COVID-19 has exposed the gaps in Hawai’i’s public health and emergency preparedness systems. Yet, the pandemic allows presents an opportunity to reexamine how we connect data, hospitals, health care providers, safety nets, and housing to improve public health outcomes. We should invest in healthcare infrastructure that can provide aid–including food, housing, and life-saving medical treatments–at all times and to anyone in need.

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We must also be wise about our state’s emergency preparedness plans. As climate change and sea level rise continue to accelerate, we are becoming increasingly vulnerable to hurricanes, flooding, drought, and fire. 

 

As a public official, I take responsibility for preparing our community for the impact of climate change and sea level rise. Over the past three years, I have been working diligently with the Hawai'i Hazards Awareness and Resilience Program (HHARP) and a dedicated team of community volunteers to make our community more resilient. I will also continue to fight for funding to improve climate resilience statewide, so that our islands are prepared to adapt to any environmental challenges we might face.