Community-Led Relief in Ocean View After Hurricane Lala

Hurricane Lala ripped through the Ka’u district on the southern tip of Hawaii’s Big Island, leaving the remote Ocean View community—fewer than 5,000 residents—without electricity, mobile-phone service, and gasoline. Two days after the storm, the narrow highway shoulders of Route 11 were clogged with idling cars as locals searched for assistance and supplies.

New York Times

With the Ocean View Market gas station’s front entrance locked and its pumps inoperable, residents transformed the parking lot into an ad-hoc relief hub. The site offered information, basic commodities, and even “air support” for those stranded on the winding two-lane mountain road. Volunteers coordinated distribution of food, water, and fuel, while community members gathered to share news and resources.

New York Times

Tim Reed, a 55-year-old resident who uses a wheelchair, set up a mobile radio station by connecting his computer to a satellite link. Reed, who normally hosts a low-power FM program of Hawaiian music and classic rock, repurposed the broadcast to relay updates on available aid. He also provided Starlink terminals so residents could access the internet and place calls beyond the island. Karen Field, 58, assisted Reed at a plastic table, alternating on a matchbook-sized wireless microphone to keep the flow of information steady.

New York Times

• “We’re the emergency communication for Ocean View,” — Mr. Reed, an Ocean View resident

New York Times