Few areas ace disaster review

Honolulu is among the bulk with mixed scores for emergency communications

WASHINGTON » Only six of 75 U.S. metropolitan areas won the highest grades for their emergency agencies' ability to communicate during a disaster, five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to a federal report obtained yesterday by The Associated Press.

A draft portion of the report, to be released today, gives the best ratings to Washington, D.C; San Diego; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Columbus, Ohio; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Laramie County, Wyo.

Honolulu was among the remaining, lower-scoring 69 areas. The lowest scores went to Chicago; Cleveland; Baton Rouge, La.; Mandan, N.D.; and American Samoa. The report included large and small cities and their suburbs, along with U.S. territories.

In an overview, the report said all 75 areas surveyed have policies in place for helping their emergency workers communicate. But it cautioned that regular testing and exercises are needed "to effectively link disparate systems."

It also said that while cooperation among emergency workers is strong, "formalized governance (leadership and planning) across regions has lagged."

The Homeland Security Department study was likely to add fuel to what looms as a battle in Congress this year. Democrats who take over the majority this week have promised to try fixing the problem emergency agencies have communicating with each other, but have not said specifically what they will do, how much it will cost or how they will pay for it.

In the study to be released today, communities were judged in three categories: operating procedures in place, use of communications systems and how effectively local governments have coordinated in preparation for a disaster.

Honolulu received a more than satisfactory grade for use of its communications system. It also received intermediate scores for governance and standard operating procedures.

The scores were based on a full-scale exercise the city put on at the Aloha Stadium in July 2006 called "Poi Bowl 2006," done as a requirement for federal grants, said Peter Hirai, acting administrator for Oahu Civil Defense.

Hirai said his group is working with state Civil Defense to expand communications from local agencies to a regional basis.

Eventually officials want to expand communications to all agencies, such as public works and environmental protection.

Maj. Gen. Robert Lee, director of state Civil Defense, said he wants Honolulu to get high scores in all categories. "We are working with the city to get more homeland security dollars for (emergency communication)," Lee said.

Cutbacks in annual funding for homeland security for Hawaii dropped to $14 million last year from an estimated $22 million in previous years.

Lee said he saw much improvement in communications during the earthquakes that occurred off the Big Island on Thanksgiving weekend, compared with problems Oct. 15 following two earthquakes that shook the isles.