Hawaiʻi lawmakers could require the state to do more public outreach on how to prepare for major disasters.
About 12% of Hawaiʻi households have a two-week supply of food, water and medicine — the emergency supply recommended by the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, or HI-EMA.
That supply is meant to sustain residents during natural disasters like floods and hurricanes, but also for situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chain issues cut off imported food to Hawaiʻi.
A bill going through the Legislature would require HI-EMA to do more public outreach on having the appropriate supplies for emergencies. It would also require that outreach be done in multiple languages.
The bill passed its first hearing in the House on Friday.
