Report Title:

Chapter 42F Grant; The Queen's Medical Center

Description:

Appropriates funds from the hurricane reserve trust fund for a chapter 42F grant to The Queen's Medical Center to increase its emergency power generator system to a maximum capacity of six thousand kilowatts for the Center's continued operation as a hospital and trauma center in the event of a disaster. (HB2446 HD2)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2446

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

making an appropriation for increasing power generating capacity for the queen's medical center.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The recent tragic events in New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the recent threats to the State by Hurricanes Jova and Kenneth reinforce the urgency of making sure that the emergency medical caregivers of this state are provided with sufficient facilities and energy capacity to sustain a massive medical emergency.

The legislature finds that The Queen's Medical Center is the only medical facility with a trauma center that is certified by the College of Surgeons. While all hospitals are equipped with emergency facilities to deal with sick patients needing immediate care, a trauma center is a specially equipped facility for dealing with serious and life-threatening injuries caused by external forces. A critical component of a properly equipped trauma center is an operating room served by numerous and varied medical specialists, diagnostic equipment, and other life-support systems. To support the continuing operation of a trauma center in the middle of a massive disaster, sufficient emergency energy capacity is vital. The Queen's Medical Center presently has two emergency generators with a total installed capacity of two thousand kilowatts. However, estimated peak demand in the event of a disaster is six thousand kilowatts. Part of this demand would be to operate water pumps to obtain water from the hospital's own private wells when the public supply is unavailable. The needed additional energy capacity would require three additional operating generators and one standby generator, along with a new storage structure capable of withstanding the wind force of a category five hurricane.

The legislature further finds that a trauma center capable of operating in the middle of a massive disaster is for a public purpose.

The purpose of this Act is to provide financial support to The Queen's Medical Center to ensure that it remains ready to serve the entire community in time of disaster.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the hurricane reserve trust fund the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 as a grant pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for The Queen's Medical Center to increase its emergency power generator system to ensure a required maximum capacity of six thousand kilowatts to continue operating its hospital and trauma center in the event of a disaster.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.