Helping my grandparents prepare for emergencies

by Emily Miyashiro | Sept. 5, 2025

Grandparents’ day isn’t just a day to honor and spend time with our grandparents. It’s also the perfect opportunity to give them something meaningful, like peace of mind during an emergency.

The recent tsunami warning in July serves as a good reminder that emergencies can happen suddenly, and every member of your household should be prepared. Living in a multi-generational home, I was worried if my grandparents were prepared to shelter in place during the recent tsunami warning. Fortunately, the tsunami did not severely affect Hawaii, but it was a wake-up call that I should help them prepare for an emergency sooner rather than later. That’s why I’ve decided to help my grandparents prepare as my gift to them for Grandparents’ Day this year.

To help my grandparents prepare, I used Hawaiian Electric’s Handbook for Emergency Preparedness. The handbook offers useful tips and information to help you get ready for various emergency situations. Here are three ways I helped them prepare.

1. Build a Home Survival Kit:

When I sat down with my grandparents to help them prepare a home survival kit, I was surprised to learn that they already had a 14-day supply of food and water. My grandmother explained to me that she replaces the expired food in her pantry with new non-perishable food every year. Her favorites include spam and black beans!

However, I noticed they were missing essential items like a hand crank radio and first-aid kit. To complete their kit, we used the checklist on page 8 of the Handbook for Emergency Preparedness.

In addition to a 14-day supply of food and water for each person, a home survival kit should include the following items:

• Portable radio
• Chemical light sticks or flashlights and lanterns
• Extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Hygiene products
• Cellular phone with back up
• Matches or lighter in a waterproof container
• Butane, propane, or canned heat stove with enough fuel to last 14 days
• Whistle
• Trash bags
• Basic tools and duct tape
• Paper napkins and towels
• Aluminum foil
• Extra cash in small bills
• Plastic resealable storage bags
• Mosquito repellent

2. Create a communication plan:

Using the template on page 6 of the Handbook for Emergency Preparedness, we created a communication plan. Having a communication plan can help members of your household reconnect after an emergency. A communication plan should include:

• Personal information (Name, phone number, email)
• Local emergency family contact
• Out-of-state contact

For my grandparents, we listed one of my aunts on Oahu as their local contact. We also made sure to add my other aunt who lives in Las Vegas as the out-of-state contact. It’s important to have an out-of-state contact because if a major emergency were to impact Hawaii, local contacts might also be affected by the same emergency. Having an out-of-state contact ensures someone is available to check-in and help coordinate recovery efforts.

3. Make an accessible evacuation plan:

Page 7 of the Handbook for Emergency Preparedness provides a template and things to be mindful of when creating an evacuation plan. An evacuation plan should include:

• A neighborhood meeting location
• An out-of-neighborhood meeting location

For my grandparents, we chose the local elementary school as their neighborhood meeting location and my great-aunt’s house in Manoa Valley as their out-of-neighborhood meeting location.

When creating an evacuation plan, it’s important to be mindful of your household’s needs. Since my grandfather is 100% legally blind and both grandparents have trouble walking long distances, we made sure to choose a safe and accessible meeting location that is close to our home. Having a clear evacuation plan ensures everyone is on the same page and that my grandparents can get out of the house safely and efficiently.

If you haven’t already prepared a gift for grandparents’ day, consider helping them prepare for emergencies! It’s one of the best gifts you can give, and you’ll get to spend quality time with them. Remember, emergencies can happen suddenly, and when disaster strikes, you’ll be glad your grandparents are prepared!

Emily Miyashiro is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric.