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Free preparedness guidebook available for boaters

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In Hawaii, being the only island state completely surrounded by water and 2,500 miles from the nearest continental landmass, residents are keenly aware of the potential for widespread destruction caused by severe coastal storms.

Ideally, we have prepared our homes and have our emergency preparedness kits ready. As a boat owner, do you know where to turn for up-to-date information on how to protect yourself and your vessel when a severe storm threatens?

The Hawaii Boater’s Hurricane and Tsunami Safety Manual is now available and provides this valuable information in a comprehensive, easy-to-read format.

It was developed as a public service by the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program and Hawaii State Civil Defense, in cooperation with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

The guidebook provides a summary of the actions boaters and other members of Hawaii’s marine community can take before, during, and after a hurricane or tsunami.

It includes information on the dangers associated with hurricanes and tsunamis, provides guidelines to develop a personal preparedness plan, includes emergency assistance information such as important phone numbers, radio frequencies, and hurricane evacuation shelter locations, and much more.

Dennis Hwang, UH Sea Grant Coastal Hazard Mitigation Specialist, said, “From past hurricanes from Iniki to Sandy, and from recent tsunami events in Hawaii, Chile, and Japan, we know that boats and marinas are extremely vulnerable to inundation damage. It is essential that boaters have a plan for a hurricane, when the emphasis is on preparing the boat for high waves and wind, and a tsunami, when the plan is generally to move the boat to waters deeper than 300 feet. The manual provides vital tips to prepare boats before a watch and warning so that damage can be avoided and risk to life reduced.”

“The entire boating community will greatly benefit from this updated publication and we greatly appreciate the efforts of many partners who collaborated on the project” said William J. Aila, Jr., DLNR chairman. “DLNR encourages everyone who has a vessel moored in a harbor, or trailered and stored at home or elsewhere, to read this manual cover to cover and take steps to increase their state of readiness for such emergencies.”

The Hawaii Boater’s Hurricane and Tsunami Safety Manual is available at the DOBOR administrative office in Honolulu, 333 Queen Street, Suite 300 as well as at DOBOR district and harbor offices statewide and all private marinas.

A listing of DOBOR harbor facilities is accessible at: http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dbor/borfacilities.htm

A digital version of the manual is available at: http://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/publications

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