As hurricane season begins, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) urges residents to take the first step to build up emergency supplies.

A recent HI-EMA survey found that most Hawaii residents believe they would be prepared if a disaster struck the state soon. But the rest were unsure, noting that they didn’t have enough supplies, they couldn’t afford to prepare or they didn’t know what to do to be prepared.

The disaster response agency recommends diligently building up a “2 Weeks Ready” stockpile of emergency supplies.

“We know that setting aside two weeks of food, water, medicine and other emergency items can be a heavy lift here in Hawaii, so our new campaign focuses on taking that first step, even if it’s just by setting aside a couple of days’ worth of supplies,” said HI-EMA Administrator James Barros.

By planning to pick up one or two extra items during a sale, residents can gradually build up their emergency supplies over time. If storage space is scarce, focus on items that you would normally buy anyway to maximize shelf space, and look at options such as collapsible water jugs that can be filled when a hurricane is still approaching.

“We’d love to see everyone in Hawaii ‘2 Weeks Ready’ today, but having even a few days of supplies is better than nothing,” Barros said. “When more people are prepared for a hurricane or other major disaster, it allows our first responders to concentrate their efforts where the need for help is greatest, so it helps the whole community.”

Check out the newest public service announcement on the HI-EMA website at ready.hawaii.gov or the agency’s YouTube channel, and start building up your emergency supplies.