Every second counts when someone goes missing—or when disaster strikes. But Hawaiʻi currently has no one responsible for statewide rescue coordination.

The result? Delays, confusion, and preventable loss of life. Hawaiʻi needs a unified, accountable rescue system.

It’s time for Governor Green to act now — because legislative efforts have repeatedly failed, while lives are lost.

In 2025, Senate Bill 1177 was introduced to create a State SAR Coordinator position. It never made it past the draft stage. This ongoing inaction has left Hawaiʻi without a unified, accountable rescue system — and the consequences are deadly.

Hawaiʻi is one of the most breathtaking places on Earth — but also one of the most dangerous when disaster strikes or when someone goes missing.

We have 750 miles of coastline, rugged terrain, remote wilderness, active volcanoes, and over 10 million annual visitors — yet we still do not have a State Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator.

This is not a minor oversight. This is a life-threatening gap in leadership.

FACT:
The Director of Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) is NOT the State SAR Coordinator.
Despite public assumption, HI-EMA does not have the authority or role to coordinate all search and rescue operations statewide. Instead, SAR responsibilities are fragmented across more than a dozen agencies, each with its own protocols, authorities, and communication chains.

When lives are on the line, this fragmented system does not work.

What Happens Without a State SAR Coordinator?

• Failure to act in mass casualty events — as tragically seen during the 2023 Maui wildfires, where 102 lives were lost and the entire community was stranded without water, power, or emergency support for many days
• Poor communication and broken chains of command
• Delays in rescue because no one has the authority to activate mutual aid quickly
• Inconsistent response times and training standards across counties and islands

In short, people die who could have been saved.

This Position Can—and Will—Save Lives

We call on Governor Green to immediately create a State SAR Coordinator position reporting directly to the Office of the Governor, to bring accountability, speed, and professionalism to all future search and rescue operations.

A dedicated State SAR Coordinator will:

• Create top-down oversight and accountability
• Streamline SAR policies, protocols, and training across all islands
• Coordinate mutual aid from federal, state, and local partners
• Standardize and improve resource use to cut costs and save more lives
• Oversee and unify communication among police, fire, EMS, military, volunteer teams, and federal agencies
• Secure state-level preparedness for mass casualty events
• Oversee SAR budgets, certifications, and state training programs
• Act as the official point for formal mutual aid dispatching
• Ensure missing persons cases are adjudicated fairly and swiftly
• Enhance security for state assets like ports during disaster operations

Data published in May 2023 cited Hawaiʻi was tied for 2nd in the nation (with Oklahoma) for missing persons. We cannot afford to wait. One more life lost is one too many!

Too many families are left without answers. Too many agencies are working a lack of resources and in silos. Too much time is lost trying to determine who is in charge when the unthinkable happens.

Without central coordination, disaster becomes chaos.

Without clear leadership, rescue becomes recovery.

 

We urge the Governor Green to:

• Establish a State Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator within the Office of the Governor who will 
  • Create a formal, unified State SAR Plan (ESF9)
  • Develop a State SAR Fund to provide tools, training, and personnel support
  • Ensure all SAR efforts across land, sea, and air are professionally coordinated
  • Create fair, consistent protocols for missing persons statewide
     

Who We Are
We are first responders, SAR volunteers, families of the missing, emergency experts, and concerned citizens. This is a coalition of over 40 agencies and organizations committed to saving lives in Hawaiʻi— and we are asking you to stand with us.

SIGN NOW
Help us reach all voices calling for leadership, coordination, and safety for everyone — residents, first responders, and visitors alike.

We can’t wait until the next disaster to act.
Let’s fix this now — before more lives are lost.

 
🖊️ [Sign the Petition]
📣 [Share with Your Community]
📍 [Support Hawaiʻi’s First Responders]

Act now to urge Governor Green to prioritize the establishment of a comprehensive and effective SAR infrastructure starting with a State SAR Coordinator under the Office of the Governor. By solidifying these measures, we can safeguard the lives and well-being of both residents and visitors alike.

Sign the petition today to make a safer Hawaiʻi.