Report Title:
Emergency Energy Capacity; Disaster Preparedness
Description:
Appropriates funds to the State's only trauma center to upgrade generator capacity in order to ensure sufficient capacity in the event of a major disaster.
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2336 |
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TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO Disaster Preparedness.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that The Queen's Medical Center serves as the main trauma center in the Pacific basin and is the only level II trauma center in Hawaii approved by the American College of Surgeons. A trauma center is specially equipped and staffed to treat patients who have sustained complex, life-threatening injuries such as multiple gunshot wounds or severe internal injuries. A critical component of a fully equipped trauma center is an operating room containing diagnostic equipment and other life-support systems.
To support the continuing operation of a trauma center in the middle of a massive disaster, sufficient emergency energy capacity is vital. The Queen's Medical Center presently has five emergency generators with a total installed capacity of two thousand sixty-seven kilowatts. However, the estimated peak demand in the event of a disaster is six thousand kilowatts.
Part of the demand would be for operating infrastructure such as lighting, security, water supply, cooling, and ventilation systems necessary to keep the medical center operational. The remainder of the demand would be for powering vital life-sustaining equipment and diagnostic tools.
The additional energy capacity needed to accommodate the estimated peak demand will require the installation of four additional generators along with a new storage structure capable of withstanding the wind force of a category five hurricane. The estimated cost of the four additional generators, the storage structure, and related infrastructure is approximately $35,000,000.
The October 2006 earthquake and subsequent electrical power outage illustrates the importance of ensuring that emergency medical caregivers are provided with sufficient energy capacity in an emergency. On Oahu, approximately half of Hawaiian Electric Company customers' power was not restored until over fourteen hours after the earthquake. The Queen's Medical Center did not have its power restored until twelve hours after the earthquake and used its five generators in the interim.
During this period, The Queen's Medical Center did not have sufficient power to generate adequate air-conditioning. Due to the resulting high temperatures, essential computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scanners were rendered unusable for patient care. Had the outage lasted longer or if there had been an influx of medical emergencies, The Queen's Medical Center and its patients would have faced serious consequences.
The purpose of this Act is to provide financial support to The Queen's Medical Center to ensure that it remains ready to serve the community in a time of disaster.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $10,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for The Queen's Medical Center to increase the capacity of its emergency power generator system.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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