HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 049 Draft 01 2016-2018COUNTY OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION NO.
STATE OF HAWAII
49 17
A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE
FUNDS TO EMPLOY LIFEGUARDS AND TO PURCHASE A LIFEGUARD TOWER
AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT FOR KUA BAY AT KEKAHA KAI STATE PARK.
WHEREAS, Kua Bay at Kekaha Kai State Park (Kua Bay) in North Kona, is under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and currently does not
provide lifeguard protection for its users; and
WHEREAS, lifeguards act as primary responders for onshore emergencies and provide
injury control and dispatch ocean rescue services to address dangerous incidents in near shore
waters, where the majority of ocean recreation activity takes place; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Department of Health, Injury Prevention and Control
Division and the Hawaii Fire Department, Ocean Safety Division, have reported that from 2008
through 2016, there were three fatal drownings, three near drownings, 10 spinal cord injuries,
one cardiac arrest, one shark siting, various other serious and minor injuries, and numerous
distressed swimmers at Kua Bay; and
WHEREAS, skilled -lifeguards, appropriate rescue equipment, and a lifeguard tower for
adequate field of sight are essential to save lives and prevent injuries at the heavily -visited Kua
Bay; and
WHEREAS, West Hawaii residents have voiced strong concerns regarding the alarming
number of reported and unreported incidents which have occurred at Kua Bay; and
WHEREAS, operational costs as estimated by the Hawaii Fire Department, Ocean
Safety Division, to employ four lifeguards (water safety officers) for one year at Kua Bay would
be $321,696 (salary and benefits of $80,424 per lifeguard, to staff a two person lifeguard tower,
seven days per week); and
WHEREAS, the start-up costs for equipment as estimated by the Hawaii Fire
Department, Ocean Safety Division, for Kua Bay for the first year would total $80,000: $60,000
for a lifeguard tower (one-time start-up cost); $8,000 for an all -terrain vehicle (start-up cost, to
be replaced every four years thereafter); $8,000 for radios (start-up cost, to be replaced every
four years subsequently); $3,000 for rescue equipment (bi-annually); $1,000 for personal
protective equipment (annually); and
WHEREAS, the total for operational costs, together with start-up costs of equipment for
the first year would be $401,696, with an annual budgeted amount of $325,696 for three years
thereafter; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, that the
Hawai`i State Legislature is strongly urged to appropriate funds in the amount of$401,696, for
salaries and benefits, equipment costs and other related expenses, for four lifeguards at Kua Bay
at Kekaha Kai State Park for the fiscal year 2017-2018, and $325,696 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for the fiscal year 2018-2019 to continue this program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor of the State of Hawai`i is urged to
release funds in the amount of$401,696, in fiscal year 2017-2018 and $325,696 or so much
thereof as may be necessary for the fiscal year 2018-2019 to ensure the timely implementation,
and continuation of, this program.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Governor David Y. Ige; the Honorable Representative Cindy Evans;
the Honorable Representative Nicole Lowen; the Honorable Representative Sylvia Luke, Chair
of the Committee on Finance; the Honorable Representative Ty J. K. Cullen, Vice Chair of the
Committee on Finance; the Honorable Representative Ryan I. Yamane, Chair of the Committee
on Water and Land; Representative Sam Satoru Kong, Vice Chair of the Committee on Water
and Land; the Honorable Suzanne Case, Chairperson for the Department of Land and Natural
Resources; Chief Darren Rosario, Hawai`i Fire Department; and the Honorable Hawai`i County
Mayor, Harry Kim.
Dated at Kona , Hawai`i, this 25th day of January , 2017.
INTRODUCED BY:
(=KA-144-74i-
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawai`i AYES ' NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawai`i CHUNG X
DAVID X
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by EOFF X
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the KANUHA
County of Hawaii on January 25, 2017 X
LEE LOY X
O'HARA X
ATTEST: POINDEXTER X
RICHARDS X
RUGGLES X
-1;7 C tc/-
9 0 0 0
Reference: C-67/Waived GREDC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 49 17
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