Civil Defense Prepares for Storm Hit

It's been almost 14 years since Iniki tore through the island of Kauai. It was the last tropical system to make a direct hit on the state.
With Daniel slowly creeping toward the state, it threatens to be the next. State Civil Defense is taking that threat seriously.
"It is still a major threat to our critical infrastructure like ports, our utility companies and our airports, so we have to play it very closely about air operations, safe hangering of aircraft so they're available after the storm," said Ed Teixeira, Vice Director of Hawaii Civil Defense.
Each storm is different, so Civil Defense plays it by ear. It is talking each day with county, state and federal agencies to make sure each is on the same page and prepared.
The Red Cross has even started notifying its employees and volunteers, telling them to be on standby just in case.
"We like to inform our volunteers in advance, well in advance, of an approaching storm so they can also get their personal things together," said Red Cross worker Maria Lutz. "We stress employees and volunteers to get their disaster kit and disaster plan together."
Civil Defense says according to the law, state workers can be considered Civil Defense workers if needed. That provides a force of at least 50,000 workers that can be tapped.
But officials are stressing that people need to take responsibility of their own safety.
"That means bringing bedding, bring food and water to the shelter with you, because that will be the critical time," said Lutz. "And make sure that you have supplies that are for five to seven days."
Monday night the Coast Guard spent four hours flying 300-500 miles out from the state warning mariners of the threat by radio.