Hazards, Climate, and Environment Program

1. FLASH FLOOD CONFERENCE SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA, 13-17 MARCH 2006Making the Last Mile in Reaching the Users Hazards, Climate, and Environment Program Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Cheryl L. Anderson, Director, Hazards, Climate & Environment Program

2. Journey in Risk Management • All Hazards Approach • We are the Users • Disaster Risk Management Process

3. Why Engage in a Disaster Risk Management Process? • Reduce loss of life • Reduce costs associated with disaster and from chronic hazards & repetitive loss • Maximize limited resources for research, planning, mitigation, response

4. EXAMPLE: Costs of Disasters in Hawaiian Islands 1959 – present Date Disaster Amount of Damage 10/2004 Manoa Flooding >$120 million 11/2000 Hilo Flooding ~$50 million 9/10-11/92 Hurricane Iniki $ 1.6 billion 11/23/83 Hurricane Iwa $239 million 1/8-10/80 Kona Storm $ 12.9 million 5/23/60 tsunami $ 23 million 8/4-6/59 Hurricane Dot $ 6 million 4/1946 tsunami $ 26 million And Loss of Life…. Loss of Employment and Long-Term Economic Viability *dollars given in the year damage occurred

5. is taking action to permanently reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and their property from the damaging effects of natural hazards Hazard mitigation planning

6. Mitigation Planning is Easy but only if… You Have First Conducted a Risk and Vulnerability Assessment

7. Do you know... • what your most costly hazards are? • where your highest risk locations are? • which of your critical facilities are most vulnerable to hazards? • where your most vulnerable populations live? • how susceptible your local economy is to hazards? • what environmental resources are most at risk? • what your best opportunities are to mitigate future impacts from natural disasters?

8. Floods Impacts from… Storms Seismic Activities Erosion Droughts & Fires Waves & High Surf

9. Risk and Vulnerability Assessments: • Identify Multiple Hazard Risks • Identify Critical Facilities & Infrastructure • Identify other Critical Assets for Protection (Economic, Environmental, Social, Cultural, Governmental) • Identify gaps, synergy, and opportunities

10. Data Management: GIS Layers Special Flood Hazard Areas Land Use Transportation Surface Waters Boundaries Geodetic Control Elevation Aerial Imagery

11. Analysis and Modeling Special Flood Hazard Areas Repetitive Loss Critical Infrastructure Structures Aerial Imagery

14. Kauai County Mitigation Process • Critical Infrastructure – hardening & relocating, such as Waimea & Kapaa Fire Stations • Building Codes - What does Kauai intend to do about new standards? • Floodand Community Rating System (CRS) • Land Use County Culvert State Culvert

15. Locating Populations at Risk • Isolated Populations • People Living in Poor Conditions • People on the Fringe of Society • Special Needs

16. Gender and Society in Hawai‘i • Households – female-headed 12.4% of households representing 20.6% of those below poverty line; w/children under 5,poverty is 37.4% • Food Insecurity: Hawaiian female single-headed households with children highest insecurity and at greatest health risk • Occupations – Hawaii has slightly more women in the labor force than US average; women earned $.82/$1.00 earned by men; women are in fewer managerial positions than US average; HI established a Pay Equity Task Force

17. Recognize Unique Geographies and Environments

18. RVA Requires Partnershipand Collaboration

19. RVA Establishes a Process for Disaster Risk Management • Builds Coordinating Mechanisms among Agencies and Organizations • Establishes Baseline Information and Incorporates New Technologies • Manages Critical Data • Incorporates Multiple Perspectives, Needs, and Vulnerabilities • Provides a Trusted Network for Hazard Mitigation Planning & Implementation