Radio proposal draws doubts at council meeting – West Hawaii Today

A Hawaii County Council proposal to bolster the island’s emergency communications network using amateur radio operators was met with some skepticism Tuesday.

The proposal, a resolution developed by Kohala Councilwoman Cindy Evans, would call for a working group of various stakeholders including representatives of the Civil Defense Agency, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Big Island Amateur Radio Club and others to develop a “county radio plan.”

That plan would establish partnerships between the county and various amateur and professional radio operators that would be able to disseminate vital information to remote areas of the island in case of an emergency.

“Coming out of (Lahaina), … what I realized is that, because of the size of our island, we have a lot of remote areas,” Evans said Tuesday during a meeting of the council’s Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs. “And if we lose the ability to have telephone and internet … how does the word get out? Ham radio operators definitely have potential to be there where they’re needed.”

But other council members were unconvinced, particularly after Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno testified about the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting.

“The county already has a radio committee made out of the different departments that utilize the radio system,” Magno said, adding that Civil Defense is also in the process of rebuilding a radio network that includes amateur radio operators.

Magno concluded that the resolution could needlessly complicate Civil Defense’s existing system, or potentially impede it.

Evans acknowledged Magno’s concerns and repeatedly emphasized that her resolution is not meant to be an indictment of Civil Defense’s abilities. Rather, she said, it is an opportunity for Civil Defense’s network to receive additional support from the County Council and potentially secure funding and resources from the state and federal governments.

“It’s not to say that people aren’t doing things, what it’s saying is ‘how can we do it better?’” Evans said.

Hamakua and Hilo Councilwomen Heather Kimball and Jenn Kagiwada questioned whether Evans worked with Magno and Civil Defense to improve their operations before resorting to a resolution. Evans said she had, and that her “sense of that conversation” was that the council can help the agency expand its operations and available resources.

Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy also said she was concerned about language in the resolution describing the radio plan as a document identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the county’s communication networks, including whether certain areas have inadequate infrastructure for emergency communications to reach.

“It’s great to share publicly what our weaknesses or our vulnerabilities are,” Lee Loy said. “But at a larger scale, I don’t want to put us at risk when it comes to deliver emergency information. … Let’s face it, we live in a time where some of this information could be utilized in a very nefarious way.”

While many council members supported the intent behind the resolution, most agreed it should be postponed until it can be revised.

The committee voted unanimously to postpone the matter until a future committee hearing.

Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.