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COMMENTARY Proactive approach is key to Isle security By Rep. Bob Herkes |
Hawai'i is the only state in the nation hit by every type of natural disaster, yet our preparedness for the next one is inadequate at best.
This past year should have been a wakeup call for us all. Instead, we patted ourselves on the back and said everything is OK, because we have plans in place with numerous groups working on various projects.
Tell that to the people on Kaua'i who lost loved ones when the Kaloko dam burst, or to the people in windward O'ahu who lost property to flooding, or to those in South Kona and Ka'u when their schools and homes flooded and the roads closed. Ask them how prepared we were.
We need to prepare, not react. We appropriated millions of dollars to deal with past problems, but did not do enough to prepare for future events.
Last year, after Hurricane Katrina hit, I attended the annual meeting of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators. Experts at the conference warned us to be prepared. Global warming and rising ocean temperatures and levels are precursors to more natural disasters. NCOIL is a bipartisan group of lawmakers from around the country, but they were united in decrying the "Air Force One solution to natural disasters" — where the president flies to New Orleans, opens the plane's door, drops a billion dollars and declares a solution to the natural disaster.
Next year, the Legislature and the administration alike must do better.
In January, I and Rep. Ken Ito, House chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, met with experts — including five University of Hawai'i professors with expertise in natural disasters; representatives from the insurance, financial and real estate industries; a civil engineer; and the director of Civil Defense — to develop a natural disaster preparedness plan for Hawai'i. The plan did not survive the legislative session, but I strongly believe we need this plan to prepare for the next disaster and it should be our top priority next session.
The plan revolves around a map of Hawai'i indicating where and with what anticipated intensity, natural disasters may strike our state. We cannot fortify buildings or address building code issues without this basic information.
UH experts assured us that this information could be developed accurately by creating a geographic information system map of Hawai'i. I recently asked Sen. Daniel Inouye's staff to pursue this issue with the U.S. Geological Survey, which has the capability and responsibility to develop these maps.
The plan also would provide for:
These are reasonable steps to protect Hawai'i's people.
There are many risks with not having an aggressive long-range plan, but let me give you one very practical example. Recently, Zephyr Insurance Co., the largest provider of wind insurance in Hawai'i, issued new underwriting guidelines that will make it very difficult for local homeowners to obtain insurance, but they are necessary precautions because the state has not established natural disaster impact zones or adopted building codes to mitigate damage in these zones. As a result, nearly all Big Island homes may not be covered for wind damage.
Consider: Under Zephyr's guidelines, there will be no coverage for single-wall construction, even though it is unclear what kind of natural disaster may affect single-wall construction. If you live in a flood zone, you are required to retrofit for flood, but try finding out where the flood zones are and if they are accurate.
Zephyr Insurance will require retrofitting for buildings built before the adoption of the 1992 or 1993 building codes. Hawai'i County's building code is the 1991 version.
The oceanfront at Keauhou on Hawai'i island is about 30 feet high. A half-mile inland, homes at an elevation of about 500 feet may have to retrofit for flood because there are no natural disaster zones established.
The Volcano community recently asked Civil Defense where they should go in the event of a natural disaster, and the answer was "Thurston Lava Tube." This is a location that is difficult to reach, and lacks water, lights, supplies, etc.
This just shows how ill-prepared we are. We cannot wait. A long-term natural disaster plan must be a top priority in the next legislative session, and we must put aside our collective egos and work to protect our people and their property.
State Rep. Bob Herkes is chairman of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
