Report Title:

Department of Defense, Civil Defense; American Red Cross; Appropriation

 

Description:

Makes an appropriation to the state department of defense to assist the American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter, with needed capital improvement projects.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1568

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

Making an appropriation for the american red cross.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that is tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the International Red Cross and chartered by the United States Congress.  The mission of the American Red Cross is to prevent and alleviate human suffering by providing relief to victims of disasters and helping to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  In this mission, the American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter, works hand-in-hand with the state department of defense, civil defense agency.

     Hawaii is especially vulnerable to hurricanes, tsunami, and other natural disasters.  As the doorway to Asia, Hawaii must be equally cognizant of threats from avian flu, bio-terrorist attacks, and other non-natural disasters.  It is not a matter of "if" but of "when" a major disaster will strike Hawaii.  Further, due to the geographic isolation of the State, in the event of a major disaster, the residents of Hawaii will have to survive on their own for a longer period of time than in many other states before aid may come from outside the State.

     According to a draft Federal Support CONOP for Catastrophic Hurricane Impacting State of Hawaii to be released shortly by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a category three or four storm, the same force as hurricane Iniki, would destroy or heavily damage thirty-eight per cent of all homes and leave another forty per cent of the remaining homes with damage.

Presently, the American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter, provides aid to the people of Hawaii who fall victim to natural and man-made disasters that occur about every three days in Hawaii.  To continuously prepare for and meet these challenges, the American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter, staff and volunteers are on duty twenty-four hour a day, seven days a week.  At the main headquarters of the Hawaii Chapter in Honolulu, volunteers are constantly being trained, emergency supplies are continually restocked and stored, and equipment and personnel standby ready for any future major disaster.  However, ongoing efforts to fortify and harden the headquarters to protect staff and volunteers, equipment and supplies, and the provision of services in a major disaster continue constantly.

     The purpose of this Act is to make an appropriation to allow the department of defense, civil defense agency, to assist the American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter, to harden and fortify the main Hawaii Chapter headquarters in Honolulu to allow it to continue to fulfill its mission to serve the people of Hawaii.

     SECTION 2.  The following sums, or so much thereof as shall be necessary to finance the projects listed in this Act, are hereby appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for fiscal year 2009-2010.

To be expended by the department of defense:

     American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter:

     Plans, design, and construction for

     Hurricane screens and window laminate;

     Retaining wall to abate flooding;

     Generators for Oahu headquarters and

     four neighbor island offices; storage

     for disaster equipment and supplies;

Photovoltaic panels to produce

reliable energy.

     Total funding                         $ 1,650,000

     SECTION 3.  The sums appropriated for the respective capital projects set forth in section 2 shall be expended by the designated expending agency for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________