On June 27th, 2014 a new lava flow began a long journey towards the sea. Significant was that it flowed to the North East. Traditionally (for more than 20 years) lava flows had flowed downhill towards the South East. This is the first of a number of posts dealing with the players, analysis of hazard and risk, preparation, response and recovery.
Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency has always recognized that we are like the 3M Commercial..."we don't make the tape...we make it stickier". What this means is we have always recognized that for any emergency or disaster there is a "lead agency". The lead agency for volcano or lava flows is the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO). The HVO has a team of professionals that are dedicated to their field. They are the subject matter experts that advise and direct the Civil Defense Agency.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency also recognizes that in all disasters there are supporting agencies. For the hazard and risk of a lava flow; key supporting agencies are; Office of the Mayor, Police, Fire, Department of Public Works, Information Technology, Department of Environmental Management, State Highways, State Department of Land and Natural Resource-Enforcement, National Guard, and State Civil Defense - Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency takes the role of maintaining the 'physical plant' of the emergency response in order to empower the lead and supporting agencies. Their key mission is the collection and analysis of information in order to convert it into intelligence. It can then be presented in a common operational picture so that lead and supporting agencies, and the executive, can make informed decisions regarding planning, preparedness and response actions and priorities.
Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency has always recognized that we are like the 3M Commercial..."we don't make the tape...we make it stickier". What this means is we have always recognized that for any emergency or disaster there is a "lead agency". The lead agency for volcano or lava flows is the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO). The HVO has a team of professionals that are dedicated to their field. They are the subject matter experts that advise and direct the Civil Defense Agency.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency also recognizes that in all disasters there are supporting agencies. For the hazard and risk of a lava flow; key supporting agencies are; Office of the Mayor, Police, Fire, Department of Public Works, Information Technology, Department of Environmental Management, State Highways, State Department of Land and Natural Resource-Enforcement, National Guard, and State Civil Defense - Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency takes the role of maintaining the 'physical plant' of the emergency response in order to empower the lead and supporting agencies. Their key mission is the collection and analysis of information in order to convert it into intelligence. It can then be presented in a common operational picture so that lead and supporting agencies, and the executive, can make informed decisions regarding planning, preparedness and response actions and priorities.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency Emergency Operations Center
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