WHEREAS, the state and county fire departments have jurisdiction over state-owned airport facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation has Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crews stationed at airports to carry out responsibilities pursuant to Title 14, C.F.R. part 139; and

WHEREAS, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crews located at airports are not trained and do not have the necessary staff to conduct fire inspections of the airport area; and

WHEREAS, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crews stationed at airports specialize in fighting fires at state airports and do not conduct fire inspections at the state airports, and that responsibility has been relegated to county fire departments; and

WHEREAS, section 261-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to aeronautics, defines "airport" as any area of land or water which is used, or intended for use, for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, and any appurtenant areas which are used, or intended for use, for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights-of-way, including approaches, together with all airport buildings and facilities located thereon; and

WHEREAS, the Honolulu International Airport is a vast area that encompasses much more than the actual airport facilities and includes surrounding buildings and warehouses, which take one year to inspect on an intermittent basis according to the Honolulu Fire Department; and

WHEREAS, current law requires the county fire chief to conduct fire inspections of state-owned buildings and facilities pursuant to sections 132-5 and 132-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

WHEREAS, section 132-6 specifically requires the State to conduct fire and safety inspections at all state-owned airport facilities at least once a year; and

WHEREAS, Senate Standing Committee Report No. 2964 of the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental Affairs on H.B. No. 2872 which enacted the above amendment to section 132-6 (Act 282, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998), stated in pertinent part:

and

WHEREAS, the public safety requires that all state airports be inspected by knowledgeable fire inspectors, whether state or county firefighters; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation and the county fire departments should work out an agreement to conduct fire inspections of airport facilities, particularly the Honolulu International Airport, notwithstanding the current law; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Department of Transportation and Honolulu Fire Department collaborate and cooperate to reach a mutually agreeable solution to fire inspection responsibilities at the Honolulu International Airport and other state airports; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation and the county fire chiefs work on a plan for the efficient and effective fire inspection of all airport facilities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007 on the progress towards reaching a solution or agreement on fire inspection responsibilities at Honolulu International Airport and other state airports; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, the Governor, the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, the Mayor of Maui County, the Mayor of Hawaii County, the Mayor of Kauai County, the State Fire Council, the Fire Chief of Honolulu, the Fire Chief of Hawaii County, the Fire Chief of Kauai County, and the Fire Chief of Maui County.

Report Title:

Fire Inspections; Airports