Tsunami Gets Ohana/Honolulu Stations To Jump Into Action

Rick Thomas

SATURDAY's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in CHILE triggered the first PACIFIC-wide tsunami advisory since 1964. The event ended for HAWAII with relatively minor ocean surges that caused no significant damage.

The tsunami warning did trigger OHANA BROADCASTING Dir./Programming RICK THOMAS and his staff into action. 

THOMAS wrote in an e-mail, "After the PACFIC tsunami sirens went off in the middle of the night in HAWAII (following the earthquake in CHILI), our stations here in HONOLULU were on it immediately (thanks to several KDDB employees returning from club gigs who reaized what was going on). KUMU and KPOI ran the lead simulcast with KUMU's FRANK B SHANER and DEVON NEKOBA doing a five star job anchoring the information flow. Meanwhile, KDDB night jock BRUDDAH BRYAN and KRYS STYLES did the same for DA BOMB and KQMQ, in Top 40 style. Other programming staff gathered at the station wirting up the latest information. 

"It's sounds amazing. The HONOLULU market has some great radio stations, but today, due to early alertness and having a disaster plan in place, these stations have done a top notch job in keeping the vital information flowing to our public. Meanwhile, DA BOMB squad is out at WAIPIO REGIONAL PARK (hot zip evac area)."

Later in the day when things started to look better, THOMAS texed, "The event so far so good. First impact at 11a but based on what hit FRENCH POLYNESIA we expect minimal effect."

Minimal it was -- but local radio jumped into action as it always does.

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