HCR 46: RECOGNIZING OPEN WATER LIFEGUARDS AS FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII.

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

RECOGNIZING OPEN WATER LIFEGUARDS AS FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII.

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards perform an essential public safety function by protecting countless lives from death or serious injury among residents and visitors throughout the State; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards are professionals designated as Ocean Safety Officers in the counties of Kauaʻi and Maui, and as Water Safety Officers in the City and County of Honolulu and county of Hawaiʻi, reflecting their specialized training, responsibilities, and scope of duty; and

     WHEREAS, in the performance of their duties, open water lifeguards routinely place themselves at significant risk to their own lives and physical safety in dynamic and hazardous ocean and shoreline environments; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards are frequently among the first personnel to respond to emergencies on the State's beaches or in state waters and operate alongside police officers and firefighters to protect life, secure scenes, and preserve public safety until additional responders arrive; and

     WHEREAS, the duties of open water lifeguards extend beyond ocean rescues and include responding to emergencies such as cardiac arrests, traumatic injuries, and motor vehicle collisions that occur on or near beaches, parks, and public roadways; and

     WHEREAS, many open water lifeguards are cross-trained in emergency medical response, marine fire safety, law enforcement support, and water rescue craft operations; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards undergo rigorous and continuous training, including high-performance cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator use, advanced rescue techniques, and emergency scene management; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards respond to emergencies by attending to, treating, assisting, and transporting victims, which collectively constitute the four defined duties of an emergency response employee; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards not only protect human life but also safeguard property, preserve evidence, and protect the environment, which together represent the four core tenets commonly used to define a first responder; and

     WHEREAS, the term "first responder" is commonly defined as an individual with specialized training who is among the first to arrive at and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards differ fundamentally from pool lifeguards due to the unpredictable and hazardous environments in which they operate and the wide range of emergency situations and locations to which they respond; and

     WHEREAS, many other countries formally recognize lifeguards as emergency responders and grant them access to programs, protections, and resources afforded to first responders; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, that this body recognizes open water lifeguards as first responders in the State of Hawaii; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body acknowledges the essential role open water lifeguards play in emergency response, public safety, and community wellbeing throughout the State of Hawaii; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body urges all relevant state and county agencies, departments, and governing bodies to adopt this recognition and ensure that open water lifeguards are afforded the rights, resources, training support, and professional respect accorded to first responders; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body encourages continued collaboration among public safety agencies to strengthen emergency response capabilities and enhance safety across the State's ocean, shoreline, and public environments; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Mayors of the Counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii and the City and County of Honolulu; Chief of the Ocean Safety Division of the Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui; Chief of the Ocean Safety Bureau of the Kauai Fire Department; Chief of the Ocean Safety Department of the City and County of Honolulu; Chief of the Ocean Safety Bureau of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department; Fire Chief of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department; Fire Chief of the Kauai Fire Department; Fire Chief of the Fire and Public Safety Department of the County of Maui; and Fire Chief of the Honolulu Fire Department.

Report Title: 

Open Water Lifeguards; First Responders

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

recognizing open water lifeguard as first responders in the state of hawaii.

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards perform an essential public safety function by protecting countless lives from death or serious injury among residents and visitors throughout the State; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards are professionals designated as Ocean Safety Officers in the counties of Kauaʻi and Maui, and as Water Safety Officers in the City and County of Honolulu and Hawaiʻi County, reflecting their specialized training, responsibilities, and scope of duty; and

     WHEREAS, in the performance of their duties, open water lifeguards routinely place themselves at significant risk to their own lives and physical safety in dynamic and hazardous ocean and shoreline environments; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards are frequently among the first personnel to respond to emergencies on the State's beaches or in state waters and operate alongside police officers and firefighters to protect life, secure scenes, and preserve public safety until additional responders arrive; and

     WHEREAS, the duties of open water lifeguards extend beyond ocean rescues and include responding to emergencies such as cardiac arrests, traumatic injuries, and motor vehicle collisions that occur on or near beaches, parks, and public roadways; and

     WHEREAS, many open water lifeguards are cross-trained in emergency medical response, marine fire safety, law enforcement support, and water rescue craft operations; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards undergo rigorous and continuous training, including high-performance cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator use, advanced rescue techniques, and emergency scene management; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards respond to emergencies by attending to, treating, assisting, and transporting victims, which collectively constitute the four defined duties of an emergency response employee; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards not only protect human life but also safeguard property, preserve evidence, and protect the environment, which together represent the four core tenets commonly used to define a first responder; and

     WHEREAS, the term "first responder" is commonly defined as an individual with specialized training who is among the first to arrive at and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency; and

     WHEREAS, open water lifeguards differ fundamentally from pool lifeguards due to the unpredictable and hazardous environments in which they operate and the wide range of emergency situations and locations to which they respond; and

     WHEREAS, many other countries formally recognize lifeguards as emergency responders and grant them access to programs, protections, and resources afforded to first responders; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, that this body recognizes open water lifeguards as first responders in the State of Hawaii; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body acknowledges the essential role open water lifeguards play in emergency response, public safety, and community wellbeing throughout the State of Hawaii; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body urges all relevant state and county agencies, departments, and governing bodies to adopt this recognition and ensure that open water lifeguards are afforded the rights, resources, training support, and professional respect accorded to first responders; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body encourages continued collaboration among public safety agencies to strengthen emergency response capabilities and enhance safety across the State's ocean, shoreline, and public environments; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Mayors of the Counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii and the City and County of Honolulu; Chief of the Ocean Safety Division of the Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui; Chief of the Ocean Safety Bureau of the Kauai Fire Department; Chief of the Ocean Safety Department of the City and County of Honolulu; Chief of the Ocean Safety Bureau of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department; Fire Chief of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department; Fire Chief of the Kauai Fire Department; Fire Chief of the Fire and Public Safety Department of the County of Maui; and Fire Chief of the Honolulu Fire Department.

Report Title: 

Open Water Lifeguards; First Responders