STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2447

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2336

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2336 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation for The Queen's Medical Center to increase the capacity of its emergency power generator system.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Department of Defense and The Queen's Medical Center.

     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.  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 consequences of insufficient emergency power became evident in the October 2006 Big Island earthquakes when power outages compromised the adequate functioning of the State's main trauma center.  Elevators, air conditioning, and the CT and MRI machines became inoperable or unusable.  Your Committee believes that this situation is clearly unacceptable in a widespread emergency. 

     The intent of your Committees 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.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2336 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health,

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair