Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, March 20, 2020

      Ocean Count promotes public awareness of humpback whales, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities. Volunteer participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey, which provides a snapshot of humpback whales activity from the shorelines of Oʻahu, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi islands.
     The counts normally take place three times during peak whale season: the last Saturdays in January, February, and March.

     Despite challenging sighting conditions, the count on Feb. 29, where volunteers collected data from 51 sites across all the main Hawaiian Islands, recorded 191 whale sightings during the 8:30-8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period in the day's count. Volunteers were also able to educate 647 members of the public who stopped by for more information during the count. The count in January 550 volunteers collected data from 53 sites across all the main Hawaiian Islands. A total of 279 whale sightings were seen during the 8:30-8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day's count.

     The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, administered by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the State of Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources, protects thousands of humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters, where they migrate each winter to mate, calve, and nurse their young. An "abundance" of humpback cows and their calves have been spotted this season, according to the sanctuary.

     Boaters are reminded to post a lookout at all times when moving through the water, not just during humpback season. Humpback whales are protected in Hawaiʻi. Federal regulations prohibit approaching within 100 yards of whales when on the water, and 1,000 feet when operating an aircraft. These and other regulations apply to all ocean users, including vessel operators, kayakers, paddle boarders, windsurfers, swimmers, and divers throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
     Anyone coming across an injured or entangled marine mammal is asked to maintain the required safe and legal distance, and call the NOAA Marine Mammal Hotline at 1-888-256-9840 immediately, or the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF channel 16. If reporting a suspected approach zone violation, please call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964. Additional guidelines and safety tips can be found at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.

     The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports national marine sanctuaries by protecting species, conserving ecosystems and preserving America's maritime heritage through on-the-water conservation projects, public education, and outreach programs and scientific research and exploration.

THE BIG SISTER OF KAʻŪ HOSPITAL IS ASKING FOR HELP. Hilo Medical Center is ramping up for the possibility of caring for many COVD-19 patients. Hilo Hospital will announce a community donation drive for people and businesses with extra N95 and surgical masks. It is taking on emergency hires for Hilo Medical Center and Hale Hoʻala Hamakua in Honokaʻa, and plans for a two-thirds growth in capacity to care for COVID-19 patients. Volunteers can also sign up to help at Hilo Medical Center.

Surgical masks are needed at Hawaiʻi Island hospitals.

     A new Screening & Testing Site at the Puna Community Medical Center in Pāhoa will open on Monday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, with no physician lab order required. Screening will take place at the site. Testing continues at Hilo Medical Center, physician lab order required.
     Spokesperson Elena Cabatu said that an inventory of Hilo Hospital needs is underway.
STATE LEGISLATORS URGE MAYOR HARRY KIM TO ORDER SHELTER-IN-PLACE. Hawaiʻi Island's state Senators and members of the House of Representatives sent the mayor a letter this week entitled Request for Immediate Action in Response to the Public Health Concerns Regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19):
     "To protect the residents of the County of Hawaiʻi and the long-term stability of our island economy, we implore you to immediately order the shut-down of non-essential county government operations and the sheltering-in-place of all people throughout the County of Hawai‘i.
     "As Mayor of the County of Hawai’i, we strongly urge you to take the following immediate actions through an Emergency Proclamation and Emergency Rule(s): Institute an immediate countywide shut down for the next 15 days. Order all people in the County of Hawai‘i to shelter-in-place for the next 15 days and coordinate with the Joint Incident Center under the command of the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency Director/Adjutant General Kenneth Hara to immediately use his authority under the March 16, 2020, Emergency Supplementary Proclamation by Governor Ige to take all necessary steps and required means to ensure that the supply chain for basic necessities — such as food, medicine, water, communications, gasoline, cargo, and public safety throughout the County of Hawaiʻi — is secure.
     "Request Director/Adjutant General Hara to secure and requisition any needed hospital and medical supplies that are necessary to assist with the coming need to treat individuals due to COVID-19, at all available Hawaiʻi Island medical facilities. In coordination with Governor Ige, order the quarantine of all travelers arriving from outside Hawaiʻi at the Hilo and Kona International Airports for a minimum of 15 days. Prohibit all non-essential inter-island and out-of-state travel from Hawaiʻi Island.

Hawaiʻi Islans state legislators urge Mayor Harry Kim to quarantine all travelers arriving from outside the state for 15 days, among other measures.

     "In coordination with Governor Ige, require the immediate closure of all public and private schools, daycare centers, preschools, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Hawaiʻi Community College, and Hawaiʻi Community College Pālamanui. Require the immediate closure of all County facilities and workspaces, and send home all non-essential County of Hawaiʻi personnel for the duration of the shut down.
     Limit County of Hawai‘i work to only essential personnel, provided they are equipped with the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and adhere to spatial distancing guidelines and preventive measures as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
     The legislators, who include Kaʻū Senators Russell Ruderman and Dru Kanuha, as well as Rep. Richard Onishi and Rep. Richard Creagan, say "As Mayor, you are the only person who has the direct authority to institute these actions. As state legislators, we passed and continue to support the delegated authority provided to the counties under Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 127, which grants you, as Mayor, the power to act in emergency situations such as the unprecedented one we face today. The entire Hawaiʻi Island delegation is speaking with one collective voice, and we implore you to take immediate action for the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the County of Hawai‘i."

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GOV. DAVID IGE YESTERDAY APPLAUDED COUNTY MAYORS'"TAILORED ACTIONS" in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I want to thank mayors Caldwell, Kawakami, Kim, and Victorino for their swift actions in implementing the directives. These are hard decisions. We all understand the dire nature of the challenges facing our state due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are moving together in our response."

     Ige said each mayor understands "the unique needs of their communities" and are putting in place restrictions and guidance that best meet those needs, and that align with CDC guidelines, the direction provided by the state Department of Health, and the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency.
     "They have my full support and commitment to continue to work cooperatively as we move forward in our efforts to fight COVID-19," said Ige. "We know these actions are extreme, but we know they will help flatten the curve and lay the groundwork for a quicker recovery. The community needs to anticipate that more stringent measures may need to be introduced but we want to ensure everyone that any direction or mandates made will be based on facts and what's best for our communities. This is a community effort. Each of us has a part to play. And I know that the best way to get through this crisis is by working together for the sake of our entire state," added Ige.