HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-02-14 Letter to Sylvia Luke re HB 1616, HD 1 Relating to Health [Puna Ambulance]Harry Kim
Itiayor
Oinuttfil
Offirrtr
Wil Okabe
Alciiniging Director
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Alunaging 1)trector
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • HIo, Hawai`i 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553
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Representative Sylvia Luke, Chair
Committee on Finance
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 308
Honolulu, HI 96813
Dear Chair Luke and Committee Members:
Re: HB 1616, HD 1, Relating
Hearing Date: 02/16/18
February 14, 2018
to Health [Puna Ambulance]
— 4:00 pm; House Conference Room 308
I strongly support H 1616, HI 1.
be of tremendous value, and there is little
excellent job of laying out the case.
A new ambulance for the Puna District of the Big Island would
I can add to the preamble of HB 1616, HD 1 which does an
"The district of Puna is the fastest growing district in the State; and thus, has increasing calls for
emergency medical services. Currently, the high demand for Puna emergency services means Hilo
ambulances need to travel to Puna for emergency calls. Hilo ambulances someti es need to travel over
thirty lles with some of those miles on substandard unpaved roads, Every Hilo ambulance that
responds to a Puna emergency means one less ambulance available for Hilo, the second largest city in
the State; and thus, an ambulance based in Puna not only benefits Puna, but also benefits the rest of
East Hawail Island."
It "takes an average round-trip of almost two hours to respond to each Puna emergency cal.
Emergency calls from Puna have increased to over five thousand calls per year. It is common for
paramedics to have over ten transports in each work shift, which equates to twenty or more hours for
each twenty-four hour shift. Because of this increase in calls, Hilo paramedic units, which are the busiest
on the island, are often dispatched into the Puna district to cover the area when the una paramedic units
are responding to other calls. This results in fewer Hilo paramedic units being available to respond to Hilo
emergency calls.
A new advanced life support ambulance will help reduce death and disability among residents
and visitors alike. Please act favorably on H 1616, HD1.
Mayor, County of Hawaii
County o '1-1a\vai*i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer,