Disaster Management in Hawaii: The Role of Coordination and Training
Objective:                                To advance the knowledge and application of the role of coordination and training in the response and effective disaster management.
Data/Methodology/Approach:              A case study approach that utilizes a combination of a survey of emergency managers and literature review that includes a comparison of survey data collected in 2004 with survey data collected in 2007 from a similar sample of 100 local emergency managers in Hawaii. The survey includes questions on existing agency emergency and disaster management coordination and training, and ways in which these important aspects of emergency management can be improved.
Findings/Conclusion:              Hawaii’s unique geography and experience in responding to a variety of natural disasters (i.e. tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, etc.) have provided opportunities to experiment with new methods of emergency management coordination and training.  The comparison of survey results from 2004 with that of 2007 survey results of emergency managers reveal improvements in some aspects of coordination and training in 2007. The follow-up survey in 2007  revealed  that new and existing technologies and training techniques have been effective in improving  several aspects of emergency management training particularly in the coordination and effective implementation of new technologies involving communications systems for first responders to disasters. However, many respondents agree that there is still need for improvement in several aspects of coordination and training identified in the 2004 survey of disaster managers.