Residents heed warnings to prepare for hurricanes

Despite several near misses this hurricane season, Hawaii residents are still preparing as two hurricanes approach the state.

"I think people can’t let their guard down," said Eric Thompson, 28, of Wailupe. "I’m always scrambling to make sure the house is watertight. The last session of heavy rain was a good opportunity to prepare for something larger."

The National Weather Service was expected to possibly issue a watch for Hurricane Ignacio on Friday night or early Saturday. At 5 p.m. Friday, Ignacio was 770 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving northwest at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph, which could strengthen to 104 mph by Saturday afternoon, then begin to weaken Sunday.

By late Sunday conditions along Hawaii island’s east-facing shoreline could yield large waves. Ignacio’s current track could place it near the island by 2 p.m. Monday.

Jimena, which is in the Eastern Pacific about 2,100 miles east-southeast of Hawaii island, is expected to strengthen by Saturday to a Category 5 storm with minimum winds of 156 mph. After two days it will likely weaken, and could approach the state by Friday.

Thompson, who bought a house in July that’s 100 yards from the ocean and 6 feet above sea level, is bracing for possible storm surge.

Carlos Martinez, assistant manager at City Mill, said business at the Iwilei store was busier than usual, with buyers picking up sand and sandbags, lanterns, tarps, propane stoves, batteries, duct tape and generators.

"They’re more concerned after the (recent) storms," he said. "Yesterday and today they’re coming in, especially for the sandbags."

One woman bought several sandbags and sand for a downtown office building she manages. An employee of the Queen’s Medical Center picked up a van full of plywood to board up windows at the hospital in preparation for hurricane-strength winds.

At Costco, Josh Vaoalii, 38, of Salt Lake was stocking up on bottled water, canned goods, flashlights, batteries, lanterns and toilet paper.

"I grew up in Samoa and I lived through three hurricanes," he said. "The best thing is to be prepared. … Water was out for a week. We didn’t have electricity for 10 days, and everything was leveled."

"The infrastructure at home is not up to par, but with all the sewage spills with just storms, I’m worried what the hurricanes will bring to our islands," he said.

Vaoalii said the constant weather coverage on TV has had an effect on his 6-year-old son.

"He’s actually scared," he said. "His mom called me: ‘I think he’s having anxiety.’ I told her to turn it (the TV news) off."

Sopha Naumann, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, "Our church always tells us to prepare."

The 54-year-old Liliha woman said it’s important to rotate out the old food when putting the new food in. She recommends powdered milk, dried food such as nuts, which might keep longer than canned food, and bottled spaghetti sauce and dried pasta.

Patrick Among, 54, refilled his propane tanks at City Mill for his stoves but was otherwise prepared.

"I’m a retired fireman, so I know," he said. "I’m not going to wait."

During Hurricane Iniki, a category 4 hurricane that made landfall on Kauai, Among’s said his Surinam cherry tree fell on his Kahaluu house.

His house now is made of hollow tile, with thick, hurricane-strength glass windows.

A City Mill salesclerk recommended treated plywood, which warps less, and metal mending plates with sharp teeth that would allow a homeowner to attach the plywood into wooden house walls without nails or screws and could easily be pried off to remove. For concrete walls he recommends using concrete screws with metal tie plates.

Aiea resident Gil Pascual, 47, who was picking up propane tanks at Home Depot, said, "We’re ready already. We got enough food, canned goods juice and water for two to three weeks. I think everything else is secure. I got anchors for my storage."

But not everyone was preparing for the storm.

Nathan and Jenny Toler, who own Ohana Yurts on the North Shore, aren’t worried.

"The yurts hold up better than our house did," Jenny Toler, 30, said. "Half of our roof blew off, but the yurts held up extremely well in the past five years. We live on a farm. We grow our own food" and have a water catchment system.

Filling up the bathtub with water is probably all they’ll do, Toler said, and recommends, "Stick a couple buckets outside and catch some water."

Ricky Larsen, 31, who moved three months ago to Waikiki from Washington state, said, "I’m actually excited to see the weather. I like weather. The aftermath isn’t so good."

"I woke up at 3 a.m. to see the rain and lightning," he said. "I’ve never seen a hurricane."