Center to receive more than $4 million for disaster preparedness
University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaContact:
Posted: Sep 15, 2011
The UH Mānoa Natural Disaster Preparedness and Training Center will receive $4.71 million to develop and continue training programs designed to prepare Hawaiʻi’s first responders for manmade or natural disasters, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Daniel K. Akaka and Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa announced today.
The funds will be made available through the Homeland Security National Training Program to the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (HSNTP-NDPC), administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The HSNTP-NDPC funds ongoing federal, state, and local efforts to support the design, development, and delivery of training programs that support the national priorities identified by the Department.
The money helps fund and expand programs at the Natural Disaster Preparedness and Training Center at the University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa.
UH Mānoa operates one of five national centers responsible for the study of border security and immigration; explosives detection, mitigation and response; maritime, island and port security; natural disasters, coastal infrastructure and emergency management; and transportation security.
The University of Hawaiʻi helps develop strategies to assist state, county, and federal first responders prepare, prevent and respond to manmade disasters like a terrorist attack or natural disasters such as a hurricane or tsunami.
“The University of Hawaii is a leader in the development of natural disaster training, in particular disaster response and recovery and the construction of resilient communities. Training is ongoing, not only in Hawaii, but in the U.S. territories in the Pacific. Hawaii’s isolated location in the middle of the Pacific means we have to protect our residents and visitors from a wide array of threats. Our first responders must prepare for and deal with a unique set of challenges faced only by island communities surrounded by the sea. Our experience with these disasters allowed us to develop innovative strategies and training models for use around the world. I am very pleased that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognizes The University of Hawaiʻi’s expertise and is working to fund initiatives that keep communities safe,” said Senator Inouye.
"The better prepared we are to respond to a disaster; the more likely we are to recover quickly. Hawai‘i will benefit from this important funding to prepare first responders in disaster management,” said Senator Akaka, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
“The safety and security of our citizens is our country’s top priority,” said Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Because of Hawaiʻi’s location in the Pacific, it is vital our emergency first responders and local officials are ready to respond, and prepared to help our communities recover from any type of disaster. I am pleased the Department of Homeland Security is awarding these grants to support these critical training programs.”