Department of Defense

Kauai: Guard helps during flood

Eleven Air and five Army Guard personnel assisted county and civil defense officials when heavy rains and flooding hit northeast Kauai with little warning, Dec. 14. Guard personnel, equipped with radios and 2 1/2-ton trucks, were stationed at the County’s Civil Defense Emergency Operating Center and the Kapaa and Hanapepe Armories.

Commanded by Lt. Col. Myron Dobashi, Air Guard personnel stood watch until the evening, when they were relieved by Army Guard soldiers. Other Kauai soldiers were activated after the storm to clean up mud and debris at the Kapaa Armory, which was flooded by two feet of water. Three journalists from the Army Guard were sent from Oahu to document the relief effort.

On Sunday, Gov. John Waihee, accompanied by Maj. Gen. Edward V. Richardson, the state adjutant general, flew to Kauai to survey the most heavily damaged areas. The governor and adjutant general were joined by Kauai Mayor Joanne Yukimura and the Kauai county engineer. The aerial portion of the survey was conducted with an Army Guard UH-lH helicopter; ground survey was from two sedans and two high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs).

On Monday, the Army Guard’s U-21 flew U.S. Congresswoman Patsy Mink to Kauai to survey the damage. Maj. Theodore Daligdig, battalion administrative specialist, drove Mink to the most extensively damaged sites, including the Anahola area.

Gov. Waihee has declared the county a major disaster area. The proclamation makes available state disaster funds to repair damage to public property such as roads, sewers and waterlines. The proclamation also makes available individual and business loans, and loans to assist with disaster recovery for qualified individuals or businesses. In addition, the proclamation will provide state income tax relief for qualified taxpayers suffering natural disaster losses.

State and county civil defense officials: in conjunction with Federal Emergency Management Agency, Small Business Administration and Kauai County officials, are presently conducting a more detailed survey to accurately determine total damage estimates. Thus far, civil defense officials estimate damages to public property at more than $4.6 million and private property damage at $2.5 million. The greatest damage was to individual residences, personal effects, private automobiles and farms.

– 1991 October – December Pūpūkahi pp. 1 & 4

HIARNG soldiers were used to evacuate civilians and to assist in cleanup efforts on Kauai when major flooding occurred in the Anahola area. Procedures and training that were developed earlier in the year to address such disasters were validated at that time.

– 1992 Annual Report pp. 9