KHON2’s recent stories highlighting EMS spending and staffing now has the State Department of Health looking for more answers.

This, after we raised questions on ambulance units closing and the purchase of a gas truck that has never been used.

The health department controls the money for EMS but does give it leeway on what to purchase. Still, the state now wants more information on the problems we’ve raised.

“With regards to some of the issues you have raised I will definitely talk with the city and get some answers to these questions,” said Dr. Alvin Bronstein, head of the health department’s EMS branch.

He is aware of the $185,000 gas tanker truck bought three years ago, which sits in a storage facility and has never been used.

EMS also bought six self-contained breathing apparatus, at $5,000 each. They’re normally used by firefighters and never been used by EMS.

EMS also bought a mobile command center for $235,000. The state says it is aware of the gas truck purchase, but wants more details on the other equipment.

“If there is a warehouse with all these things, then we should look at that and see the rationale and why things were purchased, if they were, and better understand it. Cause there’s always two sides to the story,” said Bronstein.

EMS says the gas truck will be needed in case of a hurricane to fuel ambulances. The breathing apparatus are used for long term planning when crews get exposed to different hazards. And the mobile center is used in case of mass casualties at major events like the Honolulu Marathon or a concert.



As for the staffing, Bronstein says he wants to know more about why units are closing.

“They should have enough to staff all of the units, but things happen. So we need to look at each specific incident to know exactly what happened that caused that particular closure,” he said.

Bronstein says in addition to asking the questions himself, he’s also counting on federal experts to review EMS systems across the state. He says he believes that more ambulance units are needed to the 21 on Oahu.

But the cost is $1.5 million per year if you include staffing. He says the federal review will determine how many units should be added and help justify the cost.

“I can’t just walk up to the governor’s office and say give me five new ambulances. We have to have the data and the rationale for that,” said Bronstein.

The federal review is expected to be done before the end of the year.