Kauai updates refuge list as hurricane season begins June 1

Kauai Emergency Management Agency updated its Potential Refuge Area List on May 27, giving residents and visitors a fresh place to check before hurricane season begins June 1. The county says the list is a planning tool, not a shelter opening announcement, and KEMA Administrator Elton Ushio is urging families to know their options now and talk them through with their ohana before an emergency forces a fast decision.

The updated list is scheduled to be available online beginning May 28. County officials say people without internet access can contact KEMA directly so their phone number and other important information can be added to the Everbridge notification database, which the county may use when refuge areas are activated. KEMA also says it will issue media releases and update the County website, including the Refuge Area Status Page, when a site is actually opened.

The county is stressing that refuge areas are a last resort. Guidance says sheltering in place can be the better choice, especially in newer or hardened construction outside flood and storm-surge zones. Some locations are marked with an asterisk as BARA+ sites, short for Best Available Refuge Area assessments, meaning they were evaluated as places that may offer increased protection during high-wind events. Even so, KEMA says most refuge areas were not originally designed to meet hurricane shelter standards.

The list includes public and private sites across the island, among them Central Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Kauai Community College, Kauai High School, Kauai Humane Society for pets only, Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall, Kapaa High School, Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Kalaheo Neighborhood Center/Gym, and Waimea High School. County policy also allows additional facilities to be activated depending on the incident and operational needs, including hurricanes, tsunamis, flash flooding, wildfires, hazardous materials incidents, and other emergencies.

The timing matters. NOAA’s May 21 outlook called for a 70 percent chance of an above-normal Central Pacific hurricane season, with 5 to 13 named storms expected from June 1 through Nov. 30. A normal season typically brings four to five named storms. NOAA said the outlook is being shaped largely by an impending El Niño it described as almost guaranteed to develop and likely to be strong, and it compared the forecast to 2015, when the Central Pacific saw record-breaking tropical cyclone activity.

County preparedness guidance says every household should keep a 14-day supply of non-perishable food and water, along with a battery radio, flashlights, extra medicine, important documents in a waterproof container, cash, and supplies for keiki, kūpuna, pets, and people with access and functional needs. Designated refuge areas generally accept household pets, but owners must bring food, water, and cages, and pets may be housed separately for safety and sanitization. The county also says refuge areas do not provide personal caregivers, medical staff, or specialized support.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center says a Hurricane or Tropical Storm Watch means winds are possible within 48 hours, while a Warning means they are expected within 36 hours. For Kauai residents in coastal, flood-prone, or otherwise vulnerable areas, that leaves little time once a system is approaching.