71
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM
Mayor Kirk Caldwell held a press conference on Friday regarding preparation Tropical Storm Darby.
Update 2:30 p.m.
The City suspended evacuation shuttle service to the seven Red Cross evacuation shelters.
The shelters will remain open until further notice.
Regular bus services are still in effect and will provide return service when the shelters close.
Update Sunday 6:35 a.m.
The city is offering free shuttles to seven evacuation centers across Oahu today, starting at 7 a.m. when the shelters open.
Anyone in need of shelter should look for TheBus and TheHandi-Van vehicles with “EVACUATION” signs. Passengers can board the vans and buses anywhere the route, city officials said this morning. Pets are welcome but must be on leash or in a crate or carrier, they said.
The seven shelters are: Waialua, Wahiawa, Waianae and Waimanalo District Parks; Ewa Beach Community Park; McKinley High School gym; and Brigham Young University Hawaii in Laie. Here is the list shuttle service routes:
>> Waialua District Park: From Waialua District Park with turnaround near Camp Erdman.
>> Sea Life Park-Waimanalo District Park: From Sea Life Park to Waimanalo District Park and back.
>> McKinley High-Kapahulu, Ala Moana, Kakaako: From McKinley High School to Kakaako Waterfront Park parking lot, Ala Moana Boulevard opposite Ala Moana Shopping Center Stop ID 1102 and the recycling center on Kapahulu Ave. opposite Campbell Ave. Stop ID 4016.
>> Wahiawa District Park: Along Kilani, Glen Ave, Glen St., Royal Palm Dr., Kamehameha Highway, Whitmore Ave., Nani Ihi Ave., Kaukonahua Rd., Kamananui Rd., Wilikina Ave., California Ave. and Anoni.
>> Ewa Beach Community Park: Along North, Rd., Fort Weaver Rd., Papipi Rd., Pohakupuna Rd., Fort Weaver Rd., and Kilaha St.
>> Waianae District Park-Makaha: Along Farrington Highway turn around fronting Makua cave back onto Farrington, to Kahe Beach Park turnaround near beach park back to Waianae District Park.
>> Brigham Young University- Cannon Activity Center: Between Waimea Beach Park and Kualoa Regional Park.
City officials said that when the shelters close, TheBus and TheHandi-Van will provide return service along the same routes.
Update Saturday 6 p.m.
The city and the American Red Cross are opening seven shelters for people who need to get out of the rain and winds Sunday, and is urging others to stay indoors.
The city is closing Hanauma Bay Sunday because of high surf. But other city parks and golf courses will remain open.
A city hotline — 768-2389 — is open for people seeking information on shelter and city services.
The seven shelters are: Waialua, Wahiawa, Waianae and Waimanalo District Parks; Ewa Beach Community Park; McKinley High School gym; and Brigham Young University Hawaii in Laie.
The shelters will open at 7 a.m. and TheBus will provide shuttle service for those who need transportation.
People seeking shelter should bring their own food, water and bedding. Pets can be taken to the shelter but animals should be on a leash or in secure containers.
Jun Yang, the director of the city’s Office of Housing said outreach teams have been talking with homeless in parks and beach areas about the coming storm and letting them know shelters are available.
People who don’t need be in an evacuation center should stay home, off of roads and highways and out of the weather, city officials said at a news conference today.
“Read a good book, play Monopoly,” Mayor Kirk Caldwell said. “Please, please don’t go into the mountains. Please don’t go in the water. … Don’t endanger our first responders.”
Caldwell said an emergency proclamation for Oahu is prepared and ready to be signed, but he is not signing it unless the storm causes significant damage.
Previous coverage:
City personnel are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Darby as it approaches the state but Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Friday afternoon that no decision will be made to call a state of emergency for Oahu until Saturday, likely between 5:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The Oahu Emergency Operations Center will not officially open or go into full staffing until then, Caldwell said during a press conference at the Department of Emergency Management operations office.
>> Tropical Storm Darby Nears Big Island
>> Darby closing in
>> 2 tropical storms could become hurricanes in East Pacific
>> What you need to know to prepare for a storm
>> City officials keep a wary eye on Darby
Oahu is currently under a tropical storm warning.
Oahu residents are expected to feel the worst effects from Darby starting Saturday night or early Sunday, city Emergency Management Director Melvin Kaku said. Wind gusts of between 40 and 45 mph are anticipated. High surf is expected through Tuesday.
Police, fire and emergency medical personnel are on standby through the storm but no extra people are scheduled to come in immediately, city officials said. Meanwhile, city buses will operate on a regular Saturday schedule and all city parks will remain open. Saturday trash pickup will operate as scheduled.
Jun Yang, the city’s homeless services coordinator, said social service workers have been scouring beaches, shorelines and the edges of other waterways across the island urging people to stay away from areas prone to flooding. A decision on whether to open shelters for the homeless will also be made sometime Saturday.
The Mango Jam that began Friday on the grounds of the Honolulu Civic Center is expected to stay open through Saturday. Sunday’s Tin Man Triathlon has been postponed indefinitely. The Kaimuki High School carnival was to open this evening, but not run this Saturday and Sunday.
City work crews have been cleaning city waterways throughout the week, city Facility Management Director Ross Sasamura said. Friday’s efforts were focused on the Windward side of the island, including Kaelepulu Stream that flows through Enchanted Lake and Kailua Beach Park.
Oahu residents are urged to sign up with the Nixle program to receive immediate reports from the Department of Emergency Management either via text message or email. To register, go to www.nixle.com/dem.
No matter what, please protect the rail project.
Interestingly the Las Vegas mini-rail was shut down during my stay. Too windy. Angry that they didn’t put up any signs explaining what happened or put any personnel around to tell us. Couldn’t get a refund because nobody answered their phones. Wrote to my credit card company with receipts of the rail stub and bus stubs I bought to get back to my hotel. Now I want to ask, “Can the rail withstand hurricane force winds or will people be stranded?” Should think about tunnel rails for Hawaii Kai. Will avoid traffic rerouting messes experienced during the widening projects. Need to create a feeder system of jeepneys and motorcycle taxis at current bus stops to get to the HKR stations near all shopping centers in order to avoid ever expanding unsightly parking lots with multiple floors. Not a major project like the Chunnel. Just to Alamoana Shopping Center. Don’t say NO. With the increasingly irritating increasing travel times on Kalanianaole and HI freeway rail is a good ideal. Will never forget my first ride on the Long Island Express into NYC watching the enormous traffic jams flying by back in 1970.
Thoughtful comment. Problem with tunnels lies in the geology of west Oahu. The shoreline along Maunalua Bay is mostly ancient coral reef. It is now elevated 30-50 feet AMSL. The rock itself is very porous. (imagine ocean levels rising also) It doesn’t lend itself to cost-effective tunneling. It would be nice if much of the rail route could be underground but the geology of the west side doesn’t really allow it and (you think it’s expensive now?) the costs would be astronomical.
The mayor would like no sewer in the ocean this time because of elections. Making sure his inept group doesnt mess up this time?
The appearance last night on TV of Caldwell was ridiculous useless posturing. No threat, nothing , but plenty of free air time to show his face and acting as if he was in control of a non-existing threat..
Glad CAYETANO lost. He could not keep up running this city. Best to save kupuna’s years with family and being safe.
BYU-Hawaii Cannon Activities Center in Laie on the North Shore of Oahu is the best place to shelter…..they use the 3 indoor racquetball courts to house pets and never run out of room…..they even let a horse, a cow and a pig shelter one time………..their dance studio is to die for and the Old Gym next door to the CAC is OK too since the byuh students are told to stay in their brand new 3 storied dorms.
most byuh students are gone due to Summer Break til August 1st.
Just prepare for the proselytizing by the Missionaries.
“City opening emergency shelters, urges residents with homes to stay there”
Stay where again? Their homes? The emergency centers? C’mon, you can try a little harder than that. You didn’t pay all that money to go to J-school to crank out sloppy headlines like this.
With a name like Darby, there shouldn’t be any problems.
Please shuttle those dirty, smelly mainland transplants (who sleep across the street from the downtown post office) back to the mainland.
City offers free shuttles to 7 emergency shelters across Oahu
Uh, why?
Evacuate? Really? for some drizzle.
Did Da Bus shuttle drivers get double overtime since it was on Sunday?….they were worth every penny…
Caldwell only used the non-existing “storm” to get free air time on TV and pluster himself up..
SA should proof read the caption under the photo. SA has more spelling and grammatical errors than any paper I read.