Lt. Governor Spotlights Gains in Disaster Preparedness
Lt. Governor Aiona opened an international conference on managing natural disasters by highlighting Hawai`i's preparation for earthquakes, tsunamis and other emergencies.
Lt. Governor Aiona addresses the National Science Foundation’s Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Conference.
Speaking to an estimated 1,400 people at the National Science Foundation’s Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Conference, Lt. Governor Aiona underscored the Administration's consistent message about the need to take disaster preparedness seriously.
“While we urge preparedness among our residents, it is also important that we, as leaders in government and the community, are prepared as well,” said the Lt. Governor. “Due to our strategic location, Hawai'i is uniquely situated to address disaster preparedness and advance international collaboration that will lead to shared successes and results.”
An example of that progress was the Administration's efforts in September 2008 that launched a new system designed to improve inter-island communications during statewide emergencies.
Known as the “Anuenue Project,” the new communications system has been several years in the making and is designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 155 mph.
The new system also replaced a 20-year-old system that had become so obsolete that the state and federal agencies were forced to decommission it in 2000. Among other improvements, the new system will help the U.S. Coast Guard’s ability to pinpoint distress calls from ships, boats and others stranded at sea.
“The system will solve the challenges of public safety organizations not being able to communicate with one another during an emergency,” Lt. Governor Aiona said in his speech. “And this conference provides all of us with a unique opportunity to advance international collaboration and use our state as a model to prepare for the next disaster.” The State is currently planning a new state civil defense emergency operations center using sustainable design to incorporate the latest advances in communications, science and technology.
