Hawaii Ocean Pool Emergency Safety 

HOPES is dedicated to protecting lives in and around Hawaiʻi’s ocean, pools, and coastal environments by advancing emergency preparedness, preventive safety measures, and community-centered education. Guided by the principles and recommendations of the 2025 Hawaiʻi Water Safety Plan, we work to reduce preventable drownings and injuries through inclusive outreach, evidence-based training, and collaborative partnerships that empower residents, visitors, keiki, and kūpuna to enjoy Hawaiʻi’s waters safely.

 We strive to:

• Promote water safety awareness and education that reflects Hawaiʻi’s unique aquatic environments, cultural values, and diverse communities.
  
  

• Provide life-saving emergency training to the public, businesses, religious organizations, and schools, equipping individuals with essential skills in water rescue awareness, CPR, first aid, and emergency response to prevent fatalities and reduce injury during aquatic, coastal, and land emergencies.
  
  

• Advance emergency safety planning and response systems tailored to ocean, pools, shoreline hazards, and coastal recreational areas.
  
  

• Support survival swim skills and water competency for all ages, especially youth, to build confidence and reduce drowning risk.  Encourage keiki to pursue healthy, active lifestyles through structured and recreational aquatic activities—such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, paddling, and other water-based disciplines—while emphasizing safety, teamwork, and lifelong respect for the water.
  
  

• Establish and administer a scholarship program for individuals pursuing careers in public safety, including lifeguarding, ocean safety, fire services, law enforcement, and the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s future emergency response and ocean safety workforce.
  
  

• Champion preventive infrastructure and readiness efforts including accessible lifesaving resources and equipment, clear safety signage, and hazard awareness around ocean pools, tidepools, and high-risk coastal locations.
  
  

• Cultivate partnerships with educators, government agencies, lifeguards, community organizations, and families to strengthen a shared culture of water safety and kuleana.