MEDIA RELEASE

A technician displays a Civil Defense siren cable which was cut in Kealakehe. Hawaii County photo.

Hawaii County Civil Defense officials have reported that the Kealakehe tsunami alert siren was vandalized sometime following the March 2 test of the siren.

Personnel at nearby Kealakehe Elementary School noticed that a cable to the siren had been cut and reported it to Civil Defense officials on March 13.

“Such actions cripple our ability to transmit emergency notifications,” said County Civil Defense Administrator Quince Mento.

County radio technicians are expected to have the siren operating again in time for the monthly test of the Civil Defense warning system on April 1. About 40 feet of cable worth approximately $150 needs to be replaced using a bucket truck, a driver and two radio technicians.

A police report was filed and anyone with information about the vandalism is encouraged to report it to Hawaii County police. Anyone wishing to report information anonymously may do so through West Hawaii Crime Stoppers. Call 329-8181.