Maj. Gen. Lee on the Advertiser's "Hotseat" Tells Citizens to Request Invitation to CCRC Meeting

Afternoon Update: A quick read of Honolulu Advertiser's Hotseat blog chat today involving Maj. Gen. Robert Lee, state adjutant general, reveals the virtual absence of anything to do with natural disasters and State Civil Defense's readiness in that regard. Maybe it's just not something the public focuses on unless there's a hurricane or tsunami bearing down on the islands.

Here's the question CHORE posted and General Lee's response

As co-chair of the Comprehensive Communications Review Committee, which was created to assess the communications breakdown after the October 15th earthquakes and to recommend improvements, will you today reveal details of the agenda for the Committee's September 27th meeting? It currently reads only:

"Group discussion on status of final committee recommendations and
implementation status of those recommendations (by each organization)."

Details would help the public understand the scope of your upcoming meeting. One item worth covering: How many broadcast stations have added backup generators since October that will allow them to remain on the air during a power blackout? Which are they, and which stations have not added a backup capability? Also, is the public invited to the 9/27 meeting, and what is its location?

Thank you.

General Lee's response:

We are still working on the agenda for the Sep 27 meeting. Please contact the Governor's office to request an invite to the meeting.

And so we will, and maybe you will, too. If enough requests flow into the Governor's office, maybe they'll have to move the meeting to the Capitol Auditorium or another room large enough to accommodate a crowd and the media.

The issue is public safety, and this is the insider committee that's deciding how we'll all be served with emergency communications during our next emergency. We all have a stake in this.
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Morning Post:
If you're reading this before noon today (9/11), you mayR want to join the fun during the noon hour as State Adjutant General Robert Lee takes his place in the Honolulu Advertiser's Hotseat for an online chat. You can post your questions here.

CHORE already has posted a question concerning the agenda for the September 27th meeting of the Comprehensive Communications Review Committee. The current agenda has no details, as we reported last month. We also asked whether the public will have access to the meeting, something that's been missing in all previous meetings of this Governor-appointed body.

As we reflect on the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it's worth also reflecting on the fact that the greatest threat to the security of Hawaii citizens comes from nature -- hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, lava flows and tsunamis. Let's hope today's Hotseat chat dwells on preparations to cope with those better than what we experienced on Earthquake Sunday 11 months ago.