Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Government Operations and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 53 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation and the county fire chiefs to collaborate and cooperate to reach a mutually agreeable solution over fire inspection responsibilities at the Honolulu International Airport and other state airports.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, the Honolulu Fire Department, and the State Fire Council.

The Department of Transportation has Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crews stationed at airports to carry out its responsibilities pursuant to Title 14, C.F.R. part 139. The Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting crews are not trained, and do not have the necessary staff, to conduct fire inspections of the airport areas.

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. Public safety requires that all state airports be inspected by knowledgeable fire inspectors, whether state or county firefighters.

Your Committees find that 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.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Government Operations and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 53, and recommend its adoption.