Tsunami and the Prairie Boy

I was recently visiting with a friend who happened to be in Hawaii during the tsunami warnings after the earthquake in Chile.

Being that we are both landlocked prairie boys the idea of a tsunami is exotic and frightening at the same time. So when my friend and his wife were woken by sirens in Waikiki that morning they were more than a little concerned. I don’t know about you but like most prairie boys, that was my friend’s first tsunami warning and he didn’t know what to expect. Being from the Red River Valley, our water emergencies are generally slow moving and predictable floods that we spend weeks and months predicting. The image of a tsunami for a flatlander was a vision of a fast moving wall of water due to arrive at any minute.

Turing on the TV, my friends was immediately comforted by the well prepared and informative public information being broadcast on the local channels. The hotel staff was well prepared and gave detailed instructions on the tsunami plan for the hotel guests. It appeared that every detail was taken care of including designated evacuation routes and locations identified on high ground . This was supported by regular updates on the preparations and status to the public through the media.

We know now that the tsunami had little impact in Hawaii, but in the moment I can tell you my friend was comforted by the scale of the preparations and the professional attitude of the islanders. So well done to the Emergency Managers of Hawaii and all those who worked so hard to be ready in case!