Tomorrow morning, schools and residents in Keaukaha will take part in an evacuation exercise to strengthen resilience in the tsunami-vulnerable area adjacent to Hilo International Airport.
The exercise, which begins at 9am, will start with students from participating schools following their prepared evacuation plans as far as the airport gates at Andrews, Baker and Pua avenues. Additionally, the County of Hawaiʻi will open the Leleiwi Evacuation Route from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. so residents can practice driving the route.
During evacuations for the July 29 tsunami warning, area residents used gates at the airport perimeter to cross the runway. For this exercise, the perimeter gates will remain shut and people will not enter the airport grounds.
For the Leleiwi Evacuation Route practice, County personnel will open the gates along Nene Street to allow residents to drive on and familiarize themselves with the evacuation route, which takes them away from the shore.
County personnel also will open the gates to access Kapili Avenue to allow Keaukaha residents to access the evacuation route.
The following schools will participate in the exercise:
- Keaukaha Elementary School
- Kamehameha Schools Preschool – Keaukaha
- Ke Ana La’ahana Public Charter School
- Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo Public Charter School – Kai Koholā
- Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo Public Charter School – Pa Hoaka
Photo credit: Office of Mayor Kimo Alameda
