Mimi Teller/American Red Cross

Kona Low storm floodwaters were already moving fast across Waialua roads when local American Red Cross volunteers began responding in the dark, navigating around road closures and rising streams to reach communities in need.

Across the state, volunteers living in Hawai'i made up nearly half of the Red Cross disaster response workforce during the storm series, supporting shelters, distributing supplies and assisting residents impacted by flooding. On Oahu’s North Shore, that response included opening an emergency shelter at Waialua High and Intermediate School.

Tom Shell, a Red Cross volunteer from Hale’iwa, was already awake around 2 a.m., monitoring flooding conditions in his own neighborhood, when he received a call from his Red Cross supervisor asking if he could help open the shelter at Waialua High and Intermediate School.

Several roads were closed, and access was limited as water crossed familiar routes. Using roads he has driven for years, Shell made his way through the heavy rains in his storm-capable truck.

When Shell finally arrived at the school gym, about six people were already waiting outside, soaking wet and looking for safety. School staff were onsite and opened the doors when Shell arrived, so shelter operations could begin. With the power out, he used flashlights and a headlamp to light the space as best he could.

As more families arrived, it became clear they needed more light to move safely through the gym. Shell reached out to a friend nearby and asked for help. Around 3 a.m., his friend arrived with generators, allowing volunteers to light key areas of the shelter and create a safer space.

Red Cross volunteers Dan Anderson of Kailua and Joe Melanson of Kapolei soon joined Shell, working together to get the shelter up and running for the dozens of evacuees expected to arrive. Despite the road closures, obstacles and detours required to reach Waialua, all three volunteers came because this was their home and their community, and it needed them.

With lighting established, volunteers focused on comfort and basic needs. Red Cross blankets were handed out to help people stay warm. When towels ran out, Shell returned home and brought back towels from his own supplies to help families arriving wet and coated in mud.

“We did what we could,” Shell said. “We were able to offer that shoulder, and the warm blankets didn’t hurt either. Some people were pretty shook up; scared and cold. We tried to make them feel comfortable and protected.”

Melanson retrieved additional Red Cross supplies from a shelter supply trailer pre-positioned near the school, including a dozen cots and more Red Cross blankets. A member of the school staff went back to his home, returning with clothing from his own closet for evacuees who had arrived soaking wet.

Inside the shelter, school staff and Red Cross volunteers worked side by side setting up sleeping areas, gathering basic information and checking in on keiki and kūpuna as families settled in. Outside, volunteers helped guide cars through the rain as more residents arrived throughout the night.

“Tom was embracing his community the whole way,” said Red Cross volunteer Dan Anderson. “We couldn’t have done what we did that night without him.”

For 145 years, dedicated American Red Cross volunteers have been there for their communities from the moment disaster strikes. These deep roots are the foundation of our work to comfort and care for people in need, but we cannot do it alone. Through an unparalleled network of community chapters, response partners and donors, the Red Cross is uniquely positioned to deliver help quickly as emergencies unfold. Our ability to respond depends on the strength of these partnerships.

Across Hawai’i, the Red Cross works closely with local and emergency management officials to build coordinated disaster response plans. We also collaborate with community partners to pre-identify potential shelter locations that can be opened within hours when disasters occur.

In the Pacific Islands Region, more than 1,900 trained volunteers, supported by a fleet of response vehicles, stand ready to deliver critical supplies safely and swiftly to affected areas. This effort is reinforced by strategically located warehouses and shelter trailers stocked with essential disaster relief items, including cots, blankets, comfort kits and cleaning supplies that can be rapidly mobilized wherever they are needed most.

The shelter at Waialua High and Intermediate School was one of many supported by the Red Cross during the Kona Low Storm series. Across Hawai’i, dozens of local volunteers, including Tom Shell, Dan Anderson and Joe Melanson, played a critical role in the response by opening shelters, coordinating with community partners and providing comfort in familiar spaces. In moments of uncertainty, their presence helped ensure neighbors had a place to go, basic needs were met and no one had to face the storm alone.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.