HONOLULU — The National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC) at the University of Hawaiʻi has received the Walter J. Bennett Public Education Award from the National Weather Association (NWA). The award recognizes NDPTC’s natural hazard training and its long-standing partnerships with the National Weather Service (NWS), which have helped emergency managers, first responders, and community leaders across the country better understand weather risks and act on them.
The Walter J. Bennett Public Education Award honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to public weather awareness. NDPTC’s courses on hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding, severe weather, and other natural hazards give professionals the knowledge to interpret forecasts and warnings and turn them into protective action in their communities. Many of these courses are developed and delivered in collaboration with NWS meteorologists and subject matter experts, connecting weather science directly to emergency management practice.
The recognition also reflects the dedication of NDPTC’s instructors and staff, whose expertise is central to the center’s mission. NDPTC is grateful to the National Weather Service, the University of Hawaiʻi, FEMA, its consortium partners, and the stakeholders whose collaboration makes this work possible. The University’s ongoing investment in education, research, and community service has been instrumental in enabling NDPTC to develop impactful training and serve emergency management professionals nationwide.
About NDPTC
The National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, based at the University of Hawaiʻi, is a federally authorized training center that strengthens national preparedness through disaster management training. NDPTC develops and delivers programs focused on natural hazards, coastal communities, and the unique needs of islands and territories.
About the NDPC
NDPTC is a member of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC), a key training partner of FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Through its member institutions, the NDPC provides federally funded training that helps communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the impacts of disasters.