Department of Transportation

HILO – The Hilo International Airport, in cooperation with Hawaii County Civil Defense, will be participating in the annual Keaukaha Community Tsunami Evacuation Exercise on Monday, November 3. The realistic exercise will commence at 11:45 a.m. with the regularly-scheduled, monthly test of Hawaii County Civil Defense warning sirens. Approximately 800 to 900 students and volunteers from Keaukana District Schools will then simulate a mass evacuation, entering the airport property through perimeter access gates. Evacuees will then be escorted across the main runway to the main terminals and board Hawaii County mass transit buses for a simulated evacuation inland. The exercise will test and evaluate response times in a stress environment.

The multi-agency exercise will include Hawaii County Civil Defense, Hawaii County Mass Transit, the Transportation Security Administration, Hawaiian Airlines, Securitas, the Harbors Division and students and volunteers from Kauakana District Schools, including Keaukaka Elementary School, Ka Umeke Kaeo Public Charter School, Ke Ana La`ahana Public Charter School and Kamehameha Schools.

Flight operations will continue as normal during the exercise.