A history of Hawaii’s sirens and the difference it could have made against Maui fires

Hawaii’s siren warning system, not activated ahead of recent deadly wildfires in Maui, could have potentially saved more lives.

The backdrop: Maui’s 80 green siren towers function as alert systems for the residents in times of danger, blasting a clear three-minute tone.
* However, during last week’s historic fires that have killed at least 93 people so far, these sirens were silent and residents claim they didn’t receive any alerts on the first day of the fires.

The historic role of sirens in Hawaii: Hawaii’s first sirens dated back to 1940 primarily for military use, and only after a deadly tsunami in 1946, were they realized to be effective for natural disaster warnings.
* Over the years, information about different siren sounds and associated threats were published in local telephone books.
* In 1960, a single tone linked to all natural disasters was introduced to grab people’s attention.

Limitations of the siren systems: Experts have pointed out that sirens can only do so much and can’t be the sole means to warn the public.
* Depending on the speed of the disaster, public response time might be limited, and there may be confusion about proper responses to the siren.

The need for a multi-tiered warning system: Although sirens offer limited information, they can potentially reach people who haven’t been alerted yet.
* Some residents reportedly didn’t receive any alerts before the wildfires due to poor service or lack of cable TV.
* Sarah DeYoung, a professor at the University of Delaware who studies disaster preparedness, argues for a multi-tiered warning system, stating that it is better to give more information than not enough.

View original article on NPR

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