By Cindy Knapman
The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program recently released the Guidance for Disaster Recovery Preparedness in Hawaiʻi (PDF), a publication to help coastal communities plan to recover from disasters before they strike.
The guidance document is intended to help state and county agencies establish recovery practices and protocols before a disaster hits. Its guidance will enable communities to recover quickly while also improving resilience to future disasters, adapting to climate change and sea-level rise, and protecting sensitive environments.
“It is no secret that our shorefront development is highly vulnerable to hurricanes and other events. Impacts from flooding, high waves and erosion will worsen in coming decades with sea level rise and other climate change related effects,” said project leader Brad Romine, Sea Grant coastal management and resilience specialist. “Our emergency management agencies are well-prepared and have worked tirelessly in their response to recent disasters. However, we need to improve our preparedness, particularly for longer-term recovery and rebuilding following a disaster.”
The publication was developed in partnership with the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resource and Office of Planning, and Tetra Tech, Inc., with funding support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.