Emergency preparedness, simplified

By Ian Brizdle | June 9, 2020

We could see two to six tropical cyclones during the 2020 hurricane season, which runs from the beginning of June through the end of November. As a first responder, it’s important for me to make sure that my family members are prepared to weather a storm since I may need to leave them during an emergency and report to work. At Hawaiian Electric safety is always top priority, and we provide a wealth of FREE information to help you and your family also prepare for the worst — including the newest tool in the toolkit, our Emergency Preparedness Quick Tips & Checklist.

How many people were like me and went to the store during the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown and found that essential items they needed were no longer available? And then we panic-bought a bunch of food that we still haven’t eaten? Planning ahead for a virus pandemic is unique and unexpected, but hurricane season comes every year as predicted — and we need to be ready for it.

You may already be familiar with Hawaiian Electric’s Handbook for Emergency Preparedness — a comprehensive (72 pages) resource that we have translated into Vietnamese, Cantonese, Ilocano and Korean, as well as a version for keiki (Maka the Safety Superhero). This booklet includes all the essential information about emergencies — preparation, electrical safety, food and water safety, and contact information to help you prepare to successfully weather a bad storm.

Simplified, pocket-sized & printable

I’m used to getting my information quickly and I honestly don’t have the attention span to sit down and sort through it all. I need a borderline-Millennial, Twitter speed, digital age version…

Our new Emergency Preparedness Quick Tips & Checklist is a boiled-down version of our larger handbook that takes all of that good information and breaks it down into smaller, more easily-digestible bites (eight pages). In digital format, it is designed to be easily viewed on mobile devices or printed out on your home or work printer using only four pages (front and back).

The Emergency Preparedness Quick Tips & Checklist includes:

• Electrical Safety Tips
• Steps to Restore Power Safely
• Planning & Preparation Checklist
• Evacuation & First Aid Checklist
• Food & Water Tips
• Food Recommendations
• Emergency Communication Plan

The checklists, recommendations and communications plan pages are designed for you to write down important information and check off items as you go to assist you with your emergency kit shopping and tracking your preparedness progress. No more regrettable last-second panic purchases!

Ian Brizdle is a manager of web and digital communications at Hawaiian Electric Company.