Disaster Awareness and Preparedness

John M. Cummings III is the Public Information and Education Officer for the City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management (DEM).  

John joined the department in 1997 when it was then known as the Oahu Civil Defense Agency.

John’s duties include coordinating disaster education training programs, managing Emergency Public Information and media operations as well as coordinating the City’s’ Joint Information Center during emergency activations.  John also serves as the DEM official spokesperson as well as managing the department’s social media presence.

During his time with the department, he has presented more than a five-hundred community programs on disaster awareness and preparedness as well as overseeing the DEM disaster education program providing important information to residents and visitors on Oahu.

Prior to working for the City John served nationally with the American Red Cross Disaster Services stationed in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as well as working locally at the American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter in Disaster Services. John has more than 30-years’ experience in disaster response and emergency management. 

In his free time, John is an avid outdoorsman and is very active in local community theater both onstage and backstage. John currently resides in Pauoa Valley, Hawaii with his wife Adaline and three cats.