The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is initiating a pulse-check on emergency preparedness among residents in eastern Hawaiʻi County. The department announced it will conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey from May 12-16. The move aims to gauge the readiness of households in Hilo, Puna, and Kaʻū for public health emergencies and to develop a clearer picture of community needs, as reported by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
In collaboration with a bevy of local partners such as the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency and the Citizens Corps, the DOH will deploy survey teams across 30 randomly selected census blocks. Each team is tasked with visiting seven homes per block, targeting a total of 210 houses for these face-to-face surveys. "This will be the first launch of the CASPER survey in Hawaiʻi County to assess household public health emergency preparedness and evacuation plans, as well as help us to understand household awareness and concerns," said Dr. John Kolman, district health officer at HDHO, according to a statement from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
Household participants will be quizzed on a variety of components, including their emergency and evacuation schemes, knowledge of local resources, and concerns regarding disaster preparedness. The process, which is voluntary and confidential, is not intended to eat up much of the residents’ time — it clocks in at an estimated 10 minutes, as per the Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
Participants will also have the option to provide their input over the phone if that's more convenient, assuring maximum flexibility in the survey process. Team members who'll be making the house calls will be easily identifiable by vests and official ID cards. Dr. Kolman expressed gratitude for community involvement: "We greatly appreciate the participation of eastern Hawaiʻi County residents and our community partners in this survey effort, Mahalo for generously sharing your time and responses with our survey teams," as mentioned in a recent Hawaiʻi Department of Health release.
The CASPER tool is a CDC-developed methodology aimed at quickly sussing out a community's needs post-disaster. With this proactive approach, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health is expecting to refine their strategies to enhance support for the island communities well before emergency scenarios unfold.
