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| Hawaiʻi State Civil Defense | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Hawaiʻi State Civil Defense |
| Formed | 1951 |
| Preceding1 | Territorial Defense Agency |
| Jurisdiction | State of Hawaiʻi |
| Headquarters | Honolulu |
Hawaiʻi State Civil Defense is the state-level emergency management agency responsible for coordinating disaster preparedness and emergency response across the State of Hawaiʻi. It operates within the State of Hawaiʻi executive branch and coordinates with county civil defense agencies on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi (island), Maui (island), Kauaʻi and Molokaʻi to manage hazards such as volcanic eruption, tsunami, hurricane, flood, and wildfire. The agency integrates with federal partners including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and United States Geological Survey for hazard monitoring, warning, and recovery.
The agency traces its roots to territorial-era civil defense efforts after World War II and reorganizations following the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act era, leading to statutory establishment under Hawaiʻi state law in the mid-20th century; it has evolved alongside events such as the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and state responses to natural disasters. Major milestones include coordination during the 1960s Kona storm seasons, response adaptations after the Hurricane Iniki disaster, integration of National Weather Service warning protocols, and modernization following the September 11 attacks and post-Hurricane Katrina federal policy shifts. The agency’s history is linked to legislative changes in the Hawaii Revised Statutes and interagency agreements with the Department of Health (Hawaii), Department of Transportation (Hawaii), Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency predecessors, and county emergency management offices in Honolulu County, Hawaii County, Maui County, and Kauai County.
The agency’s structure aligns with statutory roles defined in the Hawaii Revised Statutes and includes an executive director or administrator who liaises with the Governor of Hawaii and state cabinet agencies like the Department of Defense (United States), Department of Human Services (Hawaii), and Department of Land and Natural Resources (Hawaii). Operational divisions commonly include plans and preparedness, operations and logistics, public information and warning, and recovery and mitigation sections that coordinate with county civil defense directors in City and County of Honolulu, County of Hawaii, County of Maui, and County of Kauai. The organization maintains mutual aid relationships with tribal entities such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and regional partners like the Pacific Islands Forum and the United States Indo-Pacific Command for catastrophic planning.
Primary functions encompass hazard assessment, evacuation planning, mass care coordination, continuity of operations planning, and disaster recovery program administration in collaboration with FEMA disaster declaration processes and the Small Business Administration for post-disaster loans. Responsibilities include coordinating search and rescue support involving agencies like the United States Coast Guard, National Guard (United States), and county fire departments such as the Honolulu Fire Department, organizing public shelter operations with American Red Cross, and integrating health surveillance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency also oversees infrastructure resilience work with the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and land use coordination linked to the Hawaii Land Use Commission during hazard mitigation planning.
Alerting systems managed or coordinated by the agency include statewide emergency notification networks, coordination with the National Weather Service for tsunami and tropical cyclone advisories, integration with the Emergency Alert System, and notification through the Wireless Emergency Alerts infrastructure in partnership with wireless carriers such as AT&T, Verizon Communications, and T-Mobile US. The agency uses siren networks, mass notification platforms, and public information channels including coordination with media partners like Hawaii News Now, KHON-TV, and Honolulu Star-Advertiser to disseminate warnings; it also implements protocols aligned with NOAA Weather Radio and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center advisories.
Preparedness initiatives include public education campaigns, community emergency response team programs modeled on FEMA curricula, school safety coordination with the Hawaii State Department of Education, and drills such as statewide tsunami evacuation exercises that involve entities like the University of Hawaii system and county emergency management offices. Training partnerships extend to the National Guard, United States Coast Guard Pacific Area, volunteer organizations like CERT chapters, non-governmental organizations such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, and private-sector stakeholders including Hawaiian Electric Industries and major tourism operators like Hawaii Tourism Authority partners to enhance business continuity and sheltering capabilities.
The agency has coordinated responses to notable events including Hurricane Iniki impacts in 1992, Kīlauea volcanic eruptions particularly during the 2018 Lower Puna eruption, tsunami events such as those triggered by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and the 2018 false missile alert incident affecting Oʻahu and statewide communications. Responses have involved federal disaster declarations coordinated with FEMA Region IX, search and rescue missions with the United States Coast Guard District 14, evacuation logistics with county police departments like the Hawaii County Police Department, and recovery funding administration linked to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance program.
The agency operates under statutes in the Hawaii Revised Statutes that define civil defense authority, emergency powers vested in the Governor of Hawaii, and coordination mechanisms with counties and federal agencies such as FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. Funding sources include state appropriations from the Hawaii State Legislature, federal grants such as the Stafford Act disaster assistance programs, FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program awards, and emergency preparedness grants administered through FEMA Region IX and the Department of Homeland Security. Financial oversight involves the Hawaii State Auditor and budgetary coordination with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and state budgetary offices.
Category:Emergency management in Hawaii Category:State agencies of Hawaii