HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	269
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

DEVELOPING HAWAII'S NATIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TRAINING AND CONSULTATION PROGRAM FOR PRIVATE, GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-PROFIT ENTITIES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON AT-RISK COMMUNITIES.

     WHEREAS, the Legislature is aware of the importance of Hawaii's kupuna and therefore established the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving and the Kupuna Caucus; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature further acknowledges the need to assist frail and vulnerable elders by enacting legislation to provide for adult protective services, to protect the structural integrity of nursing homes and other institutions, to maintain the safety of elderly residents in condominiums, and other measures that will enable elders to "age in place" when a natural disaster occurs"; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature is also aware of the potential for greater damage and injury to the elderly and handicapped populations in the event of natural disasters, absent adequate natural disaster preparation and training; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature is aware of the nursing home deaths which occurred in New Orleans during Hurricane Rita, and wants to be prepared to prevent against a similar incident occurring in Hawaii in the event of a hurricane, tsunami, or other natural disaster; and

     WHEREAS, there are thousands of elders living alone in condominiums in Hawaii and other multi-unit buildings where there are no emergency plans or procedures to meet the immediate and short-term needs of the elderly and handicapped individuals during the occurrence of a natural disaster; and

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii is developing a federally-funded Natural Disaster Preparedness Training Center  and program for governmental, private, and nonprofit entities, with an emphasis on the community preparedness as it relates to at-risk populations, as well as conducting research that will contribute to the effectiveness of the Center's training and consultation activities; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that the Director of the University of Hawaii Natural Disaster Preparedness Training Center is requested to provide program training, research, and other activities designed to meet the needs of the at-risk elderly and handicapped populations during the occurrence of natural disasters; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of the University of Hawaii Natural Disaster Preparedness Training Center periodically consult with the Chairpersons of the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving and the Kupuna Caucus, or their successor organizations, if any, in their capacity of concerned "stakeholders", as to the Center's progress in carrying out the above activities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii Natural Disaster Preparedness Training Center is requested to work with appropriate legislative bodies to strengthen the State's capacity to meet the needs of the elderly and handicapped populations in the event of natural disasters; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the University of Hawaii Natural Disaster Preparedness Training Center, and the Chairpersons of the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving and the Kupuna Caucus.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

NATURAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TRAINING FOR AT-RISK COMMUNITIES.