(ABOVE VIDEO) Stephanie Bath shows us around the e-mapping room at the 2nd annual Puna Regional Emergency Preparedness fair.

Video by David Corrigan, Voice of Sherry Bracken

KEAAU, Hawaii – It has been a busy few weeks for civil defense officials and volcano scientists, who are not only keeping tabs on the lava flow, but who also participated in the well-timed Puna Regional Emergency Preparedness fair.

The PREP fair was held in Keaau for the second year in a row. By coincidence, it was scheduled for August 30th – in between a hurricane / tropical storm and a threatening lava flow – giving the event new relevance.

The fair was put together by the Puna Community Development Plan Subcommittee on Connectivity and Emergency Response and the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency. Over 70 exhibitors were on hand to share information and raise awareness.

With all the talk these days about evacuation routes in Puna, the fair’s e-mapping room was a popular attraction. Stephanie Bath showed us how participants could lend their knowledge to the ongoing discussion on connecting Puna’s many private subdivisions.

Documents on the Puna CDP website show the top priorities:

The top three Connectivity Locations for each of the four Puna areas are:

Volcano Area:
1. Fern Forest/Eden Roc – Kaleponi to Punahele
2. Volcano Village – Wright Road to Stainback
3. Fern Forest/Eden Roc – Leila Road to Ahi Avenue

Puna Uka (Upper):
1. Highway 11 to Fern Acres – South Lauko to Puhala
2. Enos Road to Hawaiian Acres – Enos Rd. to Ao and Kea Roads in Hawaiian Acres
3. Connect Fern Acres to Kopua Farmlots on Puhala to Kahikopele

Puna Waena (Middle):
1. HPP/HB/HS – Hawaiian Paradise Park to Hawaiian Beaches/Hawaiian Shores (Railroad)
2. HPP/Hilo – HPP to Hilo (Railroad)
3. Orchidland/Hawaiian Acres – Pohaku Drive to Pulelehua Road

Puna Kai (Lower):
1. HPP to Hawaiian Beaches/Hawaiian Shores (Railroad)
2. Nanawale – Additional Access to Highway 132 via Forest Road
3. Seaview Estates – Kamoamoa Road to Highway 130
Puna CDP Connectivity Report on Prioritized Connectivity Locations, May 2014