To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. RESPONDERS TODAY PHOTO: THOMAS M. IANNUCCI Teixeira is one of the main proponents of fostering this readiness among responders. Bringing together all key agencies for roundtable meetings before every major holiday and event, Teixeira and his team also host the annual Asian Pacific Homeland Security Summit. It was at this summit that they created the Community Response Exercise. Having all emergency responders present, the exercises are turned over to the community. “We engage the community, saying, ‘Here’s the situation; here’s what is going on. Now what are you going to do?’” Teixeira explained. “It’s a reverse exercise; the public tells us what they would do and what their levels of expectations of the government are.” A military and civilian Makani Pahili (“strong wind” in Hawaiian) interagency exercise has also been designed to test the coordinated efforts among all levels of government and private sector organizations. Other preparedness efforts are being made by groups such as the Hawaii Wireless Interoperability Network, another interagency organization that looks for strategies to foster total communications interoperability among agencies. The Federal Executive Board brings all federal agencies in Hawaii together and the Hawaii Emergency Preparedness Executive Consortium. This board meets quarterly and is a gathering of all federal, state, county, military law enforcement, emergency managers and responders in an effort to continually share information among each other; a “fusion center,” so to speak. It’s a time to stay informed by sharing new ideas, possible threats, updates of policy and procedures, new technologies and equipment. “We constantly train. It seems every M AJOR STAKEHOLDERS MEET MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY WITH HONOLULU CITY OFFICIALS AND NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LIKE UTILITY COMPANIES AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS IN AN EFFORT TO STAY CONNECTED AND INFORMED. month or every other week we’re engaged in the planning or the execution of some sort of exercise.” Kaku stated. All these efforts, a dedication and striving for excellence and a common spirit of service have paid off. Honolulu was ranked once again by CQ Press’ annual City Crime Ranking 2008-2009 publication as the lowest crime rated city of 500,000 residents or more in the United States, making it one of the safest cities in the United States. It seems to bear out the state motto: Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono—“The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness.” HST THOMAS M. IANNUCCI is chairman of the Kauai County Police Commission, an ordained minister, author and freelance writer living on Kauai. His most recent article for Homeland Security Today was “Protecting Paradise” in the November 2008 issue, available at www.HSToday.us. Register online today for exclusive online content and eNewsletters HSToday Magazine | May 2009 11