By Rachel Blaire, State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, Public Affairs Office

The Hawaiʻi National Guard (HING) remains actively positioned across the state, balancing recovery operations from Tropical Cyclone Lala with urgent preparation efforts for Hurricane Lowell, the third tropical system to threaten the Hawaiian Islands within a month.

As of Sept. 7, 2026, 194 HING personnel are on state active duty to support statewide response and recovery operations. By working closely with county emergency management agencies and the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA), HING personnel are ensuring communities receive support while proactively positioning resources for the incoming storm.

The Guard is focusing in on Kauaʻi County, where the forecasted impacts of Hurricane Lowell are expected to begin today.

“We are working very closely with the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency and Mayor Kawakami’s office. They are really good partners, we have a good rich history, and we are postured accordingly,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, Adjutant General of the Hawaiʻi National Guard.

To manage the dual demands of recovery and preparedness, HING has strategically distributed its personnel and specialized equipment across the islands.

Task Force Hawaiʻi is actively assisting Hawaiʻi County with personnel including liaison officers in the local emergency operations center, debris clearance teams, and cemetery support. This task force has removed over 72,000 pounds of storm debris as of Sept. 4, 2026, and has conducted 421 safety and wellness checks for local residents.

Meanwhile, Task Force Maui has deployed personnel to assist Maui County, including liaison officers in the emergency operations center and high-wheeled vehicle teams. They have already conducted 80 damage assessments and cleared 2,295 feet of roadway to restore access for local communities after Tropical Cyclone Lala.

On Oʻahu, HING personnel are assigned to the Joint Staff, aviation crews and liaison roles within HIEMA to coordinate state-level logistics and synchronize interisland assets. Additionally high-wheeled vehicle teams are being positioned in preparation for the incoming weather.

Task Force Kauaʻi is currently staging with 47 personnel ready to support emergency operations. HING has shipped over six vehicles for high-wheeled vehicle team rescues, along with one wrecker and one water buffalo. To further bolster Kauaʻi’s defenses additional personnel deployed to the island to assist with staging and localized response, ensuring rapid response times when the storm hits.

The prolonged operations highlight the resilience of HING’s rotational force structure. Personnel are continuously transitioned onto and off State Active Duty orders to sustain long-term operations without compromising readiness. The entire response remains staffed by volunteers; however, HING has a pool of approximately 5,500 personnel available for mobilization.

“As recovery efforts continue as a result of Hurricane Lala another severe weather event challenges our state with Hurricane Lowell. Hurricane season is dynamic we must remain agile and responsive,” said Brig. Gen. Ronald (Damon) Hogsten, Director of Joint Staff, Hawaiʻi National Guard.

Furthermore, HING maintains close coordination with active-duty military partners in Hawaiʻi and the National Guard Bureau. All 53 other states and territories, alongside local active-duty forces, have pledged their support and stand ready to assist the state of Hawaiʻi if additional resources are required.