Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan: Executive Summary

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Executive Summafv Risk Assessment Risk can be defined as exposure to the chance of loss or injury. Critical Facilities and Special Populations/Areas This plan focused on mitigating hazards to critical facilities and special populations or areas. Critical facilities include those public and private facilities that need to be operational during and after a hazard event to meet public health and safety needs, or to speed economic recov- ery. These facilities include: • Emergency response facilities-- Civil Defense Emergency Operations Center, emergency shelters, fire and ambulance stations, hospitals, police stations, Department of Public Works base yards; • Infrastructure lifeline facilities-- transportation (harbors, airports, roads/bridges), energy (electrical, fuel, gas), communication (wired/cabled telecommunication, wireless), water, wastewater; • Recovery facilities-- debris clearing and disposal, car rentals,buses, financial institutions, survival and building supplies; • Secondary hazard facilities-- facilities that increase the hazard risk if damaged, including wastewater facilities and hazardous waste sites. A study of the critical facilities on the Big Island has been preformed to evaluate and rank the vulnerability of each building to the above hazards. Loss estimations have been developed and a benefit cost analysis of potential retrofits will be performed on facilities of highest priority. This study will be detailed in Chapter 16; this loss estimation information is used as one of several criteria to prioritize the allocation of limited resources to mitigate hazards. Estimates of historical and potential future losses for each of the above hazards can be further refined in future updates of the plan to rank the severity of the risk imposed by each hazard. Special populations identified with demographic data are those that are more vulnerable and may require special assistance to prepare, evacuate, or recover include: • Young and elderly; • Non-English speakers; • Persons with disabilities. Special areas that are more vulnerable and may require special assistance to prepare, evacuate, or recover include: • Schools, day care centers, and nursing homes; • Residences and buildings built before 1985 under building code additions prior to the adoption of the 1982 UBC and therefore more susceptible to hurricane and earthquake damage; • Residences and buildings in high hazard areas; • Remote residences that are distant from sirens or off-grid; • Hotels and resorts, due to their economic importance; Xi Hawaii County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan