👨👩👧👦 Di One chance wey fit save Waianae Coast people dem from katakata e fit burst for dem face
⬇️ Pidgin ⬇️ ⬇️ Black American Slang ⬇️ English
One beta house dey for Chuck Yamada wey sit down inside one busy area, na just small drive from Waianae Mall into the valley.
For inside dis small house, e get Yamada four pikin dem wey age dey between 6 and 15, dem just dey do wetin pikin dem like do for holiday time: dem just siddon dey watch show for tablet, dey play with dem cat and dem even dey throway things for each other sef 😂.
Yamada get three small pikin wey dey share room, and him mama-in-law self dey stay with dem, him and him wife, Anna.
Even as dem family need space to flex wella, dem get one room wey dem dey use keep food, water and other beta things wey go fit helep dem if kasala burst.
Three lines of big big containers wey get dry food, like lasagna, freeze-dried raspberries, celery, spinach and powdered honey and butter, dem put dem from ground reach up, dey touch ceiling for one side of the wall. 🥫🍯🍚Next to the containers, na there dem cases of bottled water dey; for front dem, for ground, at least half a dozen sealed buckets of food wey no go spoil for like 25 years; and on top those ones, big ice coolers wey contain bags of flour and rice dey. Behind the stack of bottled water, na closet full of extra MREs (meals, ready to eat) from the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, wey dey a few minutes down the road. 🍲
As Yamada dey show how one of the several small box-size manual water desalination units dey work, e see as the columns of food, water and tools fit be, e talk say, “I no dey fear (doomsday). If na doomsday, we all go suffer am. I no be one of those ‘prepper’ guys.” 😟
Instead, Yamada, wey don reach 49, dey prepare him family — 12 people total, including him sister’s family, wey dey stay down the block with their mama — for one big katakata like hurricane, wey fit scatter scatter Hawaii people dem life.
Him family, especially his four pikin dem, na dem dey push am to prepare.
“Na for the pikin dem. Na the only thing I dey think about, to make sure say I fit take care of them,” Yamada talk. “Because na our work be that, to take care of the pikin dem.” 👨👩👧👦
Dem emergency supplies no just dey only one room. Dem pack cases of bottled water along the small hallway wey lead go kitchen where dem keep nine 10-gallon buckets of water.
For him garage, Yamada get three-tiered shelf wey full with less shelf-stable food, like cases of Vienna sausages, Spam, corned beef and vegetable oil wey the family dey chop and replace so that none of the supply go expire.
E also get “bug-out bags” for wahala time and propane tanks and gas-powered grills wey fit be used if light no dey, although e dey plan to install solar panels for him house to make sure say light go dey if the grid wey dem dey, off.
The stores of food and water alone fit sustain the family for months.
Yamada joke say the wahala to maintain the big emergency supplies fit dey wahala for him family, but e talk say e dey also compensate for them.
“My mama, she dey try to troway everything. She get only two cans of Vienna sausages … for her cupboard. Na her emergency (food),” Yamada talk.
Waianae Coast na area wey katakata fit touch wella
Na no be like most Hawaii households, though. Some 88% no get enough emergency food, water or medicine to last 14 days — na the official emergency supply recommendation by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency — according to one recent survey of about 1,000 households for the state as part of study by researchers from the University of Hawaii at West Oahu.
And some part of the state fit suffer from katakata pass others — Oahu’s Waianae Coast na one of them.
“Historically, I think everybody know say West Oahu na the area wey katakata dey touch wella when hurricane season reach,” Alicia Higa, director of health promotion for WCCHC and acting ogbonge director for its nonprofit subsidiary, ‘Elepaio Social Services, talk. “When katakata burst, we often times get block from the main part of Oahu, where all the resources dey.” 😱
Traffic na big problem for the area because Farrington Highway and its four lanes na the only road wey vehicles fit enter, comot or waka through the Waianae Coast. But dem dey fear say water fit cover the roads because dem dey too close to the ocean.
This year hurricane season fit be “normal” or “above normal,” according to wetin the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center talk.
Tropical Storm Calvin fit reach Hawaii island for the coming days, but dem don downgrade am from hurricane status on Sunday.
For Higa, e no dey ginger am say dem downgrade Calvin or say no big hurricane don hit Hawaii for 30 years.
“We dey expect one, true true, especially with climate change. E dey get worse and worse,” she talk. “Wetin dey come go big.” 🌪️
Hurricanes na warm water dey bring am, and climate change don make the planet oceans get the hottest temperature ever. The oceans temperature for April, May and June na the hottest wey dem don ever record for those months.
Higa, wey dem born and raise for Waianae, remember when Category 1 Hurricane Iwa for 1982 scatter Kauai, Niihau and Oahu’s west coast, e cause hundreds of millions of dollars for damage and plenty people no get house again.
“When Hurricane Iwa reach, the roads close. Houses dey float for street,” she talk. “We get to run comot. My mama, she hold me and my sister hand, and we dey try waka through our back gate go our neighbor house … to comot from the ocean, and the water dey reach our waist.”
Yamada, wey don see how hurricane fit scatter scatter things, talk say plenty people for Oahu no dey put mind for katakata like that these days. UH West Oahu study prove am, wey show say even though the level of household preparedness low, some 56% of households wey dem survey talk say dem believe say dem dey well prepared, according to HI-EMA’s recommendations.
And more specific recommendations for the pandemic:
Masks for each person: N95 masks are the most protective, but other types can be used
Hand sanitizer: 60% or more alcohol content is best
Gloves: One pair per day, per person
Soap: Antibacterial is best
NOW IN BLACK AMERICAN SLANG
This Might Be The Only Way to Save Waianae Coast Folks from a Straight-up Catastrophe, But It’s Looking Shaky
Chuck Yamada’s crib, tucked in a lively hood, ain’t more than a quick ride from the Waianae Mall into the valley.
His four young’uns, ranging from 6 to 15, be chillin’ at the crib: glued to their tablets, messin’ with their pet cat, even tossin’ stuff at each other in jest 😂.
Yamada, his wife Anna, their three kids, and his mother-in-law make this spot their home. Despite their need for living space, they got one room dedicated to keeping food, water, and crucial supplies in case stuff goes down.
Three straight-up rows of big containers filled with dry food like lasagna, freeze-dried raspberries, celery, spinach, and powdered honey and butter, are stacked up high 🥫🍯🍚. Right next to them are cases of bottled water, and in front of them are about half a dozen sealed buckets of food that can keep for up to 25 years. On top of these, large ice coolers are stuffed with bags of flour and rice. A closet stocked with extra MREs (meals, ready to eat) from the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, a few minutes down the road, sits behind the stack of bottled water 🍲.
While Yamada’s showing off one of the many small box-sized manual water desalination units, he glances at the pillars of food, water, and tools, and lays it down, “I ain’t worried about no doomsday. If it’s doomsday, we all in the same boat. I ain’t one of those ‘prepper’ guys.” 😟
Instead, Yamada, now 49, is just trying to make sure his fam – a crew of 12, including his sister’s family living down the block with their moms – is ready for a major disaster, like a hurricane, that could mess things up in Hawaii.
He’s mostly thinking about his kids.
“It’s for the little ones. That’s the only thing in my mind, making sure I can take care of them,” Yamada says. “That’s our job, taking care of the kids.” 👨👩👧👦
They ain’t just got emergency supplies in one room, either. Cases of bottled water line the small hallway leading to the kitchen, where nine 10-gallon buckets of water are stored.
In his garage, Yamada has a three-tiered shelf filled with less shelf-stable food like Vienna sausages, Spam, corned beef, and vegetable oil. The family eats and replaces these items regularly to make sure none of the supplies go bad.
He also has “bug-out bags” for emergencies and propane tanks and gas-powered grills that can be used if the power’s out. He’s even thinking about installing solar panels to make sure they got power even if the grid’s down.
The stored food and water alone could keep the family going for months.
Yamada jokes that while keeping up with all these emergency supplies might be a bit of a hassle for his family, it also comes with its benefits. “My moms, she tries to throw everything away. She only got two cans of Vienna sausages in her cupboard. That’s her emergency food,” Yamada says.
Now, the Waianae Coast, that’s an area that’s always in the crosshairs of disasters Not every Hawaii household is like the Yamadas, though. According to a recent survey of about 1,000 households in the state by researchers from the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, 88% ain’t got enough emergency food, water, or medicine to last 14 days — the official emergency supply recommendation by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
And some parts of the state are more vulnerable than others — like the Waianae Coast in Oahu.
“Historically, I think everyone knows West Oahu is the area most hit during the hurricane season,” says Alicia Higa, director of health promotion for WCCHC and acting executive director for its nonprofit subsidiary, ‘Elepaio Social Services. “In times of disasters, we often get cut off from the main part of Oahu, where all the resources are.” 😱
Traffic is a serious problem in the area as Farrington Highway and its four lanes are the only ways for vehicles to get in, get out, or get through the Waianae Coast. But there’s worry that flooding could make the roads impassable cause they’re so close to the ocean.
This year’s hurricane season could be “normal” or “above normal,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
Tropical Storm Calvin may hit Hawaii island in the coming days, but it got downgraded from hurricane status on Sunday.
But Higa ain’t reassured by Calvin’s downgrade or the fact that no significant hurricane has hit Hawaii in 30 years.
“We overdue for one, especially with climate change. It’s getting worse and worse,” she says. “What’s coming will be big.” 🌪️
Hurricanes get their energy from warm water, and climate change has caused the planet’s oceans to hit the highest temperatures ever recorded. The ocean temperatures in April, May, and June were the hottest ever recorded for these months.
Higa, who grew up in Waianae, remembers when Category 1 Hurricane Iwa in 1982 tore through Kauai, Niihau, and Oahu’s west coast, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and leaving a lot of folks without homes.
“When Hurricane Iwa hit, the roads closed. Houses were floating in the street,” she remembers. “We had to evacuate. My mom, holding me and my sister’s hands, trying to walk through our back gate to our neighbor’s house to get away from the ocean, and the water was up to our waist.”
Seeing all that devastation, Yamada says a lot of folks in Oahu ain’t really prepared for that kind of disaster. The UH West Oahu study backs him up, showing that even though the level of household preparedness is low, about 56% of the households they surveyed think they’re ready, according to HI-EMA’s recommendations.
NOW IN ENGLISH
👨👩👧👦 The One Lifeline that Could Save Waianae Coast Residents from Disaster Might Just Burst
Chuck Yamada’s modest home, located in a bustling neighborhood, is just a short drive from Waianae Mall into the valley.
In this cozy house are Yamada’s four children, aged between 6 and 15, engaging in typical holiday activities: watching shows on their tablets, playing with their pet cat, and good-naturedly throwing things at each other 😂.
Yamada, along with his wife, Anna, their three children, and his mother-in-law, live here. Despite their need for living space, they have allocated a room for storing food, water, and essential supplies in case of an emergency.
Three vertical rows of large containers filled with dry food like lasagna, freeze-dried raspberries, celery, spinach, and powdered honey and butter, stretch from the floor to the ceiling on one side of the room 🥫🍯🍚. Next to them are cases of bottled water, and in front of them are half a dozen sealed buckets of food that can last up to 25 years. Atop these are large ice coolers filled with bags of flour and rice. A closet full of extra MREs (meals, ready to eat) from the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, located a few minutes down the road, is behind the stack of bottled water 🍲.
As Yamada demonstrates how one of the several small box-sized manual water desalination units operates, he gazes at the columns of food, water, and tools, and asserts, “I’m not afraid of a doomsday. If it’s doomsday, we’re all in it together. I’m not one of those ‘prepper’ guys.” 😟
Yamada, now 49, is instead preparing his family – a total of 12 people, including his sister’s family living down the block with their mother – for a significant disaster, like a hurricane, that could disrupt life in Hawaii.
His primary motivation is his family, especially his four children.
“It’s for the kids. That’s the only thing on my mind, making sure I can take care of them,” says Yamada. “That’s our job, taking care of the kids.” 👨👩👧👦
Their emergency supplies aren’t limited to just one room. Cases of bottled water line the small hallway leading to the kitchen, where nine 10-gallon buckets of water are stored.
In his garage, Yamada has a three-tiered shelf filled with less shelf-stable food like Vienna sausages, Spam, corned beef, and vegetable oil. The family eats and replaces these items regularly to ensure none of the supplies expire.
He also has “bug-out bags” for emergencies and propane tanks and gas-powered grills that can be used in case of power outages, although he plans to install solar panels to ensure a steady supply of power if the grid goes down.
The stored food and water alone could sustain the family for months.
Yamada jests that the effort to maintain the large emergency supplies might inconvenience his family, but it also provides them with compensation. “My mom, she tries to throw everything away. She has only two cans of Vienna sausages in her cupboard. That’s her emergency food,” says Yamada.
The Waianae Coast is an area highly susceptible to disasters Not many Hawaii households are like the Yamadas, though. According to a recent survey of about 1,000 households in the state by researchers from the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, 88% don’t have enough emergency food, water, or medicine to last 14 days — the official emergency supply recommendation by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
And certain parts of the state are more vulnerable than others — Oahu’s Waianae Coast being one of them.
“Historically, I think everyone knows West Oahu is the area most impacted during the hurricane season,” says Alicia Higa, director of health promotion for WCCHC and acting executive director for its nonprofit subsidiary, ‘Elepaio Social Services. “In times of disasters, we often get cut off from the main part of Oahu, where all the resources are.” 😱
Traffic is a major issue in the area as Farrington Highway and its four lanes are the only routes for vehicles to enter, exit, or traverse the Waianae Coast. But there are fears that flooding could make the roads impassable due to their proximity to the ocean.
This year’s hurricane season could be “normal” or “above normal,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
Tropical Storm Calvin may hit Hawaii island in the coming days, but it was downgraded from hurricane status on Sunday.
Higa isn’t comforted by Calvin’s downgrade or the fact that no significant hurricane has hit Hawaii in 30 years.
“We are due for one, especially with climate change. It’s getting worse and worse,” she says. “What’s coming will be big.” 🌪️
Hurricanes are fueled by warm water, and climate change has resulted in the planet’s oceans reaching their highest ever recorded temperatures. The ocean temperatures in April, May, and June were the warmest ever recorded for these months.
Higa, a native of Waianae, recalls when Category 1 Hurricane Iwa in 1982 wreaked havoc on Kauai, Niihau, and Oahu’s west coast, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and leaving many homeless.
“When Hurricane Iwa hit, the roads closed. Houses were floating in the street,” she recalls. “We had to evacuate. My mom, holding me and my sister’s hands, trying to walk through our back gate to our neighbor’s house to get away from the ocean, and the water was up to our waist.”
Yamada, having seen the devastation caused by hurricanes, asserts that many people in Oahu aren’t adequately prepared for such disasters. The UH West Oahu study corroborates his observation, indicating that although the level of household preparedness is low, about 56% of the surveyed households believe they are well-prepared, in line with HI-EMA’s recommendations.
