Big Island Resource Guide: Keiki IDs, Kūpuna Services, Water Alerts

Free keiki ID events, kūpuna outreach meetings and a steady stream of county water and civil defense alerts give Big Island households practical tools to prepare for emergencies and minimize everyday disruptions. Parents, elders, small-business owners and renters can use county and nonprofit services to reduce risk exposure, avoid unexpected costs and speed recovery when problems arise.

Hawaiʻi Police Department and many public libraries host free Keiki ID events where parents can obtain child ID cards with a photo and fingerprint. Those IDs are designed to help law enforcement and families in an emergency; check local HPD announcements and library calendars for upcoming dates and locations. Kūpuna-focused programs are run through County Parks & Recreation and community policing sections; Kūpuna Watch and elder outreach meetings cover fraud prevention, traffic safety and elder-abuse reporting. Residents should contact their nearest Parks & Rec district for meeting schedules and enrollment details.

The County Department of Water Supply posts both planned shutdowns and emergency advisories. Homeowners and small businesses that rely on steady water - especially food-service operators - are advised to sign up for county alerts so they receive urgent notifications and can plan for outages. Planned notices help avoid spoilage and service interruptions; emergency advisories are critical for drinking-water safety and immediate conservation actions.

Solid-waste operations and transfer stations, including the Ocean View facility, maintain posted hours that change during holidays or repairs. Verify schedules on the county solid-waste or transfer-station web pages before hauling debris or arranging commercial pickups to avoid unexpected trips and fees.

For health and community services, follow announcements from the Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi and local hospital systems such as Kaiser, UH Hilo and Kona Community Hospital for blood drives, immunizations and community clinics. Housing, legal aid and food assistance can be sought through the Legal Aid Society, Hawaiʻi Appleseed, Hawaii Food Basket and the county Office of Housing and Community Development for program details and application help.

Small-business owners can lower compliance risk and improve food-safety practices through free workshops offered by nonprofits and county business programs; check Big Island Now events and county business assistance calendars for dates. For timely official information and alert registration, bookmark hawaiicounty.gov, follow Big Island Now and local radio, and monitor Hawaiʻi Volcano Observatory and National Weather Service Honolulu advisories. Keep the non-emergency police line handy at 808-935-3311 and call 911 for immediate emergencies.

These services form a practical toolkit: keiki IDs aid quick reunification, kūpuna outreach helps elders avoid scams and injury, and timely water and transfer-station notices limit household and business losses. Sign up for alerts, verify schedules before you travel, and reach out to the listed agencies to reduce disruption and protect your ʻohana and community.