HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	126
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the state to strengthen its emergency preparedness by repositioning emergency medical supply caches from oahu to the neighbor islands.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that while it is cost-efficient for the State to centralize emergency medical supply caches on Oahu, this practice may leave Hawaii's neighbor islands vulnerable in the event of a disaster on Oahu; and

 

WHEREAS, the neighbor islands may not be able to accommodate displaced residents from other islands if a disaster decimated Oahu and prevented the transportation of medical supply caches to the neighbor islands; and

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that federal funding for the expansion and maintenance of existing medical supply caches on the neighbor islands was cut earlier this year; and

 

WHEREAS, if funding is not restored, these aging medical supply caches will be off-line in 2018, leaving the State only the immediate resources of individual healthcare providers and the Hawaii Disaster Medical Assistance Team; and

 

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Disaster Medical Assistance Team, a response team that the federal government may mobilize during a disaster to quickly set up and operate a mobile care facility, has its federal equipment and supply cache on Oahu; and

 

WHEREAS, while the Hawaii Disaster Medical Assistance Team and its supply cache can be airlifted to any neighbor island in an emergency, it remains unclear if any aircraft will be available and functional to fly following a natural or man-made disaster that disrupts electricity and damages electronic equipment on Oahu; and

 

WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that the unavailability of large government supply caches and the small number of government medical assets weakens the State's emergency preparedness and response to possible disasters, such as major aircraft incidents, hurricanes, and tsunamis; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State to have a contingency plan in the event a disaster decimates Oahu and prevents the transportation of emergency medical supply caches to the neighbor islands; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the Senate concurring, that the State is requested to strengthen its emergency preparedness by repositioning portions of its emergency medical supply caches from Oahu to the neighbor islands; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Hawaii's congressional delegation; Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Governor of the State of Hawaii; Adjutant General; Administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency; the Mayor of Honolulu; the Mayor of Maui; the Mayor of Kauai; and the Mayor of Hawaii.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Emergency Preparedness; Emergency Medical Supplies; Neighbor Islands