Plans, Programs, and Management Regimes
The weather and climate of the Hawaiian Islands cannot be controlled, but potential and real impacts of the weather can be mitigated with management planning. Responsibility to address disasters or major crises in the State of Hawai‘i begins at the county level. As a disaster or crisis develops, the Hawai‘i State Civil Defense System provides operational infrastructure and procedures to apply additional resources to meet the demands of the emergency from all appropriate levels of government.
Funding for planning and recovery activities associated with natural disasters is provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Federal law requires each state and county to develop and maintain a mitigation plan for all expected hazards. If no plan is in place when a disaster occurs, the affected jurisdiction is not eligible for federal public assistance associated with recovery. As the table shows, the cost associated with recovering from a natural disaster can be quite high. Because of the high costs of recovery, more emphasis is being placed on mitigation plans to lessen the financial impacts of natural disasters.
| Date | Disaster | Location | Amount of Damage* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/10-11/92 | Hurricane ‘Iniki | Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands | $1.6 billion |
| 12/11/87 - 1/21/88 | Flash Floods | East O‘ahu | $35 million |
| 11/23/82 | Hurricane ‘Iwa | Kaua‘i, O‘ahu | $239 million |
| 1/7-16/80 | High Surf, Winds, Flooding | Statewide | $27.6 million |
| 1/8-10/80 | Kona Storm | Maui | $12.9 million |
| 5/23/60 | Tsunami | Hilo, Hawai‘i | $23 million |
| 8/4-6/59 | Hurricane Dot | Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, O‘ahu | $6 million (Kaua‘i) |
| 4/1946 | Tsunami | Hilo, Hawai‘i | $2.6 million |
Source: City and County of Honolulu Oahu Civil Defense Agency (2004).
Agencies and Plans
Many agencies are involved in the preparation and response to natural disasters. The agencies range from the federal level to the local level. Generally, the federal agencies provide oversight and guidance to local agencies. Below is a list of agencies associated with natural disaster preparedness and response for the island of O‘ahu.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA was created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. FEMA, previously an independent, executive branch agency, became part of the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003. Its mission is to reduce the loss of life and property and to protect the nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based, emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. FEMA works with state and local government to prepare for and recover from natural disasters.
State Civil Defense. The mission of this organization, a division of the Hawai‘i State Department of Defense, is to minimize loss of life and property, provide for the welfare and safety of citizens, restore vital services, provide continuity of government, and manage resources for recovery.
O‘ahu Civil Defense. The O‘ahu Civil Defense Agency has responsibility for administering and operating the various local, state, and federal civil defense programs for the island of O‘ahu (City and County of Honolulu).
The Department of Land and Natural Resource, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). The mission of DOFAW's Fire Management Program is to provide protection to forest reserves, natural area reserves, wildlife and plant sanctuaries, and public hunting areas. In pursuit of this responsibility, DOFAW has adopted a Fire Management Handbook that specifies its standards for fire prevention, pre-suppression, and suppression. The document provides a structured approach in providing for public/firefighter safety and minimizing damage to Hawai‘i's environment.
DOFAW also contributes to mitigation efforts by keeping a fire database. DOFAW has created a Fire Management Map that delineates agencies' responsibilities in various areas around the islands.
Commission of Water Resource Management, Hawai‘i Drought Council. The council was created in early 2000. The council's membership includes local government officials and representatives from agriculture, water districts, and irrigation companies. The purpose of the council is to organize stakeholders and develop an integrated plan for mitigation and response to future drought occurrences.
The Hawai‘i Drought Council's management activities include development of the Hawai‘i Drought Plan. The goal of the plan is to develop coordinated emergency response mechanisms to drought occurrences, while at the same time outlining steps towards mitigating the effects of future drought occurrences.
Coastal Zone Management Program, State of Hawai‘i Department of Planning. Hawai‘i's coastline is threatened by coastal erosion, tsunamis, hurricanes, sea level rise, flooding, subsidence, earthquakes, and lava flows. One objective of the Hawai‘i Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM Hawai‘i) is to reduce hazard to life and property from tsunami, storm waves, stream flooding erosion, and subsidence. CZM Hawai‘i uses planning efforts such as zoning, shoreline setbacks, and special design requirements for construction in the coastal zone to reduce the hazards to life and property. CZM Hawai‘i is authorized by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and administered at the federal level by the Coastal Programs Division within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. The program is a federal-state partnership dedicated to comprehensive management of the nation's coastal resources. Its goal is to ensure the protection of these resources for future generations while balancing competing national economic, cultural, and environmental interests. Please see the Ka Po‘e: Environmental Management, Natural Resource Management section to learn more about CZM Hawai‘i's role in environmental management.
References Cited
City and County of Honolulu Oahu Civil Defense Agency. 2004. High Surf Hazards. http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/ocda/highsurf.htm
Related References
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 2003. Hawaii Drought Monitor. Commission on Water Resource Management. http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/cwrm/drought/index.htm
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 2004. Features, Information and Programs. Division of Forestry and Wildlife. http://www.dofaw.net/
Western Regional Climate Center. 2004. Climate of Hawaii. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/narratives/HAWAII.htm
