Source: khon2.com
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new Honolulu Emergency Medical Services station is now open in Ko Olina, and officials said it will be a huge benefit for the West Oʻahu Community. “Here we have everything we need, bandages, medications, equipment supplies, so we can respond to calls immediately,” said Angela Marumoto, a paramedic.
The new Ko Olina unit is now in service, and it will help greatly when it comes to life-saving response times across West Oʻahu. The Honolulu EMS station opened on Monday, Dec. 15, and is staffed by paramedics who can provide advanced life-saving care, even before an ambulance arrives.
“I provide all the services you would get on an ambulance with a paramedic, short of transporting to the hospital, so I do provide basic care as well as advanced life support,” Marumoto added. “So, I can start IVs and initiate care, while we’re waiting for the ambulances to become available from the hospitals.”
That is especially important in West Oʻahu, where long distances and traffic can mean longer transport times to hospitals.
“So, I am the first part of treatment; so, I get there, I assess patients, I give them the treatments they need while we wait for the ambulance to get to us and take the patient to the hospital,” Marumoto said. EMS officials said the new station fills a critical gap, allowing them to respond locally without pulling resources from town.
“The community continues to grow on this side, and so does the call volume,” said Kenneth Faria, EMS Acting Assistant Operations Chief. “Having an additional unit strengthens our response for the West side of Oʻahu.” The Ko Olina location was chosen strategically, serving areas from Nānākuli to Waiʻanae and providing backup when multiple calls come in at once.