The Honolulu City Council is considering a task force that would look into merging the Honolulu Emergency Services Department with the Honolulu Fire Department.
This comes just months after the ocean safety division branched off from emergency services to become its own department.
Ambulance services — including the Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement program meant to target homeless people in need — are part of the Emergency Services Department.
Councilmembers were concerned about EMS’s problem with filling vacant positions. Since they are short-staffed, they have had to close as many as seven ambulances within 24 hours.
Councilmember Val Okimoto introduced the measure.
"This has been a discussion that has been shared for decades now, and I'm just extremely grateful and honored to be able to have this opportunity to talk about it. I've not been shy about it since I've been here been in office," she said.
"I've talked about how I grew up as the daughter of a first responder so I know firsthand what our first responders have to deal with every day. And so whatever I can do to help not just make our communities safe, but just the needs of our first responders, that's what I'm trying to do. as the fire chief and EMS said, we're always looking for ways to improve our city services, especially critical services, life saving services."
The task force would have members from different parts of city government including Emergency Services, the fire department and the government worker unions.
The resolution will next be heard by the full Council.
