The city is also consulting with community leaders on how to educate residents on how to prepare for an evacuation.

"You have to know who lives next to us who we can depend on. We map our neighborhoods to know where our nurses are," said Windward Neighborhood Security Watch President Carlene MacPherson.

Kailua became the first community in the state to become certified as tsunami ready about a year ago.

A sign now marks the entrance to the town off Kailua Rd.

It comes after months of community meetings, fairs, and other educational events to help get the community ready in case of an emergency.

"We have our own plan on what to do," said MacPherson.

"We have to basically bombard our population with this kind of information," said Collins.

The planning team will present their recommendations to the city next September.

They hope to start placing evacuation signs not long after that.

Another task would be designating possible "holding areas," possibly on private properties, to keep people off the roads temporarily.