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•0:4.9f Nom's, <br /> COUNTY OF HAWAII -*-' % STATE OF HAWAII <br /> •P•'•1 -W't <br /> RESOLUTION NO. 288 1..4 <br /> A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO APPROVE <br /> HOUSE BILL NOS. 1722 AND 2360 AND SENATE BILL NO. 2348, WHICH <br /> APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO AUGMENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE <br /> COUNTY OF HAWAII. <br /> WHEREAS, according to the 2010 Census, Puna is the fastest growing district in the <br /> State of Hawai`i with a population of over 45,000; and <br /> WHEREAS, Puna spans approximately 320,000 acres and is just slightly smaller than <br /> the island of Kaua`i; and <br /> WHEREAS, challenging geographical distances, an increase in emergency calls, and <br /> distant primary care services result in longer emergency response and transport times; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to the Hawai`i Fire Department, from 2013 to 2014, 5,149 calls <br /> for emergency services in Puna accounted for 27 percent of Hawai`i County's 911 calls; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to the Hawai`i Fire Department, patient transports from the Puna <br /> district take an average of two hours from the time they respond to when they return to the fire <br /> station; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to the Hawai`i Fire Department, medics may experience ten or <br /> more patient transports per day, which places personnel on the road for nearly 24 consecutive <br /> hours; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to the Hawai`i Fire Department, average emergency response <br /> times in North Kona span between eight and 30 minutes, with an additional 25 to 30 minutes to <br /> transport a patient from North Kona to Kona Community Hospital; and <br /> WHEREAS, House Bill No. 1722 and Senate Bill No. 2348 appropriate funds for two <br /> special emergency medical response vehicle units to be based in Puna and Makalei, in North <br /> Kona, and for the acquisition of vehicles, equipment, and personnel costs for state-certified <br /> emergency medical service personnel; and <br /> WHEREAS, House Bill No. 2360 makes an appropriation for a grant-in-aid to the <br /> Hawai`i Fire Department to provide Puna with an emergency medical services unit(special <br /> emergency medical response vehicle); now, therefore, <br />