HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City and County of Honolulu updated the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2025, which was recently approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The plan helps the city prepare for natural and manmade disasters like hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tsunamis. The plan is updated every five years and is required for the city to receive federal money for safety projects.
The Department of Emergency Management worked on this plan for 18 months. They teamed up with city departments and local organizations to figure out what dangers Oʻahu might face. They also created ways to reduce the harm from these hazards.
“Like so many of our most complicated issues on Oʻahu, hazard mitigation is a collective effort,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We cannot overprepare; and consequently, we need to tackle as many of these issues as we can before now, before a disaster strikes, so that we can protect our residents and our beloved island home. Mahalo to all the City staff and partners who provided valuable insight and support throughout this process.”
Hazard mitigation means taking action now to reduce or prevent damage from future disasters. The 2025 update improved the way the city ranks the biggest risks and made a plan to deal with all possible dangers, not just the top few.
The new plan also matches the style of the State of Hawaiʻi’s plan, so city and state leaders can work better together. It includes a list of risks and a clear strategy for how to prepare for each one.
“Disasters are certain. Their devastation is not,” said Emergency Management Director Randy Collins. “If we fail to act now, we will pay in lives, livelihoods, quality of life, and history’s judgment.”
A virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 7 at 6:30 p.m. People can read the plan and share their thoughts by clicking here.
As Don Murphy told KHON2.com after the recent tsunami warning: “This situation made it clear that we are not invisible to these kinds of disasters.”