THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

29

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

urging the state, counties, and participating private entities to support the development and establishment of an officially recognized urban search and rescue team in hawaii.

 

WHEREAS, urban search and rescue involves the location, rescue, or extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to accidents or the collapse of structures, tunnels, trenches, and other debris; and

WHEREAS, urban search and rescue is considered a "multi-hazard discipline" because it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, storms, floods, technological accidents, terrorists activities, hazardous materials releases, and other emergencies or disasters resulting from natural or man-made causes; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has created and funded twenty-eight national urban search and rescue task forces, which are staffed and equipped to conduct round-the-clock search-and-rescue operations following earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, aircraft accidents, hazardous materials spills, and catastrophic collapses; and

WHEREAS, the role of these task forces is to support state and local emergency responders' efforts to locate victims and manage recovery operations; and

WHEREAS, currently, the nearest Federal Emergency Management Agency urban search and rescue team is located in California; and

WHEREAS, it takes six hours to mobilize an urban search and rescue team; and

WHEREAS, it takes another six hours to fly the mobilized urban search and rescue team and equipment to Hawaii, resulting in a minimum twelve-hour delay to receive assistance; and

WHEREAS, delays in transportation can further extend the availability of a search and rescue team from the mainland; and

WHEREAS, survivability is critical during the first twenty-four hours, beyond this time, the prospect of finding survivors is significantly diminished; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State that all civil defense and emergency functions of this State be coordinated to the maximum extent with the comparable functions of the federal government including its various departments and agencies, with those of other states and localities, and with those private agencies of every type, to the end that the most effective preparation and use may be made of all personnel, resources, and facilities for dealing with any disaster that may occur; and

WHEREAS, the civil defense system of the State of Hawaii is comprehensive and encompasses all levels of the State, county and private sectors; and

WHEREAS, under the civil defense system, numerous representatives from civil defense agencies, county fire departments, county police departments, county and private structural engineers, private and county medical professionals, and others have anxiously been engaged in developing the skills, training, expertise, and obtaining the equipment to provide urban search and rescue capabilities to the people of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the employing agencies or entities of these volunteers have supported, funded, and sustained these efforts to establish an urban search and rescue team in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the State civil defense, county civil defense agencies, county fire departments, county police departments, county and private engineers, and other employing agencies of these men and women desire to develop and form an officially recognized urban search and rescue task force composed of county fire departments, emergency medical services, police, state and county agencies, and private sector participants; and

WHEREAS, the State civil defense, county civil defense agencies, county fire departments, county police departments, county and private engineers, and other employing agencies of these men and women also desire to seek approval and acceptance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the sacrifices these men, women, and employing agencies or entities are making to improve their expertise; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Governor, through the Director of Civil Defense under and the Mayors of each county who serve as Deputy Directors of Civil Defense under the Governor, are urged to continue their support to the development of an officially recognized Urban Search and Rescue Task Force in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Mayor of the City and County and Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Kauai, and Mayor of the County of Maui.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Urban Search and Rescue Task Force