Hawaii State representative Karen Awana is a fan of disaster plans, and has made making one for rural Oahu her personal cause. Oahu, home to three quarters of the Hawaiian population has seen quite a few disasters in the past few years, notably a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that knocked out power to the entire state and caused more than $200 million in damages on October 15, 2006.

Representative Awana says that the Leeward side of the island is particularly vulnerable however, due to flooding and high surf. She cited a December 2007 event, where 24 utility poles were uprooted in extreme weather and crashed down on the Farrington Highway, not only cutting off evacuation routes, but leaving 45,000 customers without power for days.

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"Situations like this, that if we had a plan in place in advance we would be able to avoid all of these situation," she said to local Fox affiliate KHON 2.

She told the television station that House Bill 2692, which calls upon the director of Civil Defense to create a specific plan for the 44th and 45th districts of Oahu, would address specific needs for that community not already addressed by the state’s disaster plan.

Hawaii Senate Majority Leader Coleen Hanabusa agreed. "I don't think there's any part of the island that has the challenges that the leeward coast has," the senior lawmaker said to reporters. "You would think given that we've experienced disaster preparedness not working, that they would be willing to address that for this particular area."

Hawaiian Civil Defense maintains that a bill is not needed to address Oahu’s needs, but the State House has so far supported the bill without amendment and is expected to pass.

For more information about making your own disaster plans, please read Creating A Family Disaster Plan.

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