Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan: 18. Risk Assessment

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Chapter IS:Risk Assessment Should the EOC become inoperable for any reason, there is a mobile command post that is ready as the alternate EOC. There is also a backup facility in Kona at the Department of Pub- lic Works' baseyard. 18.1.2 Emergency Shelters Shelters are a place of refuge for residents and visitors in anticipation of a hazard event and after the event as necessary. These shelters are primarily public facilities consisting of schools, parks, community centers and office buildings that have capacity to accommodate large numbers of people and are assumed to be basically structurally sound to withstand hurricanes (many of these facilities have not been evaluated for structural adequacy). This section evaluates adequacy in terms of location/capacity, structural integrity, and staffing. 18.1.2.1 Location and Capacity The current Civil Defense shelter inventory island wide is listed and illustrated in Chapter 17. Shelter needs depend on the hazard. For tsunamis, shelters are needed only for residents and visitors in the tsunami evacuation zone. Similarly, for lava flow hazards, shelters are needed only for residents in the lava inundation area. In contrast, shelter needs for hurricanes are widespread. For planning purposes, therefore, meeting the needs for hurricane shelter will ensure adequate shelter needs for all other hazards. A Hurricane Emergency Sheltering Plan developed by the State Civil Defense in 1998 utilized behavioral analyses studies to determine the amount of shelter space government must be capable of providing for evacuees in public facilities."' Information obtained from the Oahu behavioral analyses provided information about likely evacuation rates, i.e., the percentage of the population that will evacuate in response to advisories from local officials, and the evacuation destinations-- i.e., the percentages of evacuees who would seek shelter in public facilities, as compared to homes of relatives and friends, hotels and other destinations. Based on the data collected, the State's sheltering plan utilized the following averages to determine public sheltering needs: • Average percentage of people leaving their homes for another location: • Weak Storm-60 percent Strong Storm-90 percent • Average percentage of those leaving their homes who will go to public shelters: • All Storms-35 percent Applying these guidelines to determine the resident shelter needs for strong storms in Hawaii County, the greatest deficiencies are in North Kona, followed by South Hilo, Puna, and South Kohala (see Table 18-1). The total shortfall based on the stated assumptions is 9,100 spaces. The only districts which have excess capacity arc North Hilo and Hamakua. 83 State of Hawaii,Department of Defense,State Civil Defense Division,Hurricane Emergency Sheltering Plan,December 1998. 18-3 Hawaii County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan