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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 2027 (Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency) KAUA‘I EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FY 2027 BUDGET AND OPERATIONS SYNOPSIS Elton Ushio Administrator 2 Department: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Fund: GENERAL FUND 1. FY 2026 to FY 2027 BUDGET COMPARSION FY 2026 FY 2027 $ + / - % + / - Salary and Wages 616,464 622,604 6,140 1.0% Benefits 363,543 347,633 -15,910 -4.4% Utilities 107,720 107,720 0 0.0% Vehicle/Equip, Lease 110,002 200,002 90,000 81.8% Operations 1,488,332 1,602,932 114,600 7.7% 2,686,061 2,880,891 194,830 7.3% 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000 1,800,000 Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations FY 2026 and FY 2027 Comparison FY 2026 FY 2027 23% 14% 4% 4% 55% FY 2026 Operating Budget Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations 21% 12% 4%7% 56% FY 2027 Operating Budget Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations 3 2. MAJOR CHANGES AND/OR VARIANCES IN OPERATIONS BUDGET The primary changes in KEMA’s budget are due to (1) continuation of critical system UPS upgrades for our EOC and 800 MHz radio system and 911/Dispatch, (2) contractual increases of multi-term contracts and leases, (3) increased support of 800 MHz public safety radio system maintenance and security items, and (4) grant-in-aid items for CERT and Emergency Management support. These are of particular importance this budget cycle where federal funding streams are facing risk and uncertainty. 3. OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES KEMA experienced another active fiscal year, with new and ongoing engagements and projects with federal, state, local, and private sector partners. The fiscal year started off with a variety of threats, including flash flooding, a pair of tsunami threat incidents—one of which resulted in our first Tsunami Warning since 2012—and Red Flag Warnings for high fire risk weather. While the 2025 Central Pacific hurricane season was relatively mild in terms of direct impacts to Hawaiʻi, it still required sustained monitoring and coordination with state and federal partners throughout the season. Wildfire mitigation, preparedness, and response also remained a priority. As always, other severe weather threats require perpetual vigilance and readiness, and we are currently seeing a delayed but noticeable start to the wet season. The evolving threat environment continues to shift, placing increasing demands on local preparedness and resilience, as our steadfast military partners remind us of their prioritization on homeland defense. This is even more true as we stand before you today, as we are experiencing armed conflict in the Middle East and heightened global instability. This, along with our ongoing natural, human-caused, and hybrid threats and hazards, have and will continue to affect our full spectrum of preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery functions, placing continuous burden on our team. Ongoing developments and uncertainties regarding federal partners and grant funding remain a key focus for KEMA. We are closely monitoring potential impacts while optimizing the use of current awards and maintaining readiness for future funding opportunities. With sincere thanks to our Administration and the County Council, current fiscal year funding has helped to maintain and also strengthened KEMA’s ability to meet these challenges. 4. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY 2026 Major Federal and State Partner Collaborations • Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Ongoing Partnerships: o Follow-ups and a possible 3rd round of our Best Available Refuge Area (BARA) assessments for hurricane refuge facilities. o Follow-ups to our May 2025 cybersecurity mission/collaboration, with progress to a 2026+ mission. • State HI-EMA and FEMA collaboration on various Hazard Mitigation Grant Program project applications (awards currently pending). 4 Severe Weather and Disaster Response Various severe weather events have impacted the county during FY26, including multiple Flash Flood Warnings and Red Flag Warnings, along with other threats. Fortunately, the Central Pacific hurricane season was milder than predicted. Perhaps the most significant operational highlight in this area was our pair of July 2025 tsunami threats, most notably the July 29, 2025 Tsunami Warning. While I’ve already briefed the County Council on our response to that incident, KEMA has continued to work with our extended partner network on ongoing improvements. A notable current focus centers on a 3-pronged strategic approach based on as State DOT comprehensive Tsunami Traffic Management Plan/study. KEMA’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Incident Management Team (IMT), and whole- community partner team both in and out of the EOC continue to provide effective support. Telecommunications Enhancements KEMA continues to enhance system reliability through improvements, hardening measures, redundant/backup systems, and ongoing maintenance, while also supporting partner training. Our continued migration and integration of the FirstNet public safety broadband system continues to support and improve: • Operational readiness • Response capabilities • Interoperability • Redundant/alternate communications systems • Responder safety • EOC situational awareness and partners’ common operating picture These advancements have strengthened KEMA’s ability to support emergency communications and coordination across the county.