Amidst a climate of staff shortages and high call volumes that have strained Honolulu's Emergency Medical Services (EMS), a merger with the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) is once again up for consideration. The Honolulu City Council's Public Safety Committee passed a resolution on Tuesday to create a task force to study and devise a plan for the potential consolidation. This marks yet another chapter in a saga that began back in 2011, with the idea failing to manifest into change, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
The resolution, introduced by City Council member Val Okimoto, aims to address the shortages and the fatigue plaguing paramedics and emergency medical technicians. "I’m looking for some type of solution," Okimoto told Hawaii News Now. Staff at EMS have been to cope with over 100,000 calls this year alone, with personnel numbers at about 250. The situation has led to temporary closures of EMS units due to understaffing.
The HFD, in contrast, has more than a thousand firefighters handling some 60,000 calls annually, a majority of which are medical in nature. A merged entity would spread out resources, enabling crews from both agencies to respond collectively. Fire stations around the island, which number over 40, would potentially house ambulance rigs, as per statements obtained by Hawaii News Now.
Support for the task force is apparent from various corners. "We would like to stand in support of anything that’s going to improve the services of EMS statewide on Oahu," said Honolulu EMS Assistant Chief Korey Chock during the committee meeting. Yet, there remain concerns regarding the merger's impact on operations. HFD Chief Kalani Hao expressed hopes that the task force will discuss major issues such as budget, staffing, and labor, according to information shared by Hawaii News Now.
Despite these cautious voices, the resolution has pressed forward and will next be heard by the full Council. The task force, if established, would include members from different sectors of city government, like Emergency Services, the fire department, and government worker unions, based on insights from Hawaii Public Radio. The conversation around this potential merger arrives soon after the ocean safety division branched off from emergency services to become its own department, further reshaping the landscape of Honolulu's first responder system.
