The Honolulu Emergency Services Department is upgrading over half of its 23 ambulance units.
The department received six brand-new ambulances and remounted eight. A remount is when the box portion of the vehicle is put onto a new base frame. It gives the ambulance another life of between 150,000 to 300,000 miles, and costs less than a brand new unit.
ESD Director Jim Ireland said that he has never seen an upgrade of this many ambulances in the 13 years he has been with the department — and there are more on the way.
" We're getting four more remounts in three months. Three to six months after that, we're getting four brand new ambulances. So our entire EMS fleet for Oʻahu will be under a year old, within about six months or so," Ireland said.
"So just super proud of the team, very thankful for the mayor and the council's support. I'm thankful for all our EMTs and paramedics who are gonna work in these ambulances and the lifesaving work that they do. And as administrators, we owe them the best ambulances we can get, the best equipment so they can do their lifesaving work," he said.
The department also received an AmbuBus for transporting large amounts of people and two Sprinter vans for the Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement Program, which focuses on assisting homeless individuals.
Ireland said he wants to grow the department’s service. He's hoping to start new ambulance services in Kaimukī, Maunawili and Ko Olina.
