Report Title:
Ambulance services; Kula
Description:
Appropriates funds for 24-hour advanced emergency ambulance services for the upcountry area of Maui for FY 2003-2004 and FY 2004-2005.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
721 |
TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003 |
||
STATE OF HAWAII |
||
|
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO AMBULANCE SERVICES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Kula/Makawao/ Pukalani (upcountry) region of Maui is a growing community and tourist center and includes the only rural area on Maui that does not have a twenty-four-hour, locally based advanced life support ambulance service available for its visitors and residents. The legislature also finds that census growth trends over the past decade show that Kula's population growth rate nearly doubled that of the island of Maui, 47.09 per cent to 28.77 per cent, respectively. When this trend is combined with the already aged population of Kula, it is clear that there will be a greater demand for ambulance services in the near future.
In 2002, 47 (15 per cent) of 316 emergency calls could not be serviced during the twelve-hour daily service period. Emergencies during non-service hours are answered by the nearest available ambulance service. This means that in emergency situations occurring after regular ambulance service hours, the response time of ambulances increases from an average of 15 minutes to up to 44 minutes depending upon the originating location of the ambulance. The state standard for emergency response time to rural areas is twenty minutes.
The legislature further finds that in many emergency medical situations, this prolonged response time can mean the difference between life and death for individuals visiting or living in this rural community. The purpose of this Act is to provide parity in emergency health care for residents and visitors of the Kula/Makawao/ Pukalani (upcountry) region of Maui by providing twenty-four-hour advanced life support ambulance services.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $771,581, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the sum of $771,581, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, to provide twenty-four-hour advanced life support ambulance services for the (upcountry) region of Maui.
SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.
INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |