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REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />DATE: November 1, 2018 Re: Comm. No. 1146/Res. No. 739-18 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Hilo, Hawaii <br />TIME: 1:15 p.m. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Resolution No. 739-18, reports as follows: <br />Resolution No. 739-18, transmitted by Finance Director Deanna S. Sako, via Communication No. 1146 <br />dated October 16, 2018, creates three Water Safety Officer II positions for the Hawaii Fire Department. <br />This resolution requests to establish three Water Safety Officer II positions based on an increase in the <br />number of beach patrons at Hapuna Beach Park, to ensure the ongoing safety of visitors and lifeguards. <br />These positions would be funded through a State grant. <br />Fire Chief Darren Rosario gave a brief summary of where these three Water Safety Officer positions <br />will be situated. He noted that the Fire Department has been going to the legislature over the past <br />decade to increase coverage at Hapuna Beach as well as other beaches along the Kona Coastline. This <br />year the Fire Department was successful to reach out to the Department of Land and Natural Resources <br />(DLNR) to help fund three additional positions and stated that Hapuna Beach has always been short in <br />positions, and of the three towers, only two are staffed with lifeguards. He also commented that in the <br />last fiscal year they had over 830,000 attendees to the beach park and that water safety officers <br />performed 70,000 preventative actions of which 65 were significant rescues. Chief Rosario commented <br />that Hapuna Beach is most known for rescues involving spinal injuries. <br />Council Member Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III commented that Hapuna Beach is in his district, and <br />expressed the importance of taking care of the community and visitors. <br />Council Member Karen Eoff inquired whether the legislature approved these funds, to which <br />Fire Chief Rosario responded that this was actually a direct budget increase from DLNR. <br />Council Member Dru Mamo Kanuha asked whether these three positions would fulfill what the Fire <br />Department needs for Ha- puna Beach. Chief Rosario replied that it will bring the department up to the <br />standards they are looking for, and added that the department also has their rescue water craft located <br />between Ha -puna and Spencer Beach. <br />FC Report No. 152 <br />