Hawaiʻi Island announced nine Nolo refuges. A name on the list is not a hurricane rating

For someone leaving an insecure home, a refuge address answers only half the urgent question. The other half—what protection and services await there—was not fully answered in two public reports as Hurricane Nolo approached Hawaiʻi Island.

This account is current through Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s 5:35 p.m. HST update on Friday, September 25. By then, Nolo’s outer bands were reaching the island, with heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous surf expected even though the storm’s center was forecast to remain offshore.

Officials had announced nine Hawaiʻi Island refuge locations. Four were reported open: Yano Hall in Captain Cook, Nāʻālehu Elementary School gym, Robert N. Herkes Gym in Pāhala and Keaʻau Armory. Five others were scheduled to open at 6 a.m. Friday: Honokaʻa Gym, Pāpaʻaloa Park Annex, Puʻuʻeo Community Center in Hilo, Kahilu Town Hall in Waimea and Ocean View Community Center.

Later Friday reporting by HPR specifically confirmed that Ocean View Community Center had opened that morning. The supplied reports do not provide equivalent later confirmation for the other four scheduled sites, so it would be inaccurate to say all nine had opened.

Hawaii News Now published the same official four-open, five-scheduled breakdown. That is useful consistency, but it is not independent corroboration: both outlets were relaying information from emergency officials.

What the two notices established

A comparison of the reports shows how much a list can tell residents—and where another check is necessary.

These are limits of the two reviewed reports, not findings that the buildings lack those features. An emergency refuge may have accessible facilities, backup power or other protections that were simply not described.

The same distinction applies to structural safety. An announced—or even open—refuge is not, by that fact alone, evidence that it carries a particular hurricane rating. The supplied material includes no engineering inspections or Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency guidance establishing what any of the nine buildings can withstand.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers had identified this information gap before Nolo. A 2025 House resolution urged counties to publish comprehensive lists containing locations, hurricane-category ratings, capacities, pet policies and access and functional-needs accommodations. It also recommended warning readers that appearing on a list would not guarantee a facility would open during a particular emergency.

An introduced 2025 bill separately proposed a statewide shelter inventory, publication of hurricane ratings and funding for retrofits. The resolution and bill document legislative findings and proposals; they are not enacted shelter standards or current assessments of the nine Nolo sites.

Check transport as well as the destination

Residents seeking refuge were advised to bring food, water, medication and other essentials. HPR reported that all fixed-route, paratransit and on-demand Hele-On service would be canceled Saturday.

The two reports conflict on one important transport detail. HPR said a free shuttle would run from Nāʻālehu Elementary School to Robert N. Herkes Gym from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday. Hawaii News Now reported the same route and hours for Thursday. The supplied evidence does not resolve which date was correct, so residents should not rely on either account for a future trip.

Before traveling, check current county shelter status, road closures, transit notices and any evacuation instructions. Hawaiʻi Island residents can receive Civil Defense alerts by texting HAWAIIALERTS to 888777. Conditions can change faster than an earlier refuge list: a site may close or reach capacity, a road may become impassable, or transport may be suspended. The nine announced locations supplied a starting map, not a guarantee about each building or the route to it.