David Y. Ige

LIHUE, HI – The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), in conjunction with Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management (HHEM) and the Kauai Emergency Operations Center (EOC), deployed a medical team to Haena on Kauai this morning to provide basic medical care and assessments in the surrounding communities, which have been cut off by landslides following heavy rain and flooding earlier this week.

The medical team is providing services out of the Hanalei Colony Resort in Haena and is expected to remain for several days. Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with after-hours care provided for urgent needs. Signage at the resort will guide visitors to the service locations within the resort facilities. Individuals needing emergency medical attention will continue to have access to emergency medical evacuation services. The medical team will assess the situation in the coming days to determine the duration of their stay.

The medical team is headed by HHEM director Chris Crabtree, who is also a paramedic, and includes a physician, Dr. Monty Elias, and a registered nurse, Leesa Souza, R.N. Among the patients they have been seeing are those with skin and wound infections, which are common injuries following flooding and weather emergencies.

Wet weather conditions are forecast to continue across Kauai through the end of this week. DOH urges residents and visitors to take precautions to ensure their safety in the days ahead. Inclement weather brings flooding-related hazards, which also pose health threats.

Coastal waters off of Kauai, with the exception of beaches from Keoniloa Bay to Sheraton Beach, are under a brown water advisory due to pollution caused by the heavy rains. For the latest updates on brown water advisories, visit DOH’s Clean Water Branch website at https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/landing and sign up for mobile alerts.

The public is strongly advised to stay out of floodwaters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewer, manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals, and associated flood debris. Children should not be allowed to play in floodwater areas.

If you must enter brown water along coastlines or in areas where water has pooled due to flooding, take precautions to cover any open wounds or injuries, and be sure to wash and rinse thoroughly with soap and clean water afterwards.

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Media Contact:
Janice Okubo
Communications Director
(808) 586-4445