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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PRPSC 2022/05/31 2020-2022Committee on Parks and Recreation and Public Safety 30th Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawai i May 31, 2022 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Parks and Recreation and Public ORDER: Safety was called to order at 12:42 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Chair Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member (came in later) Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member (via videoconference from Kona) Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member (via videoconference from Kona) Absent & Excused: Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: The Chair called Dwight Vicente, who registered to comment regarding Comm. 803, and came forward when called. CHR. INABA: For the record, I am participating in this meeting from Hilo chambers. And we're going to move to Communication 803. COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 803: REQUESTS A DISCUSSION WITH THE HAWAII COUNTY CITIZEN'S CORPS COUNCIL REGARDING THE PROJECT 360 INITIATIVE AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated May 12, 2022. Motion to Close File: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to close file on Comm. 803. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. PRPSC-30 May 31, 2022 CHR. INABA: Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. I wanted to bring forward Susie Bond, she's one of the founding members of the Hawaii County Citizen's Corps active member of VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) neighborhood watch, you name it. She's involved in community. And she really wanted to pull together a quick update to the Council and community at large, because we are entering hurricane season and I know that a lot of work has been done to prepare efforts regarding households and neighborhood planning through the Project 360 Initiative. So just wanted to provide a platform for Susie, to share a bit more. And also let us know in the community where we might be able to access this information online, and if there are more sort of extensive workshops that your group offers. So that in case folks have questions, they know where to go. Thank you, Susie. (Note: At this time, Hawaii County Citizen Corps Chair Susie Bond came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. BOND: Thank you. The Hawaii County Citizen Corps Council is made up of the American Red Cross; the Hawaii County CERT, which is Community Emergency Response Teams; the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC); the Hawai i County Neighborhood Watch; Hawaii County VOAD, which is Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters; Hawaii County Civil Defense; Hawaii Fire Department; Hawaii County Research and Development; the Hawaii Police Department; and Hawai` i County Parks and Rec; at the moment. I personally have been the current Chair for about five years. I've been active with Citizen's Corp since 2008. I have responded—I've worked in preparedness, response and recovery since 2006. I've worked on the 2006 earthquake, the tsunami, Hurricane Iselle, the 2018 eruption, and the flooding from Hurricane Lane. And I've worked with State, local, and national VOAD partners. When I'm not doing this, I actually run a theater company in volcano. And we're getting ready to start our summer musical, which will be the Mikado. So I hope to garner support as well too. So all I do is work with community people, and I do it all for free. The other thing that I find fascinating from this last testifier, is that I am a four family six generation missionary descendent. All four families joined the Hawaiian Kingdom, gave up their American citizenship to become citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom which was then changed when it reverted. So I find it fascinating that he doesn't call me a citizen, because actually I am of his kingdom too. As a little side note. So the Hawaii County, Citizen Corps Council with Civil Defense started Project 360 in May of 2019. And we rolled it out to the County Council, and to the Page 2 PRPSC-30 May 31, 2022 public in October of 2019. Originally it was a three-year plan to get communities around Hawaii Island to be more prepared. The plan consisted of prep -fairs, participation and community based meetings, and gatherings to promote community and personal preparedness. And then COVID came along, and a lot of those efforts were put on hold until recently. Project 360 has four pillars of focus and support that target developing community resilience, which are as follows: to increase the number of individuals and families with an emergency plan; to get them to sign up for Civil Defense alert messages, the national weather service, and other apps to keep aware of our environment; to develop an emergency plan, and to that we have developed our Project 360 `ohana emergency plan. We specifically wrote this plan to be at like fifth -grade local level so that it spoke to the people here instead of all those other books that were written for everybody else. This was written just for us. We took a lot of stuff out of there, but it has things about, you know, like the pictures of our spam and vienna sausage. You know, so the people see that we actually thought about things here. Also like tarp garages that should to be lowered and un-bungeed in the event that a hurricane comes. And oh yeah, put a garbage bag in your garbage can, and fill it water and you got water. So little tips like that are in here also. Putting all of your documents on a jump drive, so that you got them. You know, deeds, insurance, and all of that. So I have these, and I'll leave these for you. And if you need more, contact me we can get you buckets of these things. The second pillar is to increase the number of communities on Hawaii Island with a community emergency plan. Like the first pillar, it is important that the communities are prepared. It's a key area. Along with `ohana emergency plan efforts, to the County Council can really make a difference. Reflecting on major disasters as Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and Maria, it comes clear that community resilience is the key. And the key to community resilience, is best be achieved through individual and community emergency planning. It's also a likelihood that there will be neighborhoods that will be cut off. You know, like especially along the Hamakua Coast. So to have somebody who's a radio operator; to have somebody in your neighborhood who is kind of like the coordinator, is really kind of a vital thing to have. Number three is to increase the number of CERT teams the Community Emergency Response Teams once again so that we have the CERT program was actually formed in 2002 when President Bush announced the formation of Citizen Corps. And it's the answer to the lack of volunteerism training, and partner-shippinga new word we came up with—opportunities across the U.S. which was a direct result of the 911 incidents, where thousands of volunteers wanted to help, but there's no way to really get them to help because they didn't have the training that you need to do things like that. Page 3 PRPSC-30 May 31, 2022 And the fourth one is develop a community-based emergency communications plan. We've been trying very hard to get radio communication all the way around the island, and in all communities. Tim who happens to be my cousin, three years ago we got a bunch of repeaters that were put in on the other side so that we could bolster the radio communication. And it says mahalo to Council Woman Val Poindexter and Tim Richards, for their support and effort to get the two-way radios. So in spite of COVID Project 360 continues to make strides in these four areas of community resilience. And we continue to seek your support, and partner - shipping in this program. We are part of the Kilauea Recovery Plan as well, Project 360. So the two things we're asking for and they're not big asks, but they are asks. Is that you let us know of any opportunities in your communities for us to come set up a table about preparedness, to get people to sign up for CERT teams, neighborhood watch, which is another big important part of our group, to get them so that your neighborhoods are connected to each other. So if you have any forms let us know, and you can let us know through Civil Defense through Talmadge of Bill Hanson. And I will also leave you a little stack of my cards, so you can get ahold of me as well. And the second is the old money one. If you got any money that you can throw our way, I know it's the end of the year and you might just have a little tiny bit somewhere. We could use it for neighborhood watch signs, for vests, shirts for responders in an event. And also so that we can keep printing our lovely Project 360 emergency handbooks. So thank you very much for your efforts, and building community resilience. And thank you very much for your time today, we really appreciate it. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Mahalo, Susie, for that really kind of quick overview. I could spend all day and probably all week just talking about emergency management and preparedness. So thank you for that high-level overview. I really appreciate it when you kind of called attention to the importance of saving documentation, I think during lava that was really evident. Once everything was covered you couldn't access your documents, so thank you for calling that out specifically. MS. BOND: That was a huge problem. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: And just the fact that we've experienced so many natural disasters over the last decade, it really behooves us to make sure that having your household in order, your neighborhood in order, that preparedness piece really has to be part of our island life style. And with the influx of new folks kind of moving to the island, and folks relocating to other districts. Really good opportunity to get to know your neighbor and really cement that relationship, Page 4 PRPSC-30 May 31, 2022 which really comes into high value during times of disaster. So thank you for that. And your pitch for money, I am working on an amendment. Because after meeting with Civil Defense and knowing that there's only $25,000 to support CERT teams and neighborhood watches around the island. I mean that's an abysmal amount, so we have to make sure we are supporting you folks. Because you do serve a really important function, as it relates to emergency preparedness. So thank you. Is any of this available online, the Project 360 booklet? MS. BOND: We do have a link, and I will find the link and get it to you. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: That would be perfect. MS. BOND: So that people can actually download this. Some of the other things that has in here too, are like plans where to meet your family that type of thing. We have one sister who lives on the mainland, one on Oahu, and three of us here on this island. So if anything happens we all call the sister on the mainland, so that everybody checks in and we know that we're all safe with her. And then if she hasn't heard from somebody in a certain amount of time, then she starts to reach out. It's like a backup plan if something were to happen on Oahu we would all—that's how Carol could connect with us. So it's a little thing you don't really think about it, and making sure your kids know their phone numbers. I used to teach theatre arts at Volcano School, and I could not believe how many middle schoolers do not know their phone number, do not know their address. So it's something that's kind of a small thing, but it's a huge thing when you ask them this question. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Yeah. And a lot of great information to have documented before the moment of crisis when we are all in very high stress, high adrenaline mode that's not the time to kind of being planning. Thank you Susie. Yes, if you get me that information, I'd be able put forward the MS. BOND: I will. I'll get you to the link, I'll will leave you the books. I can send you this information too, if you want to spread that out too. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Yes, I will. I'll transmit a formal communication to my colleagues so that it's part of the record. Thanks for your patience today, we really appreciate you being here. Mahalo nui, Chair, I yield. CHR. INABA: Thank you. Anybody else, questions, comments? Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. I just have one suggestion. The books are great, I'm just very mindful of our disability community. And if there is a way to build, you know, close captioning, having people read it and provide close captioning. Other Page 5 PRPSC-30 May 31, 2022 tools where those who may not have the skillset is available. And I share that Susie, because there will be funding available to touch our disability community that you guys can access to help build a playbook for them. And of course it's available for their caregivers, but I just know that there's tools available and funding available. So thank you, Chair, for allowing me to share that. And I look forward to MS. BOND: That's a great idea. MS. LEE LOY: Yes, building that. MS. BOND: I know that we have a caregivers to go thing, and a children, a baby—you know, what do you need for baby? What do need for people who are elderly, or sick? But I don't think we've ever thought about this. So we'll work on that one. CHR. INABA: Thank you, Susie, our apologies again, for having you wait today. With that there's a motion on the floor to close file on Communication 803, all those in favor, please say "aye." Vote on Comm. 803: The motion to close file on Comm. 803 was carried Filed by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Chair Inaba – 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Richards –1. Excused: None. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 1:01 p.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn MENT: the meeting. Seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Chair Inaba – 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Richards –1. Excused: None. Page 6 PRPSC-30 CHR. INABA: This meeting is adjourned at 1:01 p.m. Mahalo. Approved: r. Holeka Goro Inaba, Chair Parks and Recreation and Public Safety Committee HI/rk /�,/Z (Date) May 31, 2022 Page 7