Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: "Agency" means the Hawaii emergency management agency. "Assistance" means emergency responders and resources provided by a responding member county in response to a request from a requesting member county. "County" means the city and county of Honolulu or the county of Hawaii, Kauai, or Maui; provided that the county of Maui shall include the county of Kalawao for the purposes of this chapter. "Emergency" means an event or set of circumstances that: (1) Demands immediate action to preserve public health, protect life and public property, or provide relief to any stricken community overtaken by the event or circumstance; or (2) Reaches a dimension or degree of destructiveness as to warrant the declaration of a state of emergency or local state of emergency, pursuant to section 127A-14. "Emergency responder" means: (1) An employee of a responding member county who is designated in writing by that responding member county as possessing skills, qualifications, training, knowledge, or experience that may be necessary, pursuant to a request for assistance under this chapter, for: (A) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (B) Participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency; or (2) Any person with specialized equipment operations skills or training or any other skills necessary to provide aid in an emergency, regardless of whether the person possesses a license, certificate, permit, or other official recognition for expertise in a particular field or area of knowledge. "Emergency responder" includes but is not limited to law enforcement officers, fire fighters, emergency medical services personnel, physicians, nurses, other public health personnel, emergency management personnel, and public works personnel. "Operational control" means the limited authority to direct tasks, assignments, and use of assistance provided pursuant to a request for assistance issued under this chapter to address: (1) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (2) Participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency. "Operational control" does not include any right, privilege, or benefit of ownership or employment, including disposition, compensation, wages, salary, pensions, health benefits, leave, seniority, discipline, promotion, hiring, or firing. "Requesting member county" means a member county that requests assistance from another member county under this chapter. "Resources" includes supplies, materials, equipment, facilities, energy, services, information, systems, and other assets that may be necessary, pursuant to a request for assistance under this chapter, for: (1) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (2) Participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency. "Resources" does not include emergency responders. "Responding member county" means a member county providing or intending to provide assistance to a requesting member county under this chapter.