Surf's Up! City Workers Prepare For Big Waves

Anchor/Reporter Paul Drewes

HONOLULU -- A giant winter swell stirred up danger and excitement, with waves that were forecast to be the biggest of the season.

And not everyone knew they could be in danger when the huge waves hit.

Big surf rolls into Oahu's North Shore every winter.

So many top surfers train for the extreme conditions when the really huge waves hit and so do the North Shore lifeguards.

"The lifeguards were ready. The surfers were ready. Our biggest job was preventing people who weren't ready and shouldn't be in those conditions from getting hurt," said Capt. Bodo Van Der Leeden with the Ocean Safety Division.

It is not just big wave riders who put their lives on the line. Getting too close to the action on shore could turn into a deadly mistake.

"Tourists and visitors come to watch and they go out on the rock ledges and wet sand. When the bigger sets come they sweep them off their feet and that is when we have fatalities," said Van Der Leeden.

Lifeguards had an extra jetski in the water to help with rescues this winter, and ATV's on land to patrol those areas without lifeguard towers.

City crews also made sure those who live along the water in homes and in beachside camps knew the big waves are coming.

"In response to the waves, we sent out responders to communities to warn them and alert them to the dangerous surf," said Peter Hirai, with the city's Department of Emergency Management.

In the past, huge surf damaged roads and homes and there was concern that could happen again - or something even worse.

"We can have thousands of dollars of damage, but that won't count if we have one single death. We don't want one death or any major injuries from the big surf, that is our greatest fear," said Hirai.

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