Wildfires: Hawaii's Overlooked Threat

The vast majority of food and vital goods arrive in Hawaiʻi via cargo ship. The big ships dock in Honolulu Harbor where Young Brothers Shipping then distributes their cargo to ports around the state. A "just-in-time" delivery model means that most shipments go directly from a ship to store shelves, rather than a warehouse. Young Brothers knows how vulnerable island communities are to a disruption of its services and is constantly on alert for the next disaster.

What happens to patients in dialysis centers when there isn't water or power, and they can't stay open? How do patients get their medicines if pharmacies are closed? What about our stockpile of medical supplies? Those scenarios and more were posed to Chris Crabtree, Director of Hawaiʻi Healthcare Emergency Management as part of The Conversation's ongoing look at Hawaiʻi's vulnerability and resiliency during a disaster.

Hawaiʻi needs to import 3,000 tons of food per day to keep grocery store shelves stocked around the state. All of those goods come into one place: the Port of Honolulu. If damaged, it could take weeks to reopen the harbor after a disaster event. That could leave Hawaiʻi residents in big trouble.

Hawaiʻi's position as the most remote population center in the world leaves the islands uniquely vulnerable to a disaster. This week, The Conversation explores the vulnerability of Hawaiʻi's people and infrastructure. The first installment of the five-part series takes a look at the electrical grid - where 60% of power plants lie in an inundation zone.