Report Title:

Task Force on the Disaster Preparedness Strategic Plan

Description:

Establishes a task force to recommend ways to strengthen Hawaii's disaster preparedness program and develop a three-year strategic plan.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

3221

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO natural disasters.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's geographic location makes the state vulnerable to hurricanes and tsunamis generated by earthquake activity. Especially disconcerting is the fact that rescue and relief efforts utilizing helicopters and short-range aircraft from out-of-state will not be able to provide immediate assistance to the people of Hawaii following a large-scale natural disaster. Hawaii needs to be able to provide immediate, adequate assistance to the public, should out-of-state assistance be required and not be available until many hours or even days after a major natural disaster has struck. Additionally, coordination of efforts between islands and communication to the public are key factors in effective disaster response strategy.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a task force to recommend ways to strengthen Hawaii's disaster preparedness program and develop a three-year strategic plan for Hawaii's disaster response system.

SECTION 2. (a) There shall be established, within the department of defense for administrative purposes, an advisory disaster response task force to recommend ways to strengthen Hawaii's disaster preparedness program and develop a three-year strategic plan for Hawaii's disaster response system. The task force shall be comprised of the following members:

(1) The adjutant general or the adjutant general's designee;

(2) The director of public safety or the director's designee;

(3) The fire chief of each county or the fire chief's designee;

(4) The chief of police of each county or the chief of police's designee;

(5) Representatives of the United States Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be requested to participate;

(5) The director of health or the director's designee;

(6) The chief executive officer of the Hawaii health systems corporation or the chief's designee;

(7) The superintendent of education or the superintendent's designee;

(8) A representative of the county water supply agency of each county; and

(9) One representative from each county appointed by the mayor of that county.

Representatives of specific agencies listed in subsection (a) shall be designated by the head of their respective agency if an appointing authority is not otherwise specified.

(b) In preparation for developing a three-year strategic plan, the task force shall serve as a fact-finding body to:

(1) Review Hawaii's civil defense and disaster management system, evaluate the effectiveness of its polices and programs, and determine whether sufficient resources are available to adequately provide for Hawaii's people should a major natural disaster occur;

(2) Determine whether an audit of the Hawaii state civil defense program should be conducted;

(3) Review Hawaii's health-related policies and programs and evaluate the potential capacity and efficiency of the State's handling of related disasters and emergencies;

(4) Recommend whether county emergency medical services should be elevated to cabinet level status during a major emergency;

(5) Determine what constitutes, from the State's perspective, the best use of federal military resources, such as Coast Guard personnel, who focused on evacuating critically ill and injured patients from hospitals and medical facilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina instead of conducting search and rescue, supply, personnel transport, and security operations;

(6) Develop an education campaign with various private and public agencies, so that all people, especially children, know exactly what to do during an emergency;

(7) Review the feasibility of establishing refugee centers in local communities, with residents being made aware of their locations prior to a disaster;

(8) Anticipate and address factors that would hamper the ability of federal, state, county, and private agencies to work together so that resources and services are delivered to the public in a timely and competent manner; and

(9) Conduct a comprehensive review of other issues that would strengthen Hawaii's disaster response system and recommend a strategic course of action.

(c) The task force members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

SECTION 3. The state department of defense shall provide necessary staff and logistical support for the task force.

SECTION 4. Upon completion of its fact-finding effort, the task force shall prepare and submit a three-year strategic plan, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2007. The task force shall cease to exist on July 1, 2007.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the purposes of this Act.

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

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval, except that section 5 shall take effect on July 1, 2006.

INTRODUCED BY:

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