HR: 1330h
AN: OS22B-1163    [PDF]
TI: Public Awareness of a Long-Established Siren-Based Warning System for Tsunami in the Hawaiian Islands
AU: * Gregg, C
EM: cgregg@soest.hawaii.edu
AF: University of Hawai`i, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Honolulu, HI 96822 United States
AU: Houghton, B
EM: bhought@soest.hawaii.edu
AF: University of Hawai`i, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Honolulu, HI 96822 United States
AU: Paton, D
EM: Douglas.Paton@utas.edu.au
AF: University of Tasmania, Department of Psychology, Launceston, TAS 000 Australia
AU: Johnston, D
EM: D.Johnston@gns.cri.nz
AF: Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Gracefield Research Centre, Lower Hutt, 000 New Zealand
AB: Tsunami represent one of the greatest threats in the Hawaiian Islands because much of the built environment is located in the coastal areas and has been constructed after the last statewide damaging tsunami (1960). Moreover, the threat posed by short warning times of locally generated tsunami suggests an urgent need for a well briefed and prepared society. The Federal Emergency Alert System (EAS) is employed to communicate emergency information to the Hawaiian population (1.2 million residents; 6.4 million annual visitors). A network of sirens located throughout the islands supplements the EAS. These sirens have been used since the mid 20th Century to provide emergency information to islanders. The siren is currently defined as an "Attention Alert Signal" i.e. is intended to prompt people to listen to the radio or television for specific information. The sirens are tested monthly. Since the inception of the sirens there have been a range of tones and number of soundings used to indicate various threats and prompt specific public responses. However, the impact of these changes on interpretation of the sirens has received little attention (Lachman et al. 1961). The long time during which the warning system has been in place and the routine tests of the sirens would suggest that the population in Hawaii is largely aware of the siren. We present data from four Hawaiian Islands showing the relationship between awareness of the routine tests and interpretations of the sirens. We link this to findings from a tsunami preparedness study in Hilo, Hawaii.
DE: 4564 Tsunamis and storm surges
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting