Ready When it Matters: Hawaiʻi National Guard Helps Neighbors During Hurricane Nolo

When flooding made communities unsafe during Hurricane Nolo, Hawaiʻi National Guard (HING) soldiers with Task Force Hawaiʻi were ready to move.

On the night of Sept. 26, Task Force Hawaiʻi conducted five high-water rescue missions on Hawaiʻi Island, rescuing 19 civilians from flood-affected areas and transporting them to a shelter in Nāʻālehu.

“We had been preparing for this storm for a while so when we got the call, we were ready to respond immediately,” said Sgt. Kanaʻi Coyaso, Task Force Hawaiʻi.

The missions were part of a statewide HING response that placed more than 450 soldiers and airmen across Hawaiʻi ahead of Hurricane Nolo. On Hawaiʻi Island, approximately 120 Guard members assigned to Task Force Hawaiʻi were positioned to support Hawaiʻi County, with six High-Water Vehicle Teams staged around the county for quick response.

During one mission, Coyaso and other soldiers reached a civilian on foot and escorted the person from their home to the back of a high-water vehicle.

“In that moment, you’re not thinking about anything else you’re focused on getting that person out,” Coyaso said. “Once we reached them, our priority was making sure everyone made it back to safety.”

The rescue teams were operating in conditions that included flooding and high winds as Hurricane Nolo moved through the islands. Although Nolo did not make landfall in Hawaiʻi, the storm still produced hazardous conditions and flooding that prompted requests for assistance from county authorities.

For Spc. Marc Lee Tagalicud of Task Force Hawaiʻi, one of those missions became a reminder of why the Guard is “Always Ready and Always There.”

“We rescued two civilians who had family members across the road, but the flooding made it dangerous for them to cross,” Tagalicud said. “We used a high-water vehicle to get them safely across, then walked them to their family.”

Tagalicud then gave the older man his own wet weather top to help keep him dry.

“It felt good to be able to help a member of our community,” he said.

The High-Water Vehicle Teams are trained to operate in flooded areas where conventional vehicles may not be able to safely travel and are deployed under the direction of civil authorities for life-safety and emergency response missions.

“Our Guardsmen are integrated with the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency, and we had our vehicles staged in strategic positions around the island,” said Hawai‘i Task Force Commander Maj. Keoki Leong. “Though Hurricane Nolo did not make landfall, some flooding and high winds still impacted Hawai‘i County causing damage and that kept us ‘at the ready’ supporting throughout the night.”

For Leong, the response was another example of the importance of being ready before the emergency arrives. “I am proud of our readiness for Hurricane Nolo and the Guard's support to our County when they need it,” he said.

The HING also positioned personnel and High-Water Vehicle Teams on Oʻahu, Maui and Kauaʻi in coordination with state and county emergency management agencies, fire and police departments, and other state and federal partners.

“This is exactly why we posture our personnel and equipment before a storm arrives,” said the Hawaiʻi Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan. “Our Soldiers and Airmen were ready to move when the call came, and they were quickly able to help get people out of dangerous conditions and to a safe location.”

The Nolo response builds on the Guard’s experience supporting communities during Hurricane Lala and Hurricane Lowell and also before the storms.

“We don't wait for the emergency to happen before we begin preparing,” Logan said. “The relationships and communication that we have with the mayors and county emergency managers during 'blue skies' are important. It allows us to anticipate needs and execute exercised plans.”

Hurricane Nolo was the fourth storm since the beginning of August to threaten the Hawaiian Islands, each bringing the potential for flooding, high winds and other hazards to communities across Hawaiʻi.

Through each storm, HING soldiers and airmen have remained ready to answer the call, preparing personnel and equipment before they are needed and responding when communities request assistance.

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