Because the Ring of Fire – the volatile, 40,000 km-long (25,000 MILE) zone that encircles the Pacific Ocean and includes the most seismically dangerous ground on the planet- follows the coastlines of Pacific Ocean, almost any major quake can also produce a tsunami, a powerful wave that travels from the epicenter of the temblor across the ocean basin.

Yes, there is a tsunami headed for the entire Pacific basin as a result of the earthquake in Chile as this is being written. And watching the mass coverage about the tsunami headed for Hawaii on all possible mediums – TV, radio, internet, twitter, and Facebook – is quite an impressive testament as to how plugged-in most people are, and as to how all this technology and media-sources can be used to inform people AND connect them both mentally and emotionally.

Based on the coverage provided by these mixed mediums, we knew that our families in far away places were thinking and praying for us, we knew about the congregations of people in public places acting as support groups and areas of consolation for the frightened and confused, we saw the stubbornness of people who choose to stand in evacuation zones in an attempt to get a glimpse of unseen tsunami waves, and as a bonus we got to see the Hawaii Police Department swoop down in a helicopter and force a rather insane surfer sitting in the Waikiki waters hoping for the ride of his life.

The news coverage told us of the areas and roads that are closed or inaccessible, the stores that carry readily available tsunami readiness supplies, even areas where looting were occurring, evacuation areas  … and a great deal of other information. Outside of ‘always on’ technology, old reliable methods were also used to spread information … fire fighters, police and ocean safety officials were going from hotel to hotel to brief tourists of what to do. Keep away from the shore. And evacuate vertically — that is, to higher floors — if the word is given to do so. Public address systems repeated this information constantly on the streets of Waikiki as well as in all hotels in the area.

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