BIL 157 Draft 01 2024-2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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+`r Of M�f COUNTY OF HAWAI`I ••'Tf Of NI,�'�� ORDINANCE NO. STATE OF HAWAII BILL NO. 157 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 7 OF THE HAWAI`I COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I: SECTION 1. Findings and purpose. The County's experience following the 2018 Kilauea eruption demonstrated the critical importance of dedicated leadership, intergovernmental coordination, meaningful community engagement, and structured planning in achieving effective disaster recovery. Recovery from major disasters is a long-term endeavor that extends well beyond the period of emergency response and often spans multiple years. Effective recovery requires sustained institutional capacity to coordinate recovery funding, align County actions with State and Federal programs, and ensure affected communities have consistent and meaningful opportunities to shape their recovery. Impacted communities are not only beneficiaries of recovery; they are essential partners. Their involvement throughout the recovery process strengthens outcomes and helps ensure the recovery strategies reflect the needs, values, and realities of those most affected. No formal framework currently exists within County government to institutionalize disaster recovery operations or provide consistent coordination of recovery programs and resources. Establishing a disaster recovery framework within the civil defense agency that activates, when necessary, will reduce institutional learning loss between disasters, enable a more efficient transition from emergency response to recovery operations, and strengthen the County's capacity to secure and effectively deploy State and Federal disaster recovery resources, while maintaining ongoing, community -informed engagement throughout the recovery process.