City completes new Kailua Operations Annex for Honolulu Ocean Safety Department

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November 5, 2026, 09:05 GMT

The Kailua Operations Annex is the first-ever facility built specifically for Honolulu’s ocean lifeguards in their 109-year history.

KAILUA — The City and County of Honolulu announces the completion of the new Kailua Operations Annex (KOA) near Kailua Beach Park, providing the Honolulu Ocean Safety Department (HOSD) with its first-ever permanent, purpose-built base to support lifeguard operations along Oʻahu’s Windward coast.

The 1,680-square-foot building includes two offices, a bathroom, a kitchenette, a board storage room and an apparatus bay for trucks and watercraft. KOA is the first operations facility specifically designed and built for City and County of Honolulu ocean lifeguards in their storied 109-year history.

Retired lifeguard, Kahu Dennis Salas, performs a blessing at the new HOSD facility in Kailua.

“This is more than just a new building; it is an investment in public safety, in our first responders, and in the people of this community,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “After more than a century, it is long overdue. I want to thank the dedicated men and women of Ocean Safety who are the best in the world at their craft. They put their lives on the line to protect others, and they deserve facilities that reflect the importance of the work they do.”

With secure equipment storage and dedicated space for daily operations, lifeguards will be better equipped to monitor ocean conditions, deploy resources and respond to emergencies. Personnel based at KOA will support the coastline stretching from the Mōkapu Peninsula to Waimānalo Bay, helping ensure continuity of ocean safety services at some of Oʻahu’s most popular beaches.

The $3.3 million project replaces interim facilities previously used by Ocean Safety personnel and marks a significant investment in the department’s operational capabilities and infrastructure. The project was constructed by CC Engineering & Construction, Inc.

The previous HOSD facility was located between restrooms at Kailua Beach Park.

The completion of KOA strengthens Honolulu’s ocean safety infrastructure and provides lifeguards with the reliable, permanent resources needed to protect residents and visitors in the water and along the shore.

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