-2-3 app for Situation Reports and Request for Information/Assistance As long as feasible, maintain communication with the community
• Alert hub-centered volunteers of standby status

Response Phase

______________/_______________/______/________/________________

Blue Sky Prep        Anticipatory             Impact    Response           Recovery

For all three types of disasters the Response Phase begins when the local  community hubs and the ECG decide it is safe to proceed.  [For hurricanes and tropical storms this phase begins when winds fall below 39 mph.} This is the period where community members assess and address their immediate needs and where the ECG assesses damage, decides whether to open the facility for disaster response and to organize to meet the needs the Red Road community. Emphasis will be placed on:

1. Communication: Keeping everyone informed with timely updates.
2. Evacuation: Helping people and animals in leaving dangerous areas, especially those who need extra time or help.
3. Damage Assessment: Checking for hazards and damage to aid in rescue efforts.
4. Search and Rescue Support: Working with emergency teams to locate and assist people who are in danger.
5. Community Safety: Preventing and reporting looting, securing critical locations, and controlling traffic.
6. Debris Removal: Clearing blocked roads to ensure emergency access and safe movement.
7. Basic Needs Support: Providing food, water, medical care, and shelter to those affected.

What should community members do?

• Immediately call 911 for any critical medical situation or search and rescue needs
• Wait for the all-clear notification before taking any action
• Evacuate if there is major structural damage
• Tend to personal and family needs first
• If possible, notify volunteer team leader of availability

What will each local community hub do?

• Deploy community damage assessment/wellness check team in community
• Coordinate with the ECG to provide an initial community damage assessment including where people are injured or need assistance, areas where people are displaced or lost their homes , any crime or safety concerns, status of any community services, any injuries or fatalities among volunteers.
• Assist in post-impact evacuations
• Provide community road clearing and traffic control
• Establish a community watch drive-by routine for evacuated residence

What will the ECG at the specialized response hub do?

The following is an overview intended for community members.  Disaster management details are located in Parts 2 and 3

Recovery

______________/_______________/______/________/________________

Blue Sky Prep        Anticipatory             Impact    Response           Recovery

A disaster is a traumatic event for each individual, for the community and for the āina. It can be likened to a long winding road, full of potholes, curves and detours with no end in sight.  The specialized response hubs and community hubs can play a crucial role in assisting individuals, rebuilding a resilient community and addressing impacts on the āina.

What can community members do?

• Use the recovery phase to “build back better”, incorporating more sustainable and rain and wind-resistant features.
• Re-construct residence landscapes to prune or remove large trees close to the residence, build in micro-climate areas, plant in patterns to conserve water during dry times and mange runoff during wet times, incorporate more food crops and substitute native plants for invasives.
• Continue to engage in sharing networks and community events.
• Share suggestions and lessons learned with the Red Road Resilience Network .
• Participate in projects that address the recovery needs of the āina

What will each local community hub do?

• Keep in touch with residents who have been displaced
• Maintain surveillance of empty residence to prevent looting and destruction
• Share suggestions and lessons learned with other local and specialized response hubs and the Red Road Resilience Network.
• Organize and support community resilience projects

What will the  resilience hubs do?

• Note and celebrate the contributions of volunteers
• Share lessons learned with Vibrant Hawai’i and its network of resilience hubs
• Continue to meet the individual needs of community members through services and referrals.
• Provide a healing space and activities.
• Host community gatherings to formulate recovery plans.
• Facilitate the work of action groups to carry out community-agreed plans
• Organize ceremonies and work days to restore the āina
• Manage outside volunteers and donations.
• Advocate for recovery funding
• Encourage community projects.